Doug Ford sails to another majority

Voters, goodnight. We’ve heard from all four party leaders and their supporters are heading home after an exciting evening. Time to shut down this live story page, but if you’re just finding it please scroll down to see how election night unfolded.

As of 11:30 p.m. ET, Doug Ford’s PCs have won a third-straight majority, and are leading 81 ridings. The NDP is projected to come back as the official Opposition with a lead in 25 ridings, while the Liberals are on track to regain party status by leading in 14.

We’ll have plenty of coverage coming at cbcnews.ca – about the results and what comes next for Ontario. You can also find riding-by-riding results here.

Not from people. From balloons.

Ford’s supporters cleared out of the party headquarters pretty quickly after he gave his victory speech. The banquet hall has another booking tomorrow and PCs are celebrating elsewhere, so there aren’t many people left – but there is the chaotic sound of all the balloons being popped at once as people rush to clean up and get home.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles said tonight’s result wasn’t what the party wanted, but said she and her colleagues will continue to hold the government to account.

“But the people of Ontario made their choice. They’ve reelected the government … and they’ve entrusted me and my team to do a different, but also very important job,” said Stiles, who walked out to Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman.”

She congratulated Ford and committed to working with the PCs in the face of threats from the U.S., but said she’s already looking ahead to the next election.

“In another few years, we are going to face a rematch, and I’m there for it, my friends,” she told the NDP’s headquarters.

Partway through his speech, Ford went over a few pieces of his party’s platform, which was released in full just three days ago.

Ford said he would spend tens of billions to counteract the effects of potential tariffs, which came with a warning about a deeper provincial deficit. One of the most eye-catching promises was a pledge to build a tunnel under Highway 401: the single most expensive election promise made in Ontario history, and we don't actually have an estimate for how much it might cost or how it might be done.

Missing from his platform this time around was an old promise to build 1.5 million homes by 2031. He has said he'd still like to hit that target, but that it becomes harder as time goes on.

“Together, we have made history. Together we have secured a strong, historic third majority mandate,” he said from his party’s headquarters in Toronto.

He thanked his wife, Karla, and their daughters. He also thanked the other three party leaders by name for their commitment to the province.

Again, he said he'll fight U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to the economy.

“This election, we asked the people for a mandate. A strong mandate that outlives and outlasts the Trump administration. A mandate to do whatever it takes to protect Ontario. Well, friends, the people have spoken.”

Winning a third-straight majority is a win for Ford as an individual politician. But he didn’t get what he said he wanted out of an early election call.

Ford had said he wanted a stronger mandate than the one he already had to be in a better position to face U.S. President Donald Trump. But the party hasn’t added to their seat count tonight. It’s actually looking like they’ll lose a few seats.

Either way, Ford’s opponents never really believed the election was about expanding the PC’s power in the Legislature. The NDP, Liberal and Green leaders claimed Ford was just trying to pre-empt the results of the RCMP's ongoing criminal investigation into his government's Greenbelt scandal.

Ford first publicly mused about the possibility of an early vote last May, six months before Trump threatened to impose tariffs.

It was a good night for the PCs all across Ontario on Thursday, but their rivals scored several wins – particularly in cities.

Here’s some coverage from the excellent CBC stations across this wonderful province:

• A look at the electoral landscape in the Ottawa area.
• How the vote in Hamilton went down.
• The Greens held on to their seats in Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo.
• London’s city centre went for the NDP.
• The PCs didn’t get the win in Windsor West they wanted.

Bonnie Crombie is coming out to speak to supporters now in Mississauga. She walked out to Christina Aguilera's "Fighter," hugging almost every person she passed on her way to the stage.

“I know tonight isn’t exactly the result we were looking for, but you should be very, very proud of what we did tonight. People counted us out. They said the Ontario Liberal Party was dead. Ha. Tonight, you proved them wrong,” she said, pointing to the party regaining official status.

She also committed to staying on as Ontario Liberal Leader, despite losing her own seat tonight in Mississauga East-Cooksville.

“I’m not gonna slow down. Not for one second when it comes to standing up for the people of this province.”

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner congratulated Ford and thanked supporters for showing up during a cold, challenging campaign. He was emotional speaking about Matt Richter, the party's deputy leader and a six-time candidate who is not expected to win his riding of Parry Sound–Muskoka.

"He came so, so close. I know tonight is not the results that we wanted and I know they're not the results that Matt wanted, but I want Matt to know that you will always be a champion in my heart. You lead with honesty, integrity and a commitment to your community, and if there was ever anyone who deserved to be an MPP, it's Matt Richter."

Schreiner won his own riding in Guelph tonight, but the party had hoped to increase its overall seat count from two to three.

The Ontario Liberal leader promised her party would sweep Peel Region when she won her party’s leadership.

Tonight, CBC News projects the former long-time mayor won’t win in Mississauga East-Cooksville.

Silvia Gualtieri will be the riding’s MPP. She’s the mother-in-law of Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.