Ontario has officially entered its 44th election cycle, with Premier Doug Ford, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP Leader Marit Stiles, and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner all hitting the campaign trail on Wednesday.
Ford called the early election—more than a year ahead of schedule—arguing that he needs a fresh mandate to confront the economic threats posed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term. He has warned that Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on Canadian imports, set to take effect as early as February 1, could cost Ontario up to 500,000 jobs. Opposition leaders, however, have criticized the move, calling the election unnecessary.
On the Campaign Trail:
10:30 a.m. – Bonnie Crombie Pledges More Family Doctors
Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie launched her campaign in Barrie, standing at a podium with the slogan: “More doctors for you.” Wearing a hat that read *”Real Leaders Fix Healthcare”—*a pointed jab at Ford’s “Canada is not for sale” slogan—Crombie declared that health care should be the central issue of the election.
“We will be hiring 3,100 doctors under our plan so that everyone in Ontario will have access to family medicine,” she promised.
Crombie criticized Ford for spending $175 million on an early election, arguing that the money could have provided family doctors for every resident in Barrie instead.
“You can’t just slap a slogan on a hat and call yourself a leader,” she said. “Real leaders fix health care. Real leaders show up to work instead of crisscrossing the province calling an election we didn’t need.”
The Ontario Liberals are pledging that, if elected, every resident will have access to a family doctor within four years.
10:15 a.m. – Doug Ford Warns of Economic Turmoil
Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford launched his re-election campaign in Windsor, standing in front of the Ambassador Bridge to Detroit and flanked by workers in high-visibility vests.
“I couldn’t imagine a better place to start our campaign than right here in Windsor,” Ford said, as Canadian and Ontario flags flapped in the wind.
Ford framed his campaign as a battle to protect Ontario’s economy from the fallout of Trump’s policies, calling the U.S. president’s proposed tariffs “unprecedented” and “devastating.”
“In these uncertain times, I’m asking the people of Ontario for their trust,” Ford said. “I need a strong, stable four-year mandate to do whatever it takes to protect Ontario.”
He warned that Trump’s tariffs would put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk—impacting factory workers, service workers, construction workers, and retail employees across the province.
Ford also repeated his assertion that Trump had “even floated the unthinkable—taking over Canadian territory,” vowing that he would stand firm.
“Canada is not for sale,” he declared, emphasizing that the size of his electoral mandate would directly impact his ability to defend Ontario’s interests.
“The bigger the mandate I receive from you, the better I’ll be able to protect our province,” Ford said.
9:15 a.m. – The Election is Officially Underway
Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, Edith Dumont, and Chief Electoral Officer, Greg Essensa, signed the writs of election at Queen’s Park, formally triggering the campaign.
