Ontario party leaders launch campaigns as the province gears up for early election

Ontario party leaders are launching their campaigns Monday morning, after Premier Doug Ford asked Lt.-Gov. Edith Dumont for the dissolution of parliament Tuesday afternoon.

Each party leader is speaking at various campaign events across the province at 8 a.m. MT.

The early election will be held February 27 — leaving less than a month for parties to campaign.

Ford will be speaking in Windsor at his Progressive Conservative campaign launch, and then will hold a roundtable with union group Unifor Local 444, per the Canadian Press. He will then head to local manufacturer Harbour Technologies to meet with workers.

The now-caretaker premier has said he believes he will get an even stronger mandate in this election, and is gunning for a supermajority.

Ford has repeatedly emphasized the impact President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff, which the president says will go into effect February 1, will have on Ontario’s economy. Ford has said on multiple occasions it would be best if Canada and the US could work together, but he’s prepared to “fight” if the tariffs are rolled out.

Ford on February 12 will lead a delegate of premiers to Washington to meet with counterparts. A second trip to Washington is scheduled for February 20, where Ford will attend the annual meeting of the National Governors Association.

Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie is launching her healthcare-centered campaign in Barrie, alongside Rose Zacharias, the Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte candidate, who is an emergency and family doctor.

Later at 3 p.m. in Markham, Crombie and Markham-Stouffville candidate Kelly Dunn will begin canvassing.

NDP leader Marit Stiles is in Toronto this morning, kicking off her campaign at a community center called Daniel's Spectrum near Regent Park.

Stiles at 6 p.m. this evening with candidate Faisal Hassan will officially open a campaign office on Eglinton Ave. W.

Green party leader Mike Schreiner is launching his campaign at Queen’s Park in Toronto. He will then head to Guelph to speak with volunteers and supporters for the afternoon, and on to Kitchener for a 6:30 p.m. event at deputy Green leader Aislinn Clancy’s campaign office

As the party leaders jumped into campaign-mode this morning, at Queen's Park in Toronto Dumont and Chief Electoral Officer Greg Essensa signed the writs of election, reporter CTV.