Supermajority for Houston and PC party, NDP with strong showing

“So much is possible for this province.” Progressive Conservative leader Tim Houston promised his supporters during his victory speech in Pictou he is going to do everything he can to see Nova Scotia reach its potential. With his party winning over 40 seats he says the message is clear, “keep going.”

The Progressive Conservatives were on their way to winning 42 ridings, the NDP captured nine ridings while the Liberals slipped badly and may be left with three seats. One independent, Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin won her riding in Cumberland North.

Twenty-eight seats are required to form a majority government. Tim Houston gambled and called an election early and his party appears to be headed to what is called a “supermajority” which is two-thirds of all seats.

The other big story on election night was is the resurgence of the New Democrats led by Claudia Chender. The NDP will form the official opposition thanks to a very strong showing in Halifax and Dartmouth where the NDP could win nine seats plus one in Cape Breton. She was jubilant as she addressed the party supporters at a downtown Halifax hotel. Chender promised to hold the Houston conservatives accountable with a focus on affordability, housing, and healthcare.

“Make no mistake, our vision of a different kind of government has struck a nerve, and I am here to you that the Nova Scotia NDP is on the rise,” Chender said, speaking to supporters at her campaign party in Halifax.

Chender also becomes the first woman elected as the leader of the official opposition. Karla MacFarlane was appointed as the interim opposition leader for the PCs in 2018, but she did not run as the leader.

Liberal Leader Zach Churchill told his supporters in Yarmouth the loss was his and his alone. He acknowledged he was not able to get them across the line. Churchill was in a tight race all night long when he took the podium to congratulate his opponents. Churchill says he will take some time to consider his future as leader of the Nova Scotia Liberals.

He ended up losing the seat in Yarmouth by 16 votes.

The NDP and the Liberals had a similar amount of popular votes, but the NDP managed to use theirs more effectively, potentially flipping several key seats form both the Liberals and the Progressive Conservatives.

Correction: A previous version of this story said that Claudia Chender was the first woman to lead the official opposition. In fact, Karla MacFarlane was the first. But Chender is the first to run as the leader of the party and be elected as the official opposition.