In a bid for a third majority government, Premier Doug Ford is sending Ontarians to the polls on February 27.
The date for the election was officially set Tuesday afternoon, when Ford visited Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont and asked her to dissolve the 43rd Parliament of Ontario and set an election date for next month.
The lieutenant governor agreed to the request and set the election date for Thursday, February 27.
Ford indicated last week that it was his intention to call for an early election, more than one year early. He claims a new mandate is necessary to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump's threatened 25 per cent of tariffs on Canadian products being sent the United States.
However, opposition parties at Queen's Park argue that Ford is rushing Ontarians to the polls in order to get ahead of what some believe could be some very bad news for the Progressive Conservatives. An investigation by the RCMP into the Ford government's decision to open the Greenbelt to development is expected to soon produce a final report. NDP leader Marit Stiles has said the Premier should focus on dealing with the threatened tariffs, rather than using them as an excuse to hold an early election that is likely to cost over $150-million.
"While the people of Ontario are anxious about the grave threat of tariffs, Doug Ford is pursuing his own political gain. People need a Premier who will fight like hell for every single job that’s at risk, not run to the polls over a year early," Stiles said. "Doug Ford thinks that he can call an early election to escape his record of failure on housing, health care, education and affordability. We won’t let him."
Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie also released a statement, criticizing the decision to hold an early election.
"Doug Ford's Ontario has failed you," she wrote. "He's wasting $175 million on an early election instead of using it to fix our broken health care system and make your life more affordable."
Premier Ford is expected to kick off his campaign in Windsor on Wednesday.