

The Canadian Press





Ajax

Incumbent Liberal Joe Dickson has held the riding -- previously called Ajax-Pickering -- since 2007 and won in 2014 with more than 50 per cent of the vote. But the Liberals are in an uphill battle to hold the so-called 905 ridings, which encircle the city of Toronto. And there is a strong Progressive Conservative challenger in Rod Phillips. He is the former president and CEO of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and former chair of Postmedia's board of directors.

Cambridge

This southwestern Ontario riding used to flip between the Progressive Conservatives and the NDP, but in 2014 it elected a Liberal as part of Kathleen Wynne's majority government. As with most, if not all, Liberal ridings in this election, Cambridge is considered in play. Incumbent Kathryn McGarry served for two years on the backbenches, then was made natural resources minister, but her profile was boosted in January when she was promoted to transportation minister.

Guelph

Two recent polls have Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner winning this riding. It would be the first seat in the legislature for his party. Schreiner finished third in the riding during the last election, narrowly behind the Progressive Conservative candidate. But the race was thrown open when the incumbent and prominent Liberal Liz Sandals announced she would not run again.

London North Centre

Former deputy premier Deb Matthews has held the riding since 2003, but is not running for re-election. The NDP currently hold two other ridings in the city of London and came in second to Matthews in 2014. The Progressive Conservative candidate formerly held the riding as a federal Conservative MP.

Ottawa Centre

The riding is considered a Liberal stronghold, with the party holding it since 1995 and Yasir Naqvi winning it with 52 per cent of the vote in 2014. The riding includes a lot of public sector workers and students. Naqvi is a popular politician and has a high profile as attorney general, but the NDP is nipping at his heels. New Democrat candidate Joel Harden ran out of lawn signs 10 days into the campaign due to demand.

Peterborough-Kawartha

This bellwether riding has voted for the winner in every election since 1987. The incumbent is Jeff Leal, agriculture minister, who has represented Peterborough since 2003 and won the last election handily, but he will be in a tough fight. It could shape up to be a three-way race. A projection has this riding as too close to call.

St. Catharines

Liberal Jim Bradley has represented St. Catharines for a whopping 41 years and this could be the election that ends that streak. Previously safe Liberal seats are in play all over the province, including this one. The NDP believes it has a good chance of taking this riding, but the Tories came in second to Bradley in 2014.

Scarborough Centre

This bellwether riding has voted for the winner in every election since 1971. Liberal Brad Duguid held the riding since 2003, but did not run for re-election. This could be a three-way race, with both the Tories and the NDP competitive here, though projections give an edge to the NDP. This was one of the ridings in which the Progressive Conservatives overturned disputed nominations.

Sudbury

This riding has been Liberal since 1995 except for a brief period following the 2014 election. The NDP narrowly won the seat over the Liberals, but the New Democrat stepped down a few months later, prompting a byelection. That byelection sparked a scandal that led to two Liberals standing trial for Election Act bribery charges, though they were ultimately acquitted. Glenn Thibeault, who had been the NDP MP for the riding, was elected for the provincial Liberals in that byelection. He has served as energy minister at a time when hydro prices became the most contentious file in the province and a source of much anger toward the Liberals. The NDP, typically strong in the north, could snag this riding back.

University-Rosedale

This riding, like most in downtown and central Toronto, will be a pitched battle between the Liberals and the NDP. Though the Liberals are expected to lose a lot of their seats in this election, University-Rosedale, as well as Toronto-St. Paul's and Toronto Centre, are ones that the Liberals stand a chance of winning.