Tories retain midwestern Ontario seats

CTV News breaks down your midwestern Ontario winners in the 2025 provincial election.

Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound

CTV News has declared Paul Vickers as MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound. Vickers serves as councillor for the Municipality of Meaford. His stint as PC leader for the riding came after Incumbent Rick Byers announced in September 2024 that he would not seek re-election.

Other Candidates

Liberal – Selwyn Hicks

• Served two terms as a Councillor and two terms as Deputy Mayor in Hanover from 2006 – 2022.
• Hicks served as Warden of the County of Grey in 2019 and 2021.

NDP – James Harris

• Has worked in various sectors, including manufacturing and media production.
• Active community organizer, he contributes to several initiatives such as Solidarity Sundays and Food Not Bombs

Green – Joel Loughead

• Grey Highlands Councillor
• Defends greenspaces, watersheds, and farmland while championing environmental stewardship

Also running are Michael Butt of the Libertarian Party, Matt Fritz of the Ontario Alliance Party, Ann Gillies of the Stop the New Sex-Ed Agenda Party, Vincent Grimaldi of the New Blue Party,

Haldimand-Norfolk

CTV News has declared that incumbent Bobbi Ann Brady has been re-elected as MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk.

She was first elected to Queen’s Park in 2022.

Brady was the first Independent MPP elected who had not previously won a seat in the Legislature for a major party.

Executive assistant to PC MPP Toby Barrett for 23 years, when he retired the party’s HQ appointed Halidmand County mayor Ben Hewitt. Brady took on Hewitt and defeated him.

Asterisk indicates incumbent candidate

Other Candidates

Progressive Conservative – Amy Martin

• Mayor of Norfolk County since 2022, previously served as Ward 6 Councillor, Port Dover
• Previously ran a wedding planning business, was a part-time instructor at Fanshawe College

NDP – Erica Englert

• Dunnville resident who is studying criminology at the University of Ottawa

Liberal – Vandan Patel

• Secretary at the Royal Canadian Legion in Cambridge, Patel’s LinkedIn account says he’s taking a career break
• On the board of directors for the Liberal Party in Cambridge

Green – Anna Massinen

• English teacher with the Toronto District School Board

Also running is Gary Tanchak of the New Blue Party.

Huron-Bruce

CTV News has declared that incumbent Lisa Thompson has been re-elected as MPP for Huron-Bruce.

It was standing room only at the former Wingham Golf and Curling Club Thursday night as supporters from across Huron and Bruce County came out to congratulate five time MPP Lisa Thompson.

Thompson secured her fifth consecutive election victory - with a decisive victory, over runner up Ian Burbridge of the Liberal Party.

Thompson said she feels honoured to be Huron-Bruce’s MPP again, and a part of Doug Ford’s team, “There hasn’t been a majority government three times elected in a row since Leslie Frost - that’s 1949 to 1961,” said Thompson. “So I thank the people of Huron-Bruce for having faith in me to continue to represent them to the best of my ability. But, I’m also proud to be on a team that is standing right with Premier Ford to make sure that Ontario is strong, and we’re going to continue to turn on all cylinders.”

Thompson was Ontario’s Minister of Rural Affairs when the election was called. She was first elected in 2011 defeating then Liberal incumbent Carol Mitchell.

Asterisk indicates incumbent candidate

Other Candidates

Liberal – Ian Burbridge

• Spent more than 30 years in education as a math and music teacher at Kincardine District Secondary School
• Has worked as a behind the scenes organizer for the party

NDP – Nick McGregor

• High school teacher in Goderich and a member of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, Director with Huron County Pride
• This year marks his first run at elected office

Green – Matthew Van Ankum

• Farmer and sustainability advocate, raising small-frame, grass-based cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens
• Grew up in Howick Township and ran for the Green Party in 2022

Also running are Bruce Eisen of the Alliance Party and Zack Weiler of the New Blue Party.

Oxford

CTV News has declared that incumbent Ernie Hardeman has been re-elected as MPP for Oxford.

Hardeman serves as Chair, Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, and was first elected in 1995.

Hardeman served as Mayor of the Township of Southwest Oxford from 1988 to 1994, was chair of the Wardens' Association of Ontario and on the board of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

Asterisk indicates incumbent candidate

Other Candidates

NDP – Khadijah Haliru

• A councillor in the Town of Ingersoll, Haliru is CEO of K Business Group
• Previously she worked for Diamond Aircraft and at HANAK Foods

Liberal – Bernia Martin

• Currently serving her first term as a City-County Councillor for Woodstock
• In 2012, Martin was instrumental in the creation of a rural Food Hub in the South Central Ontario Region (SCOR) before her 2014 transition to the role of Economic Development Officer for the 5 rural townships in Oxford County

Green – Colton Kaufman

• Customer Relationship Management specialist at Sago Mini, a kids app & toy company devoted to educational play
• Held positions at the City of London and was Marketing Coordinator for the Grand Theatre

Also running are Peter Beimers of the New Blue Party, Grace Harper of the Ontario Party, and Henryk Szymczyszyn of the Libertarian Party.

Perth-Wellington

CTV News has declared that incumbent Matthew Rae has been re-elected as MPP for Perth-Wellington.

Rae is Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Rae is a former public servant and community and education advocate.

Asterisk indicates incumbent candidate

Other Candidates

NDP – Jason Davis

• A diesel technician and small business owner
• Former Stratford Councillor

Liberal – Ashley Fox

• Registered practical nurse who was born and raised in Harriston and now living in Palmerston
• Has worked with the Canadian PSW Network to collaborate with the provincial government on PSW title protection and regulation

Green – Ian Morton

• Has served on the City of Stratford Energy and Environment Committee (Chair), the Active Transportation Advisory Committee (Vice-Chair)
• Founded the not-for-profit Stratford Sabrecats Track Club in 2018, and still serves as its president and head coach

Also running are James Montgomery of the New Blue Party, Rob Smink of the Freedom Party of Ontario, and Sarah Zenuh of the Ontario Party.

Sarnia-Lambton

CTV News has declared that incumbent Bob Bailey has been re-elected as MPP for Sarnia-Lambton.

Bailey served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Colleges and Universities Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure (Legislative Affairs), and was first elected to the legislature in 2007.

Prior, he was a municipal councillor for Enniskillen Township; board member for the Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital (now Bluewater Health), and fundraising chair for the Sarnia-Lambton United Way.

Asterisk indicates incumbent candidate

Other Candidates

NDP – Candace Young

• Lambton College math professor and vice-president of OPSEU Local 125 at Lambton College
• Member of Sarnia’s United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) working group since around 2017

Liberal – Rachel Willsie

• Registered nurse with 15 years of experience
• Recently went back to school to pursue a degree in psychology and political science

Green – Pamela Reid

• A party insider, she ran in London West in 2018 finishing fourth

Also running are Jacques Bourdeau of the Libertarian Party, Nathan Colquhoun of the Independent Party, Mark Lamore of the Ontario Party, and Tom Stoukas of the Populist Ontario Party.

Lambton-Kent-Middlesex

CTV News has declared that incumbent Steve Pinsonneault has been relected as MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.

Pinsonneault was elected in a May 2, 2024 by-election following the resignation of PC MPP Monte McNaughton and became Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Rural Affairs.

Prior to being elected to the legislature, Pinsonneault was a Chatham-Kent Councillor for 17 years.

Asterisk indicates incumbent candidate

Other Candidates

Liberal – Cathy Burghardt-Jesson

• Running once more after losing to PC Steve Pinsonneault in the May 2024 by-election
• Three-term Mayor of Lucan Biddulph and former three-term Warden of Middlesex County

NDP – Kathryn Shailer

• Comes from a background in academia serving as a provost and dean at several establishments including Simon Fraser University, Mount Royal University in Calgary and OCAD University.
• Ran in the 2022 election in this riding, placing third.

Green – Andraena Tilgner

• Graduated with a Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc.) from Western University in 2002 and an advanced diploma in respiratory therapy from Fanshawe College in 2005.
• Ran unsuccessfully in the 2024 Lambton—Kent—Middlesex by-election.

Also running is Andy Fisher of the New Blue Party.