Next Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

Next Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

←  2023 TBD

Incumbent Leader Bonnie Crombie

TBD Ontario Liberal Party leadership election

Date	TBD
Convention	TBD
Resigning leader	Bonnie Crombie
Won by	TBD
Ballots	TBD
Candidates	TBD
Entrance fee	TBD
Spending limit	TBD
Ontario Liberal Party leadership elections 1919 · 1922 · 1930 · 1943 · 1947 · 1950 · 1954 · 1958 · 1964 · 1967 · 1973 · 1976 · 1982 · 1992 · 1996 · 2013 · 2020 · 2023 · Next

The next Ontario Liberal Party leadership election will be held to replace Bonnie Crombie following her September 14, 2025 announcement that she intends to resign as leader of the Ontario Liberal Party upon the election of her successor.

Background

In the 2025 general election, the Ontario Liberal Party saw an increase in support over their 2022 result, finishing second in the popular vote. However, the party won only 14 seats. Crombie, who had been elected leader in 2023, failed to win a seat in Mississauga East—Cooksville.

In the party's leadership review vote on September 14, 2025, Crombie obtained 57% approval from party members and subsequently announced her pending resignation as party leader. ^[1]

Rules and procedures

Under the procedure outlined by the party's constitution, ^[2] all members of the Ontario Liberal Party will be eligible to vote directly for leader by preferential ballot and instant-runoff voting.

Votes will be weighted, with each provincial electoral district being allocated 100 points, and with points in a district allocated in proportion to each candidate by the number of first preference votes received. Each of the party's recognized student clubs will be allocated 50 points, and each of the party's recognized women's clubs will be allocated 5 points. ^[3]

When the ballots are counted, if no candidate receives 50 per cent of the points, the lowest-ranked candidate will be dropped from the next round, with their second choice votes distributed to the remaining candidates. This will continue until a candidate receives 50 per cent of the vote.

Timeline

• February 27, 2025 – Ontario general election held, resulting in a third consecutive majority PC government. The Liberals win 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, 2025 – 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. ^{[4] [5]}
• September 28, 2025 — 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. ^{[6] [7]}

Candidates

Potential

• Yvan Baker, MP for Etobicoke Centre (2019—present), MPP for Etobicoke Centre (2014–2018) ^{[8] [9]}
• Navdeep Bains, federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry (2015–2021), MP for Mississauga—Malton (2015–2021), MP for Mississauga—Brampton South (2004–2011) ^[8]
• Andrew Boozary, physician, executive director of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine ^[8]
• Stephanie Bowman, MPP for Don Valley West (2022–present) ^{[10] [9]}
• Rob Cerjanec, MPP for Ajax (2025–present) ^{[8] [9]}
• Nathaniel 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 ^{[11] [12] [9]}
• 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 ^{[8] [9]}
• 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 ^{[8] [9]}
• 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) ^{[13] [9]}
• 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) ^[8]
• Adil Shamji, MPP for Don Valley East (2022–present) ^{[10] [9]}
• Tyler Watt, MPP for Nepean (2025–present) ^{[13] [9]}

Declined

• John Fraser, Interim Leader (2018–2020, 2022–2023), Parliamentary Leader (2018–present), MPP for Ottawa South (2013–present) ^[8]
• Vince Gasparro, MP for Eglinton—Lawrence (2025–present) ^[8]
• Jeff Lehman, Chair of the District of Muskoka (2022–present), Mayor of Barrie (2010–2022) ^{[8] [14]}
• Yasir Naqvi, MP for Ottawa Centre (2021–present), finished third in the 2023 leadership election ^{[8] [15]}
• Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario (2009–present), MPP for Guelph (2018–present) ^[8]

References

1. Cross, Jessica Smith; Cornwell, Steve (September 14, 2025). "Bonnie Crombie to step down as Ontario Liberal Party leader". thetrillium.ca. The Trillium. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
2. "Constitution of the Ontario Liberal Party" (PDF). www.ontarioliberal.ca. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
3. Chamandy, Aidan; Pinkerton, Charlie (March 4, 2023). "Ontario Liberals to allow all members to vote in leadership elections". The Trillium. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
4. Smith Cross, Jessica; Cornwall, Steve (September 14, 2025). "BREAKING: Bonnie Crombie to step down as Ontario Liberal Party leader". The Trillium. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
5. Stone, Laura (September 14, 2025). "Bonnie Crombie to resign after Ontario Liberals narrowly voted against leadership contest". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved September 18, 2025.
6. "Ontario Liberal Party launches process of selecting new leader to replace Bonnie Crombie". CBC News. September 28, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
7. "Ontario Liberal Party Begins Process to Select Next Leader". Ontario Liberal Party. September 28, 2025. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
8. D'Mello, Colin; Callan, Isaac (September 15, 2025). "Ontario Liberals prepare for another leadership election. Who's in?". Global News. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
9. Welsh, Moira. "The Ontario Liberal leadership race got another 'maybe,' this time from a federal MP". Toronto Star. September 24, 2025. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
10. Cohn, Martin Regg (September 14, 2025). "For Bonnie Crombie, there will be no new beginning, as the Liberal leader resigns". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
11. Angolano, Joseph (July 21, 2025). "Nate Erskine-Smith puts a new twist on the old leadership story". thetrillium.ca. The Trillium. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
12. Jones, Allison (September 14, 2025). "Bonnie Crombie to step down as Ontario Liberal leader after weak show of support". CBC News .
13. "Nate Erskine-Smith isn't saying if he'll join race to become Ontario Liberal leader". Toronto Star. September 17, 2025. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
14. Online, Doppler (September 22, 2025). "District Chair says he's not running for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party". Huntsville Doppler. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
15. Stone, Laura (September 15, 2025). "Ontario Liberal caucus says it didn't press Bonnie Crombie to resign". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 15, 2025.