A voter enters an advance voting location in the riding of Hamilton East-Stoney Creek in Hamilton, on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, one of three byelections in Ontario. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn
Not much has shifted at Queen’s Park after Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives and the Opposition New Democrats maintained their seats during three byelections on Thursday.
Progressive Conservative Jeff Beattie, a long-serving city councillor from Hamilton, secured the riding of Hamilton East-Stoney Creek with nearly 39 per cent of the vote against NDP candidate Monique Taylor’s 33 per cent. Taylor had represented a neighboring riding for 14 years before stepping down to unsuccessfully pursue a federal position.
Liberal Heino Doessing finished third with 23 per cent of the votes.
In York-Simcoe, Conservative Susan Lahey won decisively with 49.8 per cent of the vote over Liberal Naomi Davison’s 38.8 per cent. Lahey takes over the seat from former Treasury Board president Caroline Mulroney, who resigned in June.
This riding has been held by conservatives since its establishment in 2007.
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Ford praised both Beattie and Lahey for their victories and remarked that voters supported a party ready to stand up against U. S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
“I just want the people of Ontario and all of Canada to know that we’re going to continue to fight,” Ford said at Beattie’s campaign celebration in Hamilton.
“We’re going to fight against Donald Trump. We’re going to make sure that we protect people’s jobs, protect their communities and protect them,” he stated.
Beattie expressed his gratitude saying it’s “the honour of a lifetime” to represent constituents at this level.
“I think primarily as we move into uncertain times with our largest trading partner nearby, it’s becoming clearer that people feel significant anxiety,” Beattie shared. “They’re experiencing real fear about what lies ahead? It’s evident that someone like Premier Ford is best suited as Ontario’s champion and I want to be Hamilton East-Stoney Creek’s champion in that same spirit.”
In Scarborough Southwest where it was mainly a contest between Liberals and New Democrats, NDP’s Fatima Shaban came out on top with over 40 per cent of the votes.
During her victory speech, Shaban assured voters she would “fight like hell” for more affordable living conditions.
“Today they spoke loud and clear that affordability is a must,” she noted. “It is not an afterthought.”
NDP Leader Marit Stiles also celebrated her party’s success.
“It is clearer than ever before from these three byelections – these historic three byelections – that there’s only one party prepared to take down Doug Ford and his conservatives; that’s the New Democratic Party,” she announced at Shaban’s victory gathering.
Candidates reported ongoing provincial issues such as health care access, education quality and affordability were frequent topics as they campaigned door-to-door. Voters are also anxious about Canada’s trade conflict with the United States.
The rising trade tensions appear to have favored Ford during these byelections according to Peter Graefe, a political science professor at Mc Master University.
‘People naturally look towards their leader during challenging times,’ Graefe said Thursday regarding why Ford might be benefiting right now – particularly places like Hamilton East-Stoney Creek where steel tariffs will hit hard.’
‘It’s tougher for opposition parties to shift focus away from these issues toward other topics like urban boundary expansion or controversies surrounding things like jet planes or expense accounts.’
‘Graefe referred specifically to various scandals involving Ford’s administration lately which included his controversial purchase of a private jet for almost $29 million only later returning it following public backlash.’
‘The government faced criticism too for permitting Toronto-area ministers accommodations funded by taxpayers leading Tourism Minister Stan Cho resign while several other legislators reimbursed expenses.’
‘Overall it seems like a pretty positive day for Doug Ford and his government,’ Graefe concluded.’
‘Given these byelections occurred during summer right before a long weekend – they were somewhat uneventful.’
According to unofficial results from Elections Ontario , turnout across all three contests was just above 25 percent.
This report by The Canadian Press was first Sept.3 ,2026.
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