Ontario election 2025: Who's running where in southwestern Ontario
CBC News | Posted: January 30, 2025 6:11 PM | Last Updated: 4 hours ago
CBC will keep you updated as candidates confirm
As Ontarians prepare to head to the polls on Feb. 27, political parties are racing to confirm their candidates for the upcoming election.
CBC Windsor will help you stay informed by keeping on top of each local riding, its candidates, and what they are up to.
The Progressive Conservatives have come into the election with a full slate of candidates and a call for voters to give them a new and enlarged mandate to steer the province through the uncertainty brought by U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of tariffs.
In the Windsor-Essex area, that means they'll be targeting the riding of Windsor West, currently held by NDP MPP Lisa Gretzky, the lone non-PC MPP in the region.
But Ford was forced to defend himself this week after video surfaced showing him saying that he had been happy with Trump's victory until the tariff threat emerged.
Meanwhile, opposition parties hammered Ford on affordability, with the Liberals promising to double Ontario Disability Support Program payments and the NDP promising to end homeless encampments by providing 60,000 new supportive housing units and having the province pay for shelter costs instead of municipalities.
Here's a full list of who's running so far. This list will be updated as candidates announce.
Windsor West
This riding — home to the University of Windsor, the Ambassador Bridge the soon-to-be-open Gordie Howe bridge — has been represented by the NDP's Lisa Gretzky since 2014. But the PCs have indicated they would like to win it away from her and sweep the region. They have nominated Tony Francis to go after the seat.
The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Windsor West.
- Tony Francis - Progressive Conservative
- Lisa Gretzky - NDP (incumbent)
- Joshua Griffin - New Blue Party
Windsor-Tecumseh
The Feb. 27 election will mark a rematch between incumbent PC candidate Andrew Dowie, a former Tecumseh town councillor who won the seat in 2022, and the NDP's Gemma Grey-Hall, who placed a distant second in that race.
The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Windsor-Tecumseh.
- Andrew Dowie - Progressive Conservative (incumbent)
- Kyle Ford - Communist
- Gemma Grey-Hall - NDP
- Sophia Sevo - New Blue Party
Essex
Former Amherstburg deputy mayor Anthony Leardi won this riding for the PCs in 2022 after NDP MPP Taras Natyshak announced he would not seek re-election. This time around, Rachael Mills will try to win it back for the NDP. The Liberals have yet to confirm a candidate in the riding, which consists of LaSalle, Lakeshore, Kingsville, Amherstburg and Essex.
The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Essex.
- Stephen Higgins - Green Party
- Anthony Leardi - Progressive Conservative (incumbent)
- Kevin Linfield - None of the Above Direct Democratic Party
- Rachael Mills - NDP
Chatham-Kent-Leamington
Leamington includes Chatham-Kent, Leamington, Lakeshore and the Township of Pelee. Trevor Jones won this riding for the PCs in 2022 after previously serving as a Leamington town councillor. This week, Christian Sachs confirmed she will be his NDP challenger in the election for the Feb. 27 election.
The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Chatham-Kent-Leamington.
- Trevor Jones - Progressive Conservative (incumbent)
- Rhonda Jubenville - New Blue Party
- Christian Sachs - NDP
Sarnia-Lambton
Sarnia-Lambton, which includes Sarnia, Petrolia, Point Edward, Plympton-Wyoming, Enniskillen, St. Clair and Oil Springs, has been held by the PC's Bob Bailey since 2007.
The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Sarnia-Lambton.
- Bob Bailey - Progressive Conservative (incumbent)
- Keith Benn - New Blue Party
- Jacques Boudreau - Libertarian
- Rachel Willsie - Liberal Party of Ontario
- Candace Young - NDP
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex
PC candidate Steve Pinsonneault has represented this large, rural riding for less than a year after winning it in a May 2024 by-election following the resignation of former Tory cabinet minister Monte McNaughton. His challengers include Liberal Cathy Burghardt-Jesson, who placed a distant second in the previous race.
The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex
- Cathy Burghardt-Jesson - Liberal
- Steve Pinsonneault - Progressive Conservative (incumbent)
- Kathryn Shailer - NDP
- Andraena Tilgner - Green Party