Provincial Liberals face historic collapse, but signs of recovery emerge
Once dominant across Canada, provincial Liberal governments have dwindled to just one. Recent polling suggests some momentum returning in select provinces.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Provincial Liberal parties have collapsed across Canada, falling from governing majorities in more than half the country to just a single province, but fresh polling hints at possible recovery.
By the end of 2016, more than half of Canada's provinces and territories had Liberal governments. Today, only one remains—a historic decline driven by Conservative victories in most provinces, with some NDP gains mixed in. The declines were especially severe in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec.
Despite the dramatic fall, recent polls show provincial Liberals gaining some ground in a couple of provinces, suggesting the trend may not be irreversible.
The Big Story podcast, hosted by Caryn Ceolin, featured journalist and author John Ibbitson examining what triggered the collapse and whether the Liberals have any path back. The conversation explored the gap between the popularity of Prime Minister Mark Carney's federal Liberals—who remain historically popular—and their provincial counterparts' struggles.
The provincial defeats suggest different political dynamics at the provincial level, where voters have punished Liberal incumbents in ways they haven't at the federal level. Whether the modest polling gains signal a genuine turning point or a temporary fluctuation remains unclear.