Trudeau wins third term, Liberals fall short of majority

Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party has narrowly won Canada's election, but it failed to secure a majority.

This is Trudeau's third federal election win, but his critics say the election was a waste of time.

The Liberals are projected to win 156 seats, short of the 170 seats needed for the majority Trudeau was seeking with his early election call.

The Conservatives have held onto their main opposition status and are expected to win about 122 seats.

"There are still votes to be counted but what we've seen tonight is millions of Canadians have chosen a progressive plan," Trudeau told supporters in Montreal in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The election, which took place during a fourth pandemic wave in Canada, was the most expensive in the country's history, costing some C$600m ($470m; £344m).

The projected results suggest a parliament strikingly similar to the one elected just two years ago in 2019.

The snap election call, sending Canadians to the polls for the second time in two years, was widely seen as a bid by Trudeau to secure a majority government and he struggled to explain why a campaign was necessary. Conservative leader Erin O'Toole called it a waste of time and money.

"Canadians sent him back with another minority at a cost of $600m and deeper divisions in our great country", he told reporters.

Trudeau maintained that the election gave the incoming government clear mandate in moving forward.

Speaking to a smaller election crowd than usual due to pandemic restrictions, he told Liberals gathered in Montreal that he is ready to deliver on the pledges made in this campaign.

"You elected a government that will fight for you and deliver for you," he said.

He closed his speech telling Canadians to "work together. And let us seize the promise of a brand new day".

The Liberal leader called the election saying the campaign would give Canadians a say in navigating the rest of the pandemic.