Liberal MP-elect Daniel Gobeil, right, reacts to winning in the byelection in the riding of Chicoutimi-Le Fjord in Saguenay, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. Minister of Public Works and Procurement Joel Lightbound looks on. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

By The Canadian Press

Liberals won more than 50% of the vote in all three Aug. 31 byelections

Sep 1, 2026 | 7:17 AM

OTTAWA — The Liberals won more than 50 per cent of the vote in all three of Monday’s byelections, holding two seats and picking up an additional Quebec riding from the Conservatives.

Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated the three winning candidates Tuesday, calling the result an endorsement of his government’s handling of the trade war with the U.S.

“The message from Canadians, I think, is clear. They’ve given their support – more than 50 per cent in each of these ridings – to the government’s plan and I think that’s because Canadians are united and Canadians are ready,” Carney said outside his office building.

“We’ve been buying Canadian, we’ve been visiting Canada, we have been reinforcing our strength here at home and diversifying our partnerships abroad. That’s been the plan of the government since the start.”

Preliminary results show Quebec dairy farmer Daniel Gobeil won 51.3 per cent of the vote for the Liberals in Chicoutimi—Le Fjord.

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The seat will increase the Liberal majority by one. Gobeil replaces former Conservative MP Richard Martel, who resigned to take a Senate appointment.

The seat was expected to be a close contest after a tight three-way race in the riding in the general election less 16 months ago. Polls leading up to the vote suggested a two-way race between Gobeil and Bloc Québécois candidate Caroline Dubé.

She came in second with almost 33 per cent of the vote, while Conservative Régis Gaudreault got just 12.5 per cent.

Carney’s former deputy chief of staff Braeden Caley held North Vancouver—Capilano for the Liberals with 58.6 per cent of the vote, and constituency worker Tanveer Shahnawaz comfortably kept Toronto’s Beaches—East York in Liberal hands with 55.7 per cent of the vote.

The NDP saw some progress in Beaches—East York, where candidate Shannon Devine took 25.8 per cent of the vote on Monday night, up from the six per cent the party earned in last year’s general election.

The Conservatives, however, were disappointed across the board, finishing third in both Chicoutimi and Toronto, and seeing their share of the vote fall in North Vancouver.

More byelections are expected to be called soon in five more ridings — one in Ontario, one in Saskatchewan and three in Quebec.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 1, 2026.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Liberals won more than 50% of the vote in all three Aug. 31 byelections

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