Housing, healthcare, and more: Decoding the 2022 Ontario general election

Abstract

The 2022 Ontario election resulted in the re-election of the Progressive Conservative (PC) party. Despite a turbulent four years marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare challenges, inflation, and skyrocketing housing costs, Premier Doug Ford and his PCs secured another term, even though Ford's popularity had fluctuated before the pandemic. This article examines some factors that shaped the outcome. While low voter turnout suggests voter apathy or malaise, voters did appear concerned with housing, which emerged as a prominent issue, but its centrality for voters is challenged by concerns about inflation, health, and the overall economy. The article also examines the media's coverage of the election, shedding light on which issues received the most attention and how party leaders were portrayed.