A judicial recount is set to commence on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in the federal riding of Milton East–Halton Hills South, after a vote validation process revealed a razor-thin margin of 29 votes between the top two candidates.
Initially, preliminary results from the April 28 federal election indicated that Conservative candidate Parm Gill had secured the seat with 32,186 votes. However, upon validation, Elections Canada reported that Liberal candidate Kristina Tesser Derksen actually received 32,130 votes, narrowly surpassing Gill’s 32,101 votes. This 29-vote difference, representing less than 0.1% of the valid ballots cast, automatically triggered a judicial recount under Canadian electoral law .
The recount will be overseen by Justice Leonard Ricchetti of the Superior Court of Ontario and will take place at 400 Steeles Avenue East in Milton. Elections Canada has stated that the results of the recount will be published on their website once the process is complete .
Milton East–Halton Hills South is a newly established riding, combining parts of the former Milton and Wellington–Halton Hills districts. The outcome of this recount holds significance not only for local representation but also for the overall composition of the House of Commons, where the Liberals currently hold a minority government.
Kristina Tesser Derksen, a lawyer and former Milton town councillor, expressed cautious optimism following the validation process. “It’s jarring in a good way,” she remarked, acknowledging the unexpected turn of events that led to her narrow lead .
Parm Gill, who previously served as a Member of Parliament and Ontario cabinet minister, had returned to federal politics aiming to represent the newly formed riding. The final outcome of the recount will determine whether he reclaims a seat in the House of Commons.
This judicial recount is one of several initiated across the country due to extremely close races, underscoring the importance of every single vote in Canada’s democratic process.