Bonnie Crombie wins Ontario Liberal leadership race, says party focused on beating Doug Ford

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie will lead the Ontario Liberal Occasion in its struggle to regain official celebration standing at Queen’s Park — and problem Premier Doug Ford within the 2026 election — after being elected the celebration’s new chief on Saturday.

The perceived front-runner all through the marketing campaign, Crombie lastly reached the edge of votes wanted to turn out to be the subsequent celebration chief late Saturday afternoon, after officers launched the outcomes of a 3rd and closing spherical of balloting.

The group in downtown Toronto erupted in cheers and chanted “Bonnie! Bonnie! Bonnie!” after the victory was introduced.

“There isn’t any query, being an Ontario Liberal is again,” Crombie stated in her victory speech. “Thanks for taking a spark and turning it into a giant pink flame right here at the moment.” 

Except for taking down Ford, Crombie may also try to steer the Liberals again to official celebration standing after a disastrous 2022 election that noticed the celebration win simply eight seats and chief Steven Del Duca step down after simply two years on the job.

She defeated Toronto Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith, Liberal MP and former provincial cupboard minister Yasir Naqvi and Liberal MPP Ted Hsu.

Ford authorities ‘in all of our sights,’ Crombie says

Crombie rapidly shifted her victory speech to the struggle in opposition to Ford in 2026, promising to make life higher for Ontarians whereas criticizing the sitting premier’s monitor report on well being care, training and local weather change.

“Ford and his conservative cronies have been the opponents in all of our sights this complete marketing campaign,” she stated. “That is our second.” 

In the case of subsequent steps for the celebration, Crombie says the Liberals must give attention to constructing belief with voters, recruiting candidates who mirror the province and fundraising.

Talking to reporters, she stated the PCs are out-fundraising the Liberals “10 to at least one.”

“We’ll must give attention to elevating cash in order that we may be aggressive in 2026,” she stated.

After working as a enterprise chief, MP after which mayor for nearly decade, Crombie stated at the moment’s victory was the best honour of her life.

Crombie has been a well-liked mayor in Mississauga, cruising to a 3rd time period final October. After her win, Crombie was requested concerning the Liberals’s prospects in Peel Area, which is presently dominated by the PCs.

“I absolutely intend to take all seats in Peel Area,” Crombie stated.

Crombie doesn’t have a seat at Queen’s Park. She stated she would think about operating for MPP in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex — the seat vacated by former labour minister Monte McNaughton in September — however wouldn’t decide to placing her title on the poll. Ideally, she stated, she would run in Mississauga.

Crombie stated she would doubtless step down as Mississauga’s mayor within the new 12 months.

Crombie, as Mississauga mayor, has been a vocal opponent of Ford’s modifications to how municipalities gather sure charges from builders that assist the cities fund infrastructure — the Affiliation of Municipalities of Ontario has stated the transfer shortchanged municipalities by $5 billion — and has pushed arduous for the dissolution of Peel Area the place her Toronto-area metropolis is situated.

In her victory speech, Crombie thanked the late Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion, her mentor, for educating her the significance of being a superb listener and sound monetary supervisor. 

Ford authorities already on the assault, NDP congratulatory

Ford’s Progressive Conservatives revealed an assault advert on social media minutes after Crombie was elected chief. 

“Bonnie and the Liberals simply don’t get it…They’ll price you,” reads a picture of Crombie the conservatives shared on X, previously often known as Twitter.

The picture consists of bullet factors that counsel a Crombie-led authorities would see “increased taxes, extra gridlock, fewer properties.”

Ontario NDP Chief Marit Stiles struck a completely different tone, congratulating Crombie’s win with a publish on X.

“As you set a brand new course in your celebration, I’m trying ahead to your concepts and contributions to the talk on the way forward for our nice province,” Stiles stated.

Crombie received on the third spherical of ranked poll voting after main the primary spherical and second spherical, however falling wanting the 50 per cent threshold wanted to win. She took the management with roughly 53 per cent of factors wanted to win, after ending with 43 per cent within the first spherical and 47 per cent within the second spherical.

Crombie’s workforce entered Saturday’s contest suggesting she may win after the primary spherical of votes was counted. However the race completed nearer than anticipated, with Erskine-Smith ending with 47 per cent of the out there factors.

The Liberals had boasted that the management race noticed the candidates enroll a report variety of members, with greater than 100,000 folks eligible to vote for the brand new chief — up from 44,000 and 38,000 within the two earlier contests.

However solely a fraction of these members forged ballots final weekend, with 22,827 folks voting. The celebration notes that’s increased than the 12,988 Ontario Liberals who forged ballots within the 2020 management race and greater than the 19,438 in 2013.

A timeline of latest Ontario Liberal leaders

• Dalton McGuinty, 1996 to 2013 — McGuinty introduced his resignation in 2012, paving the way in which for an intense management competitors.

• Kathleen Wynne, 2013 to 2018 — Wynne stepped down after her celebration was defeated by the Progressive Conservatives.

• John Fraser, 2018 to 2020 — Fraser served because the celebration’s interim chief.

• Steven Del Duca, 2020-2022 — Del Duca stepped down after the PCs as soon as once more defeated the Liberals within the 2022 election. 

• John Fraser, 2022 till at the moment — Fraser stated he has dominated out a 3rd stint as interim chief.