Not sure who to vote for in the Ontario election? This guide will help you decide
CBC
It's Ontario election day on Thursday. Like, tomorrow Thursday.
If you're struggling to figure out your vote, this is the article for you — and we've tried to make it as straightforward as possible.
And if you're one of our regular readers who is super plugged-in to this snap winter election, this article is a good one to send to your less-engaged friends. Voter turnout was a dismal 43 per cent in the last election and 6.14 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot during last week's 3-day advance voting window, according to Elections Ontario. So, every share helps.
Polling stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on election day. Head to Elections Ontario to figure out where your polling station is and what ID you need to bring. Also, if you're in line at 9 p.m. you will be able cast a ballot, so hang in there.
You do not need your voting card to cast a ballot.
You do need to be a Canadian citizen who resides in Ontario
There is no online voting. So if you're on vacation and haven't made arrangements to vote by mail, you're out of luck.
CBC News will have the results from all 124 ridings as soon as they start rolling in at 9 p.m. ET. You can find our results page here.
PC Leader Doug Ford triggered an early election, sending us to the polls a year earlier than expected in a move that will cost some $189 million. He says his party needs an even stronger mandate to deal with the potential tariff threat from U.S. President Donald Trump, even though it already had a majority at Queen's Park for seven years.
Most voters know Ford at this point — for many, it's a love or loathe situation — and he's spent most of the campaign defending his big ideas (including a multibillion-dollar tunnel under Hwy. 401 in the GTA) and his record. Click the link below if you want a look at how Ford has fared in office:
If you want to hear directly from Ford, check out the debate CBC News hosted on Family Day. It's 90 minutes, so if you'd like only the highlights, those are right below. Note: Ford has declined a one-on-one interview with CBC News during the campaign despite multiple requests.
Here's the shorter version:
Marit Stiles leads the NDP. Born in Newfoundland, she's gone from Toronto school trustee to MPP — parents may remember her as the party's education critic during the COVID era — and has led the New Democrats since Andrea Horwath stepped down after the 2022 election.
The NDP was the Official Opposition, which means you've probably seen Stiles fighting to hold the government to account. On the campaign trail, her focus has mainly been on affordability issues.
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