2026 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election
Canadian provincial party leader election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From November 9 to 20, 2026, members of the Ontario Liberal Party (OLP) will vote in a leadership election to choose a permanent leader to replace John Fraser, who became leader on an interim basis following the resignation of Bonnie Crombie. The results of the election will be announced on November 21.[1]
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November 9 – 21, 2026
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13255 points available 6627.5+ points votes needed to win | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | November 21, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Convention | TBD |
| Resigning leader | Bonnie Crombie |
| Won by | TBD |
| Ballots | TBD |
| Candidates | 5 |
| Entrance fee | $150,000 |
| Spending limit | $1,000,000 |
Background
Following an extended period of electoral success under the leadership of premiers Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne between 2003 and 2018, the Ontario Liberal Party experienced its worst electoral outcome since Confederation in the 2018 election. The party won less than 20% of the popular vote and fell to seven seats, losing official party status in the legislature. Accepting responsibility for the party's historic defeat, Wynne resigned as party leader on election night.[2]
The party's two subsequent leaders, Steven Del Duca and Bonnie Crombie, were not sitting MPPs when they were elected leaders respectively in 2020 and 2023. Under their leadership, the party regained four percentage points and six percentage points of popular vote respectively in the 2022 and 2025 elections, and regained official party status following the 2025 election. However, neither were able to significantly expand the party's presence at the legislature or to secure a seat for themselves.[citation needed]
The party held a mandatory leadership review[3] vote during its 2025 annual meeting held from September 12 to 14, during which Crombie secured only 57% approval from party delegates.[4] Following the results announcement, she stated that she would remain leader and fight the next provincial election during her closing address to the assembled delegates, but announced later on the same day her intention to resign following meetings with the party's caucus and executive council.[5] She had initially announced that she would remain as leader until her successor was elected, but ultimately resigned from the position on January 14, 2026.[6]
Following Crombie's resignation, John Fraser, the most senior caucus member and the party's parliamentary leader since 2018, was selected as interim leader. Fraser had previously been interim leader on two occasions, from 2018 to 2020 and 2022 to 2023.[7]
Campaign
Rules and procedures
The rules and procedures of this leadership contest are primarily prescribed in three sources; the party's Constitution, in particular article 9 (Leadership Contest & Review) which was substantially amended in 2023,[8] the party's Rules of Procedure, in particular chapter 8 (Leadership contest rules) which was specifically enacted by the party's executive council for this contest on February 7, 2026,[9] and the Election Finances Act of Ontario, on matters relating to registration, financial reporting, and donation limits.[10] Candidates cannot officially raise money until they are registered with Elections Ontario.[11]
The registration fee for candidates was $150,000 and the cut-off date for applications to be submitted was July 31.[12][13] Once the candidates are finalized, the party will begin all-candidate debates.[13] Following a March 2023 constitutional amendment that ended the party's use of delegated leadership conventions,[14] the contest is conducted via an online preferential ballot open to all party members registered by the September 7, 2026 cutoff date.[15][16][17]
Results are determined by a weighted points system allocating 100 points to each provincial electoral district, distributed proportionally to candidates based on first-preference votes, alongside 50 points per recognized student club and 5 points per recognized women's club.[18][19] If no candidate achieves 50 per cent of total points on the initial count, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated and their supporters' second-choice preferences are redistributed until a candidate secures a majority.[20]
Messaging and platforms
Early contest messaging focused on affordability and the economy, with candidates putting forward varying approaches to address provincial living costs.[21] Navdeep Bains framed his candidacy around an "Ontario Deal," emphasizing regional economic development, job creation, and housing access drawing on his background in federal industrial policy.[12] Similarly, Stephanie Bowman prioritized youth employment, productivity growth, and fiscal management,[22] while Dylan Marando proposed expanding OHIP coverage and restoring needs-based grants through OSAP.[23][21]
Policy planks varied among campaigns during the opening months, with Eric Lombardi releasing the contest's first fully costed platform.[24] Lombardi's platform focused on economic growth, housing supply, post-secondary tuition relief, and structural reforms to public service delivery, including introducing competitive incentives within the publicly funded healthcare system.[24] Other candidates opted for broader policy frameworks and phased rollouts of specific planks leading up to official debates.
Governance and legislative readiness also formed a line of debate, with Lee Fairclough saying that it's important that the party's next leader should be a sitting Member of Provincial Parliament capable of confronting the governing Progressive Conservatives immediately in the Legislature.[21] Drawing on her background in health administration, Fairclough also focused her policy proposals on healthcare access, mental health services, and restoring decision-making authority to municipal governments.[25]
Timeline
2025
- February 27 – Ontario general election held, resulting in a third consecutive majority PC government. The Liberals won 14 seats, obtaining official party status. Bonnie Crombie failed to win her own seat, but announced her intention to continue as leader in her concession speech.
- September 14 – At the Ontario Liberal Party Annual General Meeting, 57% of delegates voted against holding a leadership contest. Crombie announced during a speech to delegates after the results were announced that she would remain as leader. However, several hours later, after meeting with the party executive, she announced her intention to resign as leader once a leadership election is held to choose her successor.[26][27]
- September 28 – The party's executive council approved the creation of a Leadership Vote Committee chaired by party treasurer Gabriel Sékaly and including party president Kathryn McGarry to "consult with members, research best practices and provide recommendations" for the upcoming leadership election.[4][28]
2026
- January 14 – Bonnie Crombie officially resigns as Liberal leader.[29]
- January 19 – MPP John Fraser, who previously served as interim leader from 2018 to 2020 and 2022 to 2023, is nominated by the Ontario Liberal caucus to serve as interim leader.[30]
- January 22 – Party's executive council, riding association presidents and caucus formally confirm selection of Fraser as interim leader.[31][32]
- February 7 – Party president Kathryn McGarry announces details for the leadership vote, including the voting dates, entrance fee and timeline.[33][34][1]
- April 21 – Dylan Marando announces his candidacy.
- May 8 – MPP Lee Fairclough declares her candidacy.[35]
- May 9 – Scarborough Southwest by-election Liberal nomination meeting is held. Prospective leadership candidate Nate Erskine-Smith was defeated for the nomination by Ahsanul Hafiz.[36] Erskine-Smith said his leadership candidacy is "much less likely" as a result.[37]
- May 25 — Former federal cabinet minister Navdeep Bains declares his candidacy.[38]
- May 28 — MPP Rob Cerjanec declares his candidacy.[39]
- June 9 — Eric Lombardi declares his candidacy.[40]
- June 25 — Erskine-Smith announces he will not be a leadership candidate.[41]
- July 5 – Rob Cerjanec announces he is suspending his campaign.[42]
- July 31 – MPP Stephanie Bowman and Vikram Handa declare their candidacies,[22] though Handa had not yet been officially been qualified by the party;[43] candidate registration deadline.[1]
- August 7 — Vikram Handa announces his withdrawal from the contest.[44]
- August 10, 7 pm — First leadership debate (online).[45]
- September 7 – Deadline to join the Ontario Liberal Party and be eligible to vote in the leadership election as party member.[1]
- November 9 – Voting period begins.[1]
- November 20 – Voting period ends.[1]
- November 21 – Results of voting and new leader to be announced.[1]
Candidates
Registered
| Candidate | Experience | Candidacy | Campaign | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Navdeep Bains |
|
|
 Endorsements Website |
[38][47] | |
 Stephanie Bowman |
|
|
 Endorsements |
[22][48][49][50][51][52] | |
 Lee Fairclough |
|
|
 Endorsements Website |
[35][53][54][47][55] | |
Eric Lombardi |
|
|
 EndorsementsWebsite |
[40] | |
| Dylan Marando |
|
|
 EndorsementsWebsite |
[56][46][57] | |
Withdrawn
| Candidate | Experience | Candidacy | Campaign | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rob Cerjanec |
|
 Endorsements Website |
[39] | |
| Vikram Handa |
|
 Website |
[22][59][52] | |
Declined
- Yvan Baker, MP for Etobicoke Centre (2019—present), MPP for Etobicoke Centre (2014–2018)[60][51]
- Andrew Boozary, physician, executive director of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine[60][61]
- Mike Crawley, president of the Liberal Party of Canada (2012—2014), CEO of AIM PowerGen Corporation (2002—2009), CEO of Northland Power (2018—2024)[62][52][63]
- Nate Erskine-Smith, MP for Beaches—East York (2015–present), federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities (2024–2025), finished second in the 2023 leadership election.[41]
- John Fraser, interim leader (2018–2020, 2022–2023, 2026), parliamentary leader (2018–present), MPP for Ottawa South (2013–present)[60]
- Vince Gasparro, MP for Eglinton—Lawrence (2025–present)[60]
- Karina Gould, MP for Burlington (2015–present), federal Government House Leader (2023–2025), federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (2021–2023), federal Minister of International Development (2019–2021), federal Minister of Democratic Institutions (2017–2019), finished third in the 2025 federal leadership election[60][51][52][64]
- Ted Hsu, MPP for Kingston and the Islands (2022–present), MP for Kingston and the Islands (2011–2015), finished fourth in the 2023 leadership election (endorsed Fairclough)[65]
- Jeff Lehman, chair of the District of Muskoka (2022–present), Mayor of Barrie (2010–2022)[60][66]
- Danielle Martin, MP for University—Rosedale (2026–present), professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine.[53][67]
- Josh Matlow, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 12-Toronto-St. Paul's (2010–present), candidate for Mayor of Toronto (2023), Liberal candidate in Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (2002).[68][69][51][70]
- Marco Mendicino, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister (2025), federal Minister of Public Safety (2021–2023), federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (2019–2021), MP for Eglinton—Lawrence (2015–2025)[60]
- Yasir Naqvi, MP for Ottawa Centre (2021–present), finished third in the 2023 leadership election (endorsed Bains)[60][71]
- Adil Shamji, MPP for Don Valley East (2022–present),[50][51] withdrawn candidate during the 2023 leadership election[52]
- Tyler Watt, MPP for Nepean (2025–present)(endorsed Fairclough)[69][51]
Endorsements
MPs
- Iqwinder Gaheer, MP for Mississauga—Malton (2021–present)[72]
- Arielle Kayabaga, MP for London West (2021–present)[73]
- Yasir Naqvi, MP for Ottawa Centre (2021–present), Attorney General of Ontario (2016–2018), MPP for Ottawa Centre (2007–2018)[74]
MPPs
- Three MPPs have endorsed Bowman[75]
MPPs
- Stephanie Bowman, MPP for Don Valley West (2022–present)[49]
- Former MPPs
- Granville Anderson, MPP for Durham (2014-2018)[76]
MPPs
- Lucille Collard, MPP for Ottawa—Vanier (2020–present)[35]
- Ted Hsu, MPP for Kingston and the Islands (2022–present), MP for Kingston and the Islands (2011–2015)[35]
- Stephanie Smyth, MPP for Toronto—St. Paul's (2025–present)[77]
- Tyler Watt MPP for Nepean (2025-present)[78]
- Former MPPs
- Murray Elston, MPP for Huron—Bruce (1981–1994)[35]
- Deb Matthews, MPP for London North Centre (2003–2018)[35]
Former MPP
- Chris Ballard, MPP for Newmarket—Aurora (2014-2018)[79]
- Former MP
- Adam Vaughan, MP for Spadina—Fort York (2014-2021)[79]