Incumbents re-elected in northwestern Ontario, CBC News projects

Voters in northwestern Ontario ridings have re-elected the incumbents in the 2025 federal election, CBC News projects.

Liberal Patty Hajdu, who served as Minister of Indigenous Services during the previous term, is projected to retain her seat in Thunder Bay-Superior North., while fellow Liberal Marcus Powlowski is projected to hold onto Thunder Bay-Rainy River.

In the west of the region, Conservative Eric Melilo was also projected to keep his seat in Kenora-Kiiwetinoong.

With 162 of the riding's 204 polls reporting, Hajdu had just over 51 per cent of the vote, ahead of Conservative Bob Herman, who had about 38 per cent.

"I'm really excited for our riding," Hajdu said. "Obviously, the country has re-elected a Liberal government. That's really good news for the country."

Hajdu was first elected as MP in 2015.

"It is such an honour to get to know this riding from corner to corner," she said. "It expanded this year, there are an additional five First Nations communities that have been added to Thunder Bay-Superior North."

"We have challenges, obviously, but we have such opportunity in this region, and such incredible, resilient human beings."

John Stephenson, a supporter of Hajdu, said he was thrilled to see her re-elected on Monday.

"There's so many things that we need to focus on in this country," he said. "Homelessness, in particular, and affordable housing ... are high on my list of priorities."

"But higher than anything else, I think, my concern is about climate change, and the fact that we're not doing enough as a country to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."

"I think, of all the parties, the Liberal government offers the most in that respect," he said. "I just hope it follows through."

The NDP's Joy Wakefield, People's Party of Canada (PPC) candidate Amos Bradley, and Green John Northey rounded out the field.

Kenora-Kiiwetinoong

With 120 out of 157 polls reporting, Conservative Eric Melillo was projected to remain as MP for Kenora-Kiiwetinoong; with about 50 per cent of the vote. That put him well ahead of his closest competitor, Liberal Charles Fox, who had about 34 per cent.

The NDP's Tania Cameron was at about 13 per cent, and was followed by the Green Party's Jon Hobbs, People's Party of Canada's Bryce Desjarlais and independent Kelvin Boucher-Chicago.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River

CBC News has also called the Thunder Bay-Rainy River race, with Liberal Marcus Powlowski projected to return to Ottawa as a member of parliament.

With 190 out of 210 polls reporting, Powlowski had just over 48 per cent of the vote.

Powlowski said one of his local priorities is assisting immigrants in northwestern Ontario who are facing the expiry of their work permits in June.

"Whether it's Atikokan or Fort Frances, there's a whole bunch of businesses there, where they have employees from overseas who are doing a great job and are happy in the community, who potentially are going to end up having to go home," he said.

Powlowski defeated Conservative Brendan Hyatt, the NDP's Yuk-Sem Won, the PPC's Sabrina Ree and Green candidate Eric Arner.

Hyatt said he hopes to run again in the riding in the next election.

"It's a minority government, and we know with minority governments, they don't always last the four years," he said.

Hyatt said the cost of living was one of the major issues he heard about during the campaign.

"I knocked on a lot of doors, and our youth are struggling," he said. "High cost of living, lack of affordability, inability to buy homes, those [are] some things that our government needs to actually address seriously, and they need to address it yesterday."

"We we can't keep having people struggle," Hyatt said. "We need to look at what's going on with our neighbour to the south and we need to actually address the tariffs that are coming here because that doesn't improve our affordability, it increases it."