Sault Ste. Marie’s new MPP, Chris Scott, bested the NDP’s Lisa Vezeau-Allen by 118 votes in the 2025 provincial election – the tightest race the riding has seen since 1905.
The Progressive Conservative victor said watching the results roll in on Thursday night was a “humbling” experience, though he mentioned he’s no stranger to close political contests.
“The first politician that I worked with in this industry was an MP down in Niagara region, and he always preached to us the value of connecting with people at their doors.
"He won his first election in 2006 and he won it by what equated to one vote per poll,” Scott said, mentioning he knocked on close to 5,000 doors during the campaign.
“Over 13,000 people trusting me with their vote was humbling and . . . I’m proud and excited to get to work now that we got the results.”
With Doug Ford's government securing the new “mandate” it sought through this winter’s snap election, Scott said the first order of business will be to deal with the ongoing tariff threats from the U.S. administration – and its potential impacts on Ontario.
“We're facing some serious, constant shifting goal posts and chaos from down south with the threat of tariffs," Scott said.
"Are they coming? Are they going? The work starts tomorrow to ensure – now that we've got the mandate, all the tools that we can put on the table – to ensure everybody stays employed.”
After the results were official, Scott was congratulated on the win at his campaign party at the Quattro Hotel where he thanked the community and his campaign team for their efforts.
“Thank you to the 13,000 people that trusted me with the vote,” he said.
“We had the best sign team in Ontario knocking on doors with me, and the team doing all the things we needed to do to have a victory party tonight."
He also thanked the other candidates on the ballot – in Sault Ste. Marie and beyond.
“That takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there, put your life in the public eye,” he said.
“It's good for democracy, and I want to thank everyone that stepped up and put their name on a ballot.”
Scott finished election night with 13,082 votes to Vezeau-Allen's 12,964 as Ford secured his third consecutive majority government.
Liberal candidate Gurwinder Dusanjh came in a distant third with 3,038 votes.