Premier Ford Faces Deadline for Scarborough Southwest By-election
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
With seats open in three ridings, the Premier must act by Wednesday to fill the vacancy in Scarborough Southwest, while weighing calls for elections in York-Simcoe and Hamilton East-Stoney Creek.
As CBC Toronto first reported, Ontario Premier Doug Ford faces a statutory deadline on Wednesday to call a by-election in the riding of Scarborough Southwest. The seat has remained vacant since February, following the resignation of Doly Begum, who left provincial politics to successfully run for the federal Liberals.
Under the Election Act, by-elections must be called on a Wednesday and conducted on the fifth Thursday thereafter. Per a February news release from Elections Ontario, the latest possible date for the Scarborough Southwest election is Sept. 3, meaning the call must occur on Aug. 5.
While the Scarborough vacancy is a requirement, CBC Toronto reports that Premier Ford could also trigger elections in two other ridings. In York-Simcoe, the seat became open after Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Caroline Mulroney resigned in May. In Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, the seat is open following the announcement by Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden that he would retire from politics on Aug. 4.
In Scarborough Southwest, a riding won by the Ontario NDP in the last three provincial elections, the parties have named the following candidates: * **Ontario NDP:** Housing advocate Fatima Shaban. * **Ontario Liberal Party:** Ahsanul Hafiz, a youth sports advocate and owner of multiple Domino’s Pizza franchises. * **Ontario Progressive Conservatives:** Dr. Noor Tarun, a family physician who operates several clinics in the GTA.
In Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, which was an NDP stronghold prior to Lumsden's 2022 victory, the candidates are: * **Ontario Progressive Conservatives:** Jeff Beattie, a Ward 10 councillor in Hamilton. * **Ontario NDP:** Monique Taylor, who previously served as the MPP for Hamilton Mountain. * **Ontario Liberal Party:** Heino Doessing. * **Green Party:** Pascale Marchand.
For the York-Simcoe vacancy, the candidates include: * **Ontario Progressive Conservatives:** Susan Lahey, a small business owner and East Gwillimbury town councillor. * **Ontario Liberal Party:** Naomi Davison, a councillor for the Town of Georgina and York Region. * **Green Party:** Matt Pearce, a professional in vehicle manufacturing.
CBC Toronto noted that they have reached out to the premier's office for a response regarding whether all three ridings will be called on Wednesday.