While the 2025 federal election brought significant change, one seat remains unchanged: Green Party leader Elizabeth May has once again won in Saanich-Gulf Islands, a riding she has represented since 2011.
With 263 of 265 polls reporting, May had garnered 29,622 votes (38.8%), followed by Liberal David Beckham with 24,271 votes (31.8%), Conservative Cathie Ounsted at 19,343 (25.4%) and the NDP's Colin Plant with 3,020 votes.
While speaking to the media after her win, May said she wasn't surprised by the results and is excited to return to work in Ottawa.
"I'm very pleased that we're going to play a role in a minority parliament. In a majority situation, we'd have much less chance to make a difference," she said. "And when we say elbows up, we also have to mean that we're working together, not elbows up against each other. We have to pull together as a country now more than ever."
May was the only Green Party member to win election Monday night, including party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault, who was defeated in his riding of Outremont.
"That part's really bittersweet, but it looks like we'll go back to the House of Commons with a minority where we can make a difference with me as a leader of the Green Party, with a prime minister I've known for a few decades. And we started off nicely tonight."
Green Party volunteer Jim Hesser said he was pleased with the outcome.
"We’ve heard time and time again about how much [May's] constituents love her and appreciate how hard she’s worked. Many of them were very torn on this particular complex election, so I couldn’t be happier the way things have turned out.”
Ounsted congratulated May on her victory and thanked those in the riding who voted and took part in the democratic process.
"This campaign may have ended, but my commitment to serving Saanich-Gulf Islands continues. The conversations we've had across this riding have reinforced what makes our community special, and I look forward to finding ways we can all work together for its future prosperity," said Ounsted.
Plant fell victim to the same sentiment that swept the NDP out of office in the three other Greater Victoria ridings.
"It was not the result we were looking for. We ran a campaign in Saanich-Gulf Islands where we worked really hard, and we're going to hold our heads high," said Plant.
In the 2021 election, May won with 35.77 per cent of the votes, with the Conservative candidate in second with 22.65 per cent, NDP in third with 19.55 per cent and Liberals in fourth with 18.81 per cent of the votes.
