Toronto MPP Marit Stiles set to be next leader of Ontario NDP

Toronto MPP Marit Stiles is set to be the next leader of Ontario's New Democrats, the party said Tuesday, after no other candidates stepped forward by Monday's deadline.

Stiles, who represents the downtown riding of Davenport, is now the lone contender in the race to helm the Official Opposition at Queen's Park after a deadline to enter the contest passed at midnight. 

In a news release, the NDP said Stiles was the only candidate to meet all of the party's requirements, including getting 100 nominating signatures from four of the six regions the New Democrats use to divide the province electorally and raising a $55,000 fee.

"Marit can give people hope and unite the province to defeat [Premier] Doug Ford — to make life affordable and rebuild and improve health care and education," Ontario NDP president Janelle Brady said. "Our party is stronger than ever. With Marit as our new leader, we will be able to expand our reach."

The New Democrats still need to hold a confirmation vote, which is currently scheduled for March 4. Party officials said it may be moved up. As long as Stiles secures a simple majority, she will hold the party's top spot. 

LISTEN | Marit Stiles on the work the NDP needs to do before 2026:

The Newfoundland-born Stiles was first elected as an MPP in 2018 and served as the party's education critic. Before she secured a seat at Queen's Park, Stiles was a Toronto public school board trustee and also spent two years as president of the federal New Democrats.

Stiles's bid was backed by endorsements from eight caucus colleagues. Her caucus colleagues Sol Mamakwa, Chris Glover, Wayne Gates and Jill Andrew had been musing about potentially running until close to the deadline, but they all ultimately declined.

Former leader Horwath resigned election night

The New Democrats have been without a permanent leader since Andrea Horwath stepped down on election night, when the party lost seven of the 38 seats it had going into June's election. It was a dispiriting result for the NDP, which had tried to position itself as the only party that could beat the Progressive Conservatives.

Horwath had held the top post since 2009, leading the New Democrats into four elections. Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns was appointed as interim leader in late June.

Speaking to CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Tuesday, Stiles said the party is "going to have to reach out to every corner of this province" to rebuild support where it was lost in June's election.

"We have to keep talking to people and listening to people who are doing the hard work of resisting Doug Ford. We need to hear their priorities and we need to build a movement across the province that can defeat Ford and take back those communities," she said.

Stiles added that her top priority as leader will be "getting organized across this province, showing people that there is a real alternative to the Progressive Conservatives under Doug Ford, an alternative that inspires people and reflects their concerns."

In a brief statement posted to Twitter, Ford congratulated Stiles. "I'm looking forward to many spirited debates as we both strive to make Ontario the best place to live, work and raise a family," he said.

Several hours later, the Progressive Conservative Party released a statement of its own, zeroing in on Stiles being the only candidate in the leadership race and echoing messaging rolled out during the provincial election campaign that the NDP is "the party of no."

"The acclamation of Marit Stiles is an endorsement of the same policies that Ontarians soundly rejected on June 2," the statement said.