Mission accomplished: N.S. Progressive Conservatives secure second majority government
Premier Tim Houston called a snap election last month, defying his government's own fixed election law
Nova Scotians overwhelmingly voted for the Progressive Conservatives on Tuesday, as Tim Houston handily led his party to another majority government.
Houston wore a wide smile as he waded through the packed room of supporters in his riding of Pictou East — where he was re-elected — as John Fogerty's Centerfield blasted in the background.
As he took the podium, Houston described being premier "the greatest honour of my life."
He spoke about the many doorsteps Progressive Conservative candidates visited during the election campaign.
"We shared a message with them — a message of positivity and potential," said Houston, flanked by his wife and two children.
"Tonight, they have sent us a message…and that message is very simple: keep going."
Houston and the Tories were leading in 42 ridings around 10:45 p.m. AT.
The NDP were leading in 10 ridings, while the Liberals were leading in two.
In Halifax, cheers erupted from a hotel banquet room as NDP Leader Claudia Chender was re-elected in her riding of Dartmouth South.
The NDP, which has remained a third-place party since falling from power in the 2013 provincial election, made notable gains in Tuesday's vote, launching into second place and becoming the Official Opposition.
And with that, Chender is slated to become the first elected female leader of the Opposition.
Speaking to boisterous supporters, Chender said the winds of change are blowing in the province.
"Our vision for a different kind of government has struck a nerve," she said. "The Nova Scotia NDP is on the rise."
Liberal Leader Zach Churchill conceded his party's stunning defeat during a speech in his riding of Yarmouth, saying the loss rests squarely on his shoulders.
"Loss is a part of life," said Churchill, saying he will be taking some time to discuss his future. "Sometimes you lose, you get knocked down and the important things is…getting back up."
It was not clear yet if he would hold on to his seat.
Independent Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin was re-elected in the riding of Cumberland North, becoming the first Independent politician to win back-to-back elections.
The PC's majority is not a surprise. Polls leading up to election day suggested the Tories were far ahead of the NDP and Liberals.
Thanks to the province's new e-balloting system — which used electronic tablets for early voting — results poured in quickly, and within about seven minutes it was known the Progressive Conservatives would form a majority.
Houston called the snap election on Oct. 27, ignoring his government's own election law, which had set Nova Scotia's very first fixed election date of July 15, 2025.
Some analysts have said the early election call was to capitalize on the unpopularity of the Trudeau government.
But Houston contended it was to secure a second mandate to continue his party's plans to tackle the major societal issues affecting Nova Scotians, like affordability and housing.
In 2021, his party campaigned and rose to power on a central promise: fixing health care.
This time around, Houston touted his government's accomplishments in that sector to date, including hiring more doctors, and made his case for getting more time to improve the system.
Those three topics — affordability, housing and health care — were indeed pushed by all three main political parties as their top priorities, with some even making similar campaign promises.
Experts have said that left voters the challenge of differentiating between the parties and their platforms.
Analysts have also spoken about election fatigue, as voters across the province just went to the polls in October for the municipal elections.
Houston has made a number of clear-cut pledges, including cutting the HST to 14 per cent from 15 per cent, making parking at hospitals free and removing the toll from the Halifax bridges.
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