Ontario Premier Doug Ford has officially called an early election today, with voters scheduled to cast their ballots Feb. 27 as his Progressive Conservative party pursues a third majority government.
Ford met with Lt.-Gov. Edith Dumont this afternoon to request the dissolution of the legislature, more than a year before the fixed election date in June 2026.
Dumont agreed to the premier’s request, signing a proclamation that dissolves Parliament effective at 4 p.m. today, the province said in a press release. The dissolution paves the way for the 29-day election campaign to commence on Jan. 29.
The premier has said the key motivation for his decision to call a snap election stems from the lack of strong federal leadership to confront U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of a potential 25 percent tariff on Canadian exports. Ford has said he wants a strong mandate before navigating negotiations with the United States….