12:00 a.m. EST / 11: p.m. CST
Despite each coming in a distant third in 2025 federal election, both New Democratic candidates, Yuk-Sem Won and Joy Wakefield say they went to 'as many doors as they could,' and were pleased with the high voter turnout.
- Olivia Browning (Photo: Alicia Anderson)
11:50 p.m. EST / 10:50 CST
Earlier tonight Powlowski said he was cautiously optimistic. Minutes ago he acknowledged his supporters as the close race was called in his favour.
Read more.
- Jodi Lundmark
11:45 p.m. EST / 10:45 CST
The election has been called for the Liberal party at the national level, and the local level in Thunder Bay-Rainy River, but PC candidate Brendan Hyatt says the conservatives party will hold the proposed liberal majority’s “ feet over the fire” to make sure they do what's best for Canada.
- Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative
11:30 p.m. EST / 10:30 CST
Results have come in for Thunder Bay-Superior North riding, the NDP's Joy Wakefield placed a distant third.
"I'm just really thankful to to my team and all my supporters here who really worked tirelessly," said Wakefield.
- Alicia Anderson
11:16 p.m. EST / 10:16 CST
The Kenora-Kiiwetinoong will again be represented by Conservative Eric Melillo in Parliament. Melillo won 49.7 per cent of votes with 97 of 157 polls reporting. Second-place Liberal Charles Fox had 34 per cent, the NDP's Tania Cameron 14 per cent.
Read More.
- Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative (Photo: Shelley Bujold)
11:05 p.m. EST / 10:05 CST
Patty Hajdu has been declared the winner for Thunder Bay-Superior North. She will return to Parliament Hill for a fourth term.
10:48 p.m. EST / 9:48 CST
Throughout the campaign, said Ontario PC candidate Bob Herman, he was really surprised at the anxiety that is being felt by people aged 20 to 45.
“I mean those are the ones that are feeling the worst part of this economy and a lot of them they're going to vote. So, if those people (went) out and vote(d) that would really help us,” said Herman.
- Nicky Shaw
10:45 p.m. EST / 9:45 p.m. CST
Joy Wakefield and campaign manager Dawson Mihichuk at the Arthur Street Boston Pizza in Thunder Bay.
"I'm anxious to see what the breakdown is," said Wakefield
- Alicia Anderson
10:40 p.m. EST / 9:40 p.m. CST
Kenora-Kiiwetinoong Liberal candidate Charles Fox relaxes at an election-night gathering in Kenora. With 30 of 157 polls reporting he was trailing Conservative incumbent by about 700 votes.
- Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative (Photo: Shelley Bujold)
10:32 p.m. EST / 9:32 p.m. CST
Hajdu and supporters watching national election night coverage. A loud cheer went up as prognosticators, based on early numbers, call a Liberal government.
- Matt Prokopchuk
10:30 p.m. EST / 9:30 p.m. CST
PC candidate Brandan Hyatt watches the poll with intensity. The Liberals may be leading but he is not out of this race.
- Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative
10:25 p.m. EST / 9:25 p.m. CST
Thunder Bay-Rainy River incumbent Marcus Powlowski, right, waits for the results at the Da Vinci Centre.
- Jodi Lundmark
10:18 p.m. EST / 9:18 p.m. CST
Joy Wakefield has entered the building, joining her supporters at the Arthur Street Boston Pizza in Thunder Bay.
"This is an experience of a lifetime in a lot of ways and and so I'm just I'm just so overwhelmingly grateful for all the people who supported me," Wakefield told Newswatch.
- Alicia Anderson
10:05 p.m. EST / 9:05 p.m. CST
As the first numbers start coming in, the incumbent candidates are taking an early lead in all three Northwestern Ontario ridings. But with only a handful of polls reporting so far it's much to early to say anything.
Click here for the latest poll numbers from the region.
- Leigh Nunan
10:00 p.m. EST / 9:00 p.m. CST
More and more people are rolling into Boston Pizza, and New Democrat candidate Yuk-Sem Won says through her campaign it was important to build trust with people.
“It's always about building that that trust with people so that they know who I am, so that if I'm the MP, they're able to come to me to be able to really bring forward their issues.”
- Olivia Browning
9:55 p.m. EST / 9:55 p.m. CST
Kenora-Kiiwetinoong's Conservative incumbent Eric Melillo and his campaign manager are out scrutineering ballot counts in Kenora, a campaign volunteer says.
- Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative (Photo: Shelley Bujold)
9:50 p.m. EST / 8:50 p.m CST
Election nights are full of data. Patty Hajdu's team of analysts pores over polling numbers as they come in, looking at trends, and comparing results to previous elections.
- Matt Prokopchuk
9:45 p.m. EST / 8:45 p.m. CST
PC candidate Brendan Hyatt says, “he's a little nervous,” but he is had a solid team helping out over the last few weeks.
- Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative
9:39 p.m. EST / 8:38 p.m. CST
Yuk-Sem Won, the New Democrat candidate in the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding, has arrived at Boston Pizza. Won says the campaign this time around has been “fantastic.”
“It was really nice to be able to get out even though the five-week campaign is really short, and a snap election. That created some havoc as well as snow storms and rain, but people were very interested in politics, which is a nice change to have.
- Olivia Browning
9:30 p.m. EST / 8:30 p.m. CST
Polls are closed across Ontario. Ballot boxes are being opened at the first votes counted. Results should start coming in momentarily.
- Leigh Nunan
9:25 p.m. EST / 8:25 p.m. CST
The Ontario PC candidate Bob Herman has just arrived to join his party at the Industry as they wait for the federal election polling to finish up and the votes to be counted.
Herman said it has been five weeks since they started campaigning.“Most of our volunteers and workers are still at the polls here, so we're kind of happy right now that this room will fill up,” said Herman.
He said he thinks the conservatives have a really good feeling and were able to get their message out.
“We were consistent in our message and, you know, we felt that the issues that we were discussing — the economy, jobs, housing affordability — are all long-term issues that aside from the distraction of the tariffs that will eventually go away,” said Herman.
“Those are issues that we made and certainly impacted a lot of people, especially people from 20 years old to 25 years old in this riding.”
- Nicky Shaw
9:20 p.m. EST / 8:20 p.m. CST
The crowd at Whitewater County Club waits eagerly for the polls to close to see where PC candidate Brandan Hyatt lands in the 2025 federal election.
- Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative
9:15 EST / 8:15 CST
Thunder Bay-Superior North Liberal incumbent Patty Hajdu with a supporter at her election night watch party. “My team has been working incredibly hard over the last 38 days and really over the last nine and a half years serving Thunder Bay-Superior North, meeting with constituents, visiting our riding, and what I can say is the response at the doors has been overwhelmingly positive,” Hajdu told Dougall Media.
