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N.S. Liberals lose official opposition status amid several electoral defeats

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Standing before party members and supporters on Tuesday night, Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said the provincial election outcome wasn’t what they were looking for.

“We left it all on the ice out there,” he said. “We fought hard. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t get this over the line.

“At the end of the day this was my responsibility and at the end of the day this loss belongs to me and me alone.”

Amid the Progressive Conservatives’ second majority win and the NDP’s victory as the new official opposition, the Liberal Party suffered significant electoral defeats on Tuesday, losing multiple seats across the province.

At dissolution, the Liberals held 14 of the province's 55 seats. After Tuesday's election, the party was only elected or leading in three ridings.

The Liberals have been out of power since Tim Houston and the Progressive Conservatives swept into office in 2021. Prior to that election, the Liberals had been the governing party since 2013.

Churchill, who replaced former Liberal Leader Iain Rankin in 2022, was first elected as MLA for Yarmouth in a 2010 byelection. He was re-elected in 2013, 2017 and 2021.

Wednesday morning, PC candidate Nick Hilton had just 16 more votes than Churchill in Yarmouth.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” Churchill said. “It’s been the honour of my life to serve the people of Yarmouth.

“Loss is a part of life. Sometimes you lose, you get knocked down. We got knocked down but we will get back up.”

For more Nova Scotia election news, visit our dedicated provincial page.

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