Progressive Conservative Zee Hamid has secured re-election in Milton, earning a full term after winning last year's byelection. He decisively defeated Liberal challenger Kristina Tesser Derksen and four other contenders.
At his election night gathering at the Legion, the PC incumbent was greeted by family, supporters and volunteers, later thanking them in his victory speech.
His win followed a campaign strategy that avoided public debates and instead focused on door-to-door canvassing. He framed economic uncertainty as Ontario’s biggest challenge, pointing to shifting U.S. trade policies and the potential impact of tariffs on local jobs.
In an interview, Hamid said his team is prepared to get to work immediately.
“We have to figure out — how do we respond to tariffs? It is a federal issue, but it's also provincial issue, because every single province will have to figure out how to absorb the impact and really how to fight back and what the right strategies are," he said.
He said that economic concerns resonated with local voters, saying, “This election was about protecting Ontario, and we made it all about protecting Ontario.”
As for his other priorities, the former councillor said progress has already been made on several fronts in the past seven months.
“We’ve secured approvals for three new schools, along with significant funding for infrastructure in Milton. GO 2.0 will be a transformative project, spanning over 100 kilometres with more than 20 new stations and four additional GO lines, including two-way, all-day GO service to Milton.”
The province remains committed to building Highway 413, a project that has faced criticism from environmental advocates and some local officials.
“It is much, much needed in this community,” Hamid said.
Local leaders are also looking ahead to how Hamid’s re-election will impact key municipal priorities. Mayor Gord Krantz said he looks forward to working with him on infrastructure and transit, which remain top concerns for the fast-growing town.
He highlighted the ongoing push for two-way, all-day GO train service, noting that support from both provincial and federal governments will be crucial.
Krantz also acknowledged concerns about healthcare, including long emergency room wait times at Milton hospital. He noted the need to keep these issues on the provincial agenda. “Milton is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Ontario, and we cannot and should not be left out of those considerations," he said.
With all 47 polling stations reporting, the unofficial results show Hamid securing more than 20,000 votes, or 47.4 per cent of the total, while Tesser Derksen received approximately 17,500 votes, or 41.4 per cent. NDP's Katherine Cirlincione received about 2,400 votes.
Voter turnout was 42.21 per cent, up from 27.72 per cent in last spring's byelection.