Meet the Ontario election candidates in Ottawa and eastern Ontario

An Elections Ontario sign is seen at University - Rosedale voting location at the Toronto Reference Library on Thursday, June 7, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Marta Iwanek_

Voters in Ottawa and eastern Ontario head to the polls on Feb. 27.

The Ontario provincial election officially kicks off on Wednesday after Premier Doug Ford triggered the snap election.

At the dissolution of the Ontario legislature, the Liberal Party held four of the eight seats, while the NDP held two seats, and the Progressive Conservatives held one seat. Independent MPP Goldie Ghamari represents the riding of Carleton.

Elections Ontario says advancing voting days will be held Feb. 20 to 22. Voters can cast their ballot on Feb. 27 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

CTV News Ottawa introduces you to the candidates running in Ottawa and eastern Ontario in the 2025 Ontario election.

Carleton

Population: 131,375 (2021 census)

The riding includes Stittsville, North Gower, Munster, Kars, Osgoode, Metcalfe Riverside South, Findlay Creek, Richmond and Greely.

• Ontario Green Party: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Liberal Party: Brandon Bay
• Ontario NDP: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: George Darouze

Former Progressive Conservative MPP Goldie Ghamari on the riding in the 2018 and 2022 provincial elections. Ghamari, currently an Independent MPP, did not say whether she was seeking re-election when contacted by CTV News Ottawa on Tuesday. Current Ottawa Coun. George Darouze is running for the Progressive Conservatives. The riding of Carleton was created in 2018 from Nepean-Carleton, Carleton-Mississippi Mills and Ottawa South.

Kanata Carleton

Population: 116,651 (2021 census)

The urban-rural riding includes Kanata, Carp, Kinburn, Fitzroy Harbour and Constance Bay.

• Ontario Green Party: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Liberal Party: Karen McCrimmon (incumbent)
• Ontario NDP: Dave Belcher
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Scott Phelan

Liberal MPP Karen McCrimmon was elected MPP in a 2023 byelection. Former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Merrilee Fullerton won the 2022 provincial election before resigning in 2023. The riding of Carleton was created from the ridings of Carleton-Mississippi Mills and Nepean-Carleton for the 2018 election.

Nepean

Population: 132,769 (2021 census)

The riding of Nepean includes Barrhaven, Bells Corners south Ottawa stretching from Eagleson Road in the west, to the Rideau River in the east, to the train tracks north of Hunt Club Road in the north and Bankfield Road in the south.

• Ontario Green Party: Sheilagh McLean
• Ontario Liberal Party: Tyler Watt
• Ontario NDP: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Alex Lewis

Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod is not seeking re-election after winning the riding in six elections. The riding of Nepean was created from the old riding of Nepean-Carleton for the 2018 election.

Orléans

Population: 139,309 (2021 census)

The riding in Ottawa’s east end includes Orleans.

• Ontario Green Party: Michelle Petersen
• Ontario Liberal Party: Stephen Blais (incumbent)
• Ontario NDP: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Steve Plourde

Liberal MPP Stephen Blais has represented the riding since winning a byelection in February 2020. He was re-elected in the 2022 provincial election. The Liberals have held the riding of Orléans since 2003.

Ottawa Centre

Population: 126,360 (2021 census)

The riding in central Ottawa includes Centretown, the Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Little Italy, Hintonburg and Westboro.

• Ontario Green Party: Simon Beckett
• Ontario Liberal Party: Thomas Simpson
• Ontario NDP: Catherine McKenney
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Scott Healey

NDP MPP Joel Harden is not seeking re-election in the Ontario election, instead winning the nomination to run as the federal NDP candidate in the next federal election. Harden represented the riding since 2018. Former Ottawa Coun. Catherine McKenney is running for the NDP this election. The riding of Ottawa Centre has been held by either a Liberal or New Democrat since it was formed in 1967.

Ottawa South

Population: 125,090 (2021 census)

The riding in Ottawa’s south end includes Alta Vista, Elmvale Acres, South Keyes, Heron Gate, and is home to the Ottawa International Airport, CHEO and the Ottawa Hospital General Campus.

• Ontario Green Party: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Liberal Party: John Fraser (incumbent)
• Ontario NDP: Morgan Gay
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Jan Gao

Liberal MPP John Fraser has represented the riding since winning a byelection in 2013, following the resignation of former Premier Dalton McGuinty. The Liberals have held the riding since 1987, while the Progressive Conservatives represented the riding from 1926 to 1987.

Ottawa-Vanier

Population: 118,806 (2021 census data)

The riding includes the ByWard Market, Lowertown, Sandy Hill, Vanier, Overbrook, New Edinburgh, Rockcliffe Park Beacon Hill, and stretches east along the Ottawa River.

• Ontario Green Party: Christian Proulx
• Ontario Liberal Party: Lucille Collard (incumbent)
• Ontario NDP: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Marilissa Gosselin

Liberal Lucille Collard has represented the riding since winning a byelection in February 2020. The Liberals have held the riding of Ottawa-Vanier since 1971.

Ottawa West-Nepean

Population: 116,409 (2021 census data)

The riding in Ottawa’s west end hugs the Ottawa River, stretching March Road in the west to Sherbourne Road, Merivale Road and Prince of Wales Drive in the east, and includes Baseline Road, a large section of Carling Avenue and the Queensway-Carleton Hospital.

• Ontario Green Party: Sophia Andrew-Joiner
• Ontario Liberal Party: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario NDP: Chandra Pasma (incumbent)
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Husein Abu-Rayash

NDP MPP Chandra Pasma has represented the riding since the 2022 provincial election, after defeating Progressive Conservative incumbent Jeremy Roberts. The Progressive Conservatives represented the riding from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2018 to 2022, while the Liberals held the seat between 2003 and 2018.

Eastern Ontario

Glengarry-Prescott-Russell

Population: 116,463 (2021 census data)

• Ontario Green Party: Thaila Riden
• Ontario Liberal Party: Trevor Stewart
• Ontario NDP: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Stephane Sarrazin (incumbent)

PC MPP Stephane Sarrazin has represented the riding since the 2022 election. The riding was held by the Liberal Party between 1999 and 2018. Former MPP Amanda Simard won the riding in 2018 as a Progressive Conservative candidate, before leaving caucus. Simard lost the 2022 election as the Liberal candidate.

Hastings-Lennox and Addington

Population: 100,616 (2021 census data)

• Ontario Green Party: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Liberal Party:  No candidate registered yet
• Ontario NDP: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Ric Bresee (incumbent)

Progressive Conservative MPP Ric Bresee has represented the riding since 2022. Former PC MPP Daryl Kramp won the 2018 election in the newly created riding before not seeking re-election in 2022. The riding was created from Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington and Prince Edward-Hastings.

Kingston and the Islands

Population: 126,106 (2021 census data)

• Ontario Green Party:  Zachary Typhair
• Ontario Liberal Party: Ted Hsu (incumbent)
• Ontario NDP: Elliot Goodell Ugalde
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives:  Ian Chapelle

Liberal MPP Ted Hsu has represented the riding since the 2022 provincial election. The riding was held by the Liberal Party between 1995 and 2018, while former NDP MP Ian Arthur represented the riding between 2018 and 2022.

Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston

Population: 111,459 (2021 census data)

• Ontario Green Party:  No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Liberal Party: Rob Rainer
• Ontario NDP: John MacRae
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: John Jordan (incumbent)

PC MPP John Jordan has represented the riding since the 2022 provincial election. Former PC MPP Randy Hillier represented the riding between 2007 and 2022.

Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes

Population: 104,050 (2021 census data)

• Ontario Green Party: Fiona Jager
• Ontario Liberal Party: Lorna Jean Edmonds
• Ontario NDP: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Steve Clark (incumbent)

Progressive Conservative MPP Steve Clark has represented the riding since 2010, when he won a byelection to replace Bob Runciman. The Progressive Conservatives have represented the riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes and the previous riding of Leeds-Grenville since its inception in 1987.

Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke

Population: 107,410 (2021 census data)

• Ontario Green Party: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Liberal Party: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario NDP: Marshall Buchanan
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: William Denault

Longtime Progressive Conservative MPP John Yakabuski is not seeking re-election, after representing the riding since 2003.

Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry

Population: 104,263 (2021 census data)

• Ontario Green Party:  No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Liberal Party:  No candidate registered yet
• Ontario NDP: No candidate registered yet
• Ontario Progressive Conservatives: Nolan Quinn (incumbent)

Progressive Conservative MPP Nolan Quinn won the 2022 election, succeeding long-time MPP Jim McDonnell. McDonnell represented the riding for the PC Party between 2011 and 2022.