NDP takes Scarborough Southwest, PCs win in York—Simcoe, Hamilton East

NDP takes Scarborough Southwest, PCs win in York—Simcoe, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek byelections

Voters cast ballots in 3 Ontario byelections Thursday

Ontario's Progressive Conservatives held onto the ridings of York-Simcoe and Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, while the NDP maintained its grip on Scarborough Southwest in three provincial byelections held Thursday.

According to Elections Ontario's unofficial results page, NDP's Fatima Shaban won in Scarborough Southwest by a 2,240-vote margin, securing 40.47 per cent of the vote share, with 57 out of 57 polls reporting. Voter turnout was 26.5 per cent.

PC candidate Susan Lahey won in York—Simcoe, with a 2,549-vote margin, securing 49.81 per cent of the vote share. Voter turnout was 21 per cent.

PC's Jeff Beattie, meanwhile, won in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek by a 1,614-vote margin, securing 38.87 per cent of the vote share, with 44 out of 44 polls reporting. Voter turnout was 29.25 per cent.

The Liberals came up empty in the provincial contests.

Ford congratulated Beattie and Lahey, saying voters have backed the party that will stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs.

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“Tonight, Ontario voters in York-Simcoe and Hamilton East-Stoney Creek elected two strong local representatives who will protect Ontario, stand up for workers and families and keep our province moving forward,” Ford said in a news release.

Candidates, party leaders react to wins

Shaban thanked her team of volunteers for their work, along with her husband, children and various community leaders for their support.

"We did it!" Shaban said at the Kingston Road branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, where the NDP's celebration was held.

"I often say I can't imagine living anywhere else other than right here in Scarborough Southwest because you guys are my family. This is a community that is helping me to raise my kids, where I grew up and I am going to fight like hell to make sure that we get our fair share."

Shaban said her team knocked on thousands of doors and the campaign was run on "absolute positivity."

"What happens here is going to have lasting effects," she said.

Shaban, a community advocate, faced off in the riding against Liberal candidate Ahsanul Hafiz, a businessman who owns 30 Dominos pizza restaurants, and PC candidate Noor Tarun.

Hafiz won the nomination race, beating former MP Nate Erskine-Smith, who intended to run for the party's leadership.

In a post on social media platform X, the Ontario NDP said Shaban is "a voice from this community, for this community, joining Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP to make life more affordable and get Scarborough its fair share. Congratulations, Fatima. Let's go get it."

Meanwhile in Hamilton, the PCs held a campaign celebration in a craft brewery, Clifford Brewing. Ford joined Beattie at the brewery Thursday night.

Beattie said it's "the honour of a lifetime" to now represent constituents at the provincial level.

"I think primarily, as we continue to enter into uncertain times with our largest trading partner to the south, it became more and more apparent people are feeling incredible anxiety," Beattie said.

PC Jeff Beattie wins Hamilton East—Stoney Creek byelection

"They're feeling some real fear. What does the future hold? And it became very, very apparent that somebody like Premier Ford is really best suited as the champion of Ontario, and I want to be the champion of Hamilton East—Stoney Creek in that same way."

Byelections called after MPPs stepped down

Ford called the three byelections in early August after three MPPs stepped down.

Hamilton East-Stoney Creek became vacant after Neil Lumsden, a Progressive Conservative MPP and Ontario's former minister of sport, retired in early August.

Beattie, a longtime city councillor, ran for the seat in that riding, beating the NDP's Monique Taylor and Liberal Heino Doessing.

York—Simcoe was up for grabs after Caroline Mulroney, a Progressive Conservative MPP and former Treasury Board president, stepped down from politics in June, saying she wanted to begin a new chapter of her life.

Lahey, an East Gwillimbury town councillor, faced off in the riding against Liberal Naomi Davison and NDP's Bobby Nikmard.

Scarborough Southwest became vacant after Doly Begum, an NDP MPP, resigned to run for the federal Liberals in the same riding. She won the seat in a federal byelection in April.

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The escalating trade tensions helped Ford in these byelections, said Peter Graefe, a political science professor at McMaster University.

"Somewhat naturally, people tend to look for the leader to bring them through tough times, and I think it's benefiting Doug Ford again in this moment, and maybe particularly in a place like Hamilton East—Stoney Creek where the steel tariffs are going to bite most directly," Graefe said Thursday.

"It's harder than for the opposition parties to make this a referendum on other things, whether it's urban boundary expansion in Hamilton or even the probity around things like jet planes and expense accounts."

Graefe was referring to several scandals that have swirled around Ford and his government in recent months. That includes Ford's decision to buy a private jet for nearly $29 million, then return it days later after a public uproar.

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The government has also come under fire for allowing Toronto-area ministers to stay in hotels in the city on the public dime. That led to the resignation of Tourism Minister Stan Cho while several other legislators have also had to pay back the expenses.

"So it's probably a pretty good day for Doug Ford, ultimately, and his government," Graefe said.

"Maybe not surprisingly for byelections held in the middle of summer before a long weekend — they were kind of nothing burgers."

With files from The Canadian Press