Stephen Harper's Conservative party highlighted their inroads in the Toronto area with a sweeping victory in the region surrounding Canada's largest city in Monday's federal election.
A Conservative campaign targeting gains in Ontario's 905 region proved fruitful as Tory candidates pushed several Liberal incumbents from their seats and held on to several other ridings.
Conservative Parm Gill won a hotly-contested battle in Brampton-Springdale, beating Liberal incumbent Ruby Dhalla by a vast margin.
The two rivals had been separated by about 700 votes in 2008. In 2011, Gill beat Dhalla by more than 7,000 votes.
Julian Fantino also held the Vaughan riding he had wrestled away from the Liberals in a by-election last year.
Fantino's by-election victory was considered a major step toward the Conservatives breaking into the Liberal's Toronto stronghold.
On Monday, Harper's Conservative government was poised to take as many as 10 seats in the city of Toronto, while nearly sweeping the surrounding region.
Conservatives Peter Kent (Thornhill), Lisa Raitt (Halton) and Bev Oda (Durham) also won their southern Ontario ridings.
Liberal Paul Szabo lost his Mississauga South riding to Conservative Stella Ambler, while Grit Mark Holland was defeated in Ajax-Pickering by Tory Chris Alexander.
Alexander, a former Canadian ambassador to Afghanistan, was considered a star Conservative candidate, while long-serving Holland was considered a tough opposition member in the House of Commons.
"I think we've taken an agenda to the people of Ajax-Pickering that the people wanted," Alexander told CTV Toronto.
"I am delighted to be heading to Ottawa as a Member of Parliament. To be part of this stronger Conservative government will be its own reward."
Candidates Eve Adams (Mississauga-Brampton South), a former Mississauga city councillor, Kyle Seeback (Brampton West) and Costas Menegakis (Richmond Hill) also picked up fresh turf for the Conservatives.
John McCallum was the only Liberal who appeared set to keep a riding in the 905 region, beating his Markham-Unionville rival, Conservative Bob Saroya, by 1,600 votes.
