Conservative candidate Don Stewart has won the longtime federal Liberal stronghold of Toronto-St. Paul’s.

Monday’s byelection was seen by some as a referendum on the Trudeau government.

Because of the record 84 people listed on the ballot, Elections Canada said counting would be slow.

It was a tight race. According to preliminary results on the Elections Canada website, Stewart took 42.1 per cent of the votes.

Liberal Leslie Church took 40.5 per cent.

Liberal M-P Carolyn Bennett represented the riding for 26 years until she stepped down in December.