Ontario residents should start practicing their Xs because they’ll soon be headed to the polls. Premier Doug Ford has called a snap election for February 27, more than a year before the next fixed general election date.
Ford claimed he called the election early because he wants a new mandate to better deal with the U.S. tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.
The outcome of this vote will impact everything from Ontario’s healthcare system to cost of living, with effects rippling through cottage country. That’s why cottagers need to get out and vote. To ensure you’re up to date on all election details, here’s everything you need to know.
How does the vote work?
Typically, provincial elections occur every four years, but they can be called early—as Ford did—with permission from the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor must sign the Writs of Election. This triggers the beginning of the election period which lasts for 28 days.
When voters go to the polls, they vote for a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). This is a candidate associated with one of Ontario’s four official parties: the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, the Ontario New Democratic Party, the Ontario Liberal Party, and the Green Party of Ontario. The MPPs represent electoral districts, of which there are 124 across the province. They’re responsible for everyday issues in that area, such as taxes, housing, childcare, transportation, and more.
Ontario uses a First-Past-the-Post electoral system, meaning the MPP candidate with the most votes in an electoral district is the winner. The political party with the greatest number of MPPs elected then becomes the new provincial government.
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Who’s eligible to vote?
Anyone 18 and over as of February 27 who is a Canadian citizen and a resident of Ontario is eligible to vote. However, to be considered a resident, your primary residence must be in Ontario. This means cottage owners who have a secondary property in Ontario but live outside the province aren’t eligible to vote. And if you own a house and cottage in Ontario, it doesn’t mean you get two votes.
If you’re registered to vote, you should have received an Ontario Voting Guide in the mail between February 3 and 12. This explains where, when, and how to vote. If you didn’t receive one, you may need to register online at vReg.RegisterToVoteON.ca. You can also register at your local election office, which you can search for here, or in person when you go to vote.
How do you vote?
Ontarians are presented with several options for casting their votes. The most straightforward is showing up at your assigned voting location on election day between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. You’ll have to show a piece of ID, such as a driver’s licence, a passport, a birth certificate, or even a credit card. The election official will check this against the voters’ list and provide you with a ballot.
You can also vote in advance of election day. This can be done at your local election office. Local election offices are open to early voting starting the day after an election has been called up until 6 p.m. the day before election day. Or you can vote at an advanced voting location in your electoral district. These should be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day leading up to the election. In both circumstances, you’ll need to show a piece of ID.
Finally, you can vote by mail. To do this, you have to complete a Vote by Mail application on Elections Ontario’s website. The application requires you to submit a copy of a government-issued ID showing your name and home address. You must apply to vote by mail before 6 p.m. on February 21. If your application’s approved, you’ll receive a voting kit with a ballot in the mail. On the ballot, you’ll write the candidate’s given name and surname. This ballot can then be mailed back to Elections Ontario using the prepaid envelope included with the voting kit, or you can drop it off at your local election office. Either way, the ballot must reach Elections Ontario by 6 p.m. on February 27 to be counted.
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Who’s running?
Each electoral district will have multiple MPP candidates. You can find a list of candidates for your area by searching for your electoral district here. Or you can search for a specific candidate here. But the faces of this election are those running for Premier. This includes Doug Ford running for re-election with the Progressive Conservatives, Bonnie Crombie as the Liberal Party leader, Marit Stiles as the NDP leader, and Mike Schreiner as the Green Party leader.
What are the main issues?
There are three main issues circling this year’s Ontario election: U.S. tariffs, cost of living, and healthcare. Doug Ford has taken the strongest stance against the U.S. tariffs, already threatening to remove all U.S.-produced alcohol from the LCBO, ban U.S. companies from provincial contracts, and tear up the province’s internet deal with Elon-Musk-owned company Starlink. He’s also promised to set aside money to help those laid off by the tariffs find new jobs, while reducing taxes for small businesses. If both Canada and the U.S. implement tariffs, cottage owners could see price hikes in everything from groceries to renovations.
In terms of cost of living, the Liberals, NDP, and Green Party have promised to double the Ontario Disability Support Program, while the conservatives have focused their tactics around keeping certain taxes low, specifically the provincial gas tax.
Finally, the lack of doctors across the province is a major voting point, especially in smaller municipalities across northern Ontario and cottage country. All four parties have promised to recruit more family doctors, connecting them with Ontarians.
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