It's election day in Ontario. This is everything you need to know

It’s officially election day in Ontario.

After a month of hand shaking, announcements and rallies -- Ontario residents will be given the opportunity to vote for their next provincial government Thursday.

Here’s what you need to know:

WHERE DO THE LEADERS STAND?

The latest Nanos survey conducted for CTV News and CP24 shows the Progressive Conservatives, led by Doug Ford, in the lead with 38.8 per cent support among decided voters. The PCs have consistently held a leading position in weekly polling, with just under 37 per cent of respondents saying they prefer Ford as premier.

The real battle will be for the role of Official Opposition, as the Liberals and NDP find themselves just 1.6 percentage points away from each other. As such, voters will likely be bombarded by calls for strategic voting, but experts warn that it is next to impossible to carry out successfully.

For more on the latest polling, click here.

Healthcare and the rising cost of living continue to be top election issues for voters, a separate Nanos survey suggests.

WHEN CAN I VOTE?

Polls will be open across the province between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Voters must bring a form of official identification along with their registration cards (or two pieces of ID) with them to their assigned polling station.

Residents are encouraged to give themselves plenty of time to vote as there is at least one riding with significantly fewer polling stations than during the last provincial election. Elections Ontario confirmed there are just 29 stations in Toronto’s Spadina-Fort York riding compared to the 116 locations in 2018.

Polling stations were greatly reduced during the last federal election as well due to COVID-19 protocols, causing long lineups and a lot of frustration.

For more information on what you need to cast your ballot, click here.

WHERE CAN I FIND THE ELECTION RESULTS?

CTVNewsToronto.ca will have live election results starting as soon as the polls close on Thursday.

The election map will break down all 124 of Ontario’s ridings and allow residents to search their postal code to find out who won in their area.

• Find live results using CTV’s election map

The CTV Ontario Election 2022 special will air at 7 p.m. on CTV News Channel, CP24 and BNN Bloomberg, bringing you the latest news from party headquarters and notable ridings.

The special will also be livestreamed on CTVNewsToronto.ca and on the CTV News app.

HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ON CANDIDATES AND THE ISSUES?

Are you still an undecided voter? There is still time to learn about the candidates and the election issues.

CTV News’ election hub has a breakdown of what each party is promising, as well as profiles of three of the four major political party leaders. The fourth leader declined to participate.

• Ontario election 2022 platform guide: What are the political parties promising?

If you don’t have time to read through the platforms, take a listen to an episode or two of Ballot Box on your way to the polls. The podcast is your one-stop shop for election news broken down into digestible 20-minute episodes.

There are also 11 notable ridings in Ontario with races that are sure to yield either surprising results or a tight race.