THUNDER BAY – POLITICS – In the 2025 Ontario provincial election, Northern Ontario’s 13 ridings largely maintained their political alignments, with a few notable changes.
The Progressive Conservatives under Doug Ford’s leadership won a third majority government.
Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie lost her bid for a seat.
Speaking to her supporters Crombie said, “People counted us out. They said the Ontario Liberal Party was dead tonight. You proved them wrong.” The Ontario Liberal Party is back to official party status, but it gets better—we increased our share of the vote substantially to 30 per cent, this is a building block for us.”
Crombie stated that she plans to remain in place as the party leader and to continue leading the Liberals. “Ontario, I’m here, and I’m with you, and I’ll commit to you that I will stay on,” Crombie said.
The New Democrats will form the Official Opposition.
What is interesting is that the Liberals finished second in the popular vote, receiving almost twice the vote of the New Democrats but winning only half the seats.
Progressive Conservative Party Holds and Gains
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Thunder Bay–Atikokan: Incumbent Kevin Holland of the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party was re-elected, expressing gratitude for the continued support from constituents. Judith Montieth-Farrell sought a return to Queen’s Park but fell far short. First time Liberal candidate Stephen Margarit, who had served with Michael Gravelle as his EA was defeated but remained optimistic on future political campaigns.
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Kenora–Rainy River: Greg Rickford secured his third term, reinforcing the PC presence in the region.
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Algoma–Manitoulin: In a significant shift, PC candidate Bill Rosenberg won the seat, previously held by independent Michael Mantha. Rosenberg’s victory marks a notable gain for the PCs in Northern Ontario.
New Democratic Party Retentions
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Thunder Bay–Superior North: Lise Vaugeois retained her seat, overcoming challenges from PC candidate Rick Dumas and Liberal Brian Hamilton.
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Kiiwetinoong: Sol Mamakwa was re-elected for a third term, continuing his representation of the riding under the New Democratic Party (NDP) banner.
Liberal Party Performance
While the Liberal Party aimed to increase its influence in Northern Ontario, their efforts did not translate into seat gains. Notably, in Thunder Bay–Atikokan, Liberal candidate Stephen Margarit acknowledged that, among the 13 Northern Ontario ridings, their performance in this riding was the strongest, yet insufficient to secure a victory.
Overall Implications
The election results indicate a stable political landscape in Northern Ontario, with the PCs consolidating their position through both retentions and strategic gains, particularly in Algoma–Manitoulin. The NDP maintained its strongholds, while the Liberal Party continues to face challenges in making inroads in the region.
META Description: Summary of the 2025 Ontario provincial election results in Northern Ontario, highlighting key victories and party performances.
Tags: Ontario election 2025, Northern Ontario ridings, Progressive Conservative gains, NDP strongholds, Liberal Party performance