Lee Fairclough has officially entered the Ontario Liberal leadership race, positioning herself as a fresh voice focused on affordability, health care and education as the party looks to rebuild following its recent election setback.
The rookie Liberal MPP captured significant attention earlier this year after winning a seat in Etobicoke during Premier Doug Ford’s snap provincial election, flipping one of the few Progressive Conservative-held ridings in the region — and notably in the area where Ford himself resides.
Launching her campaign through a video announcement, Fairclough said Ontario families are increasingly struggling with rising costs and deteriorating public services.
“Doug Ford has stopped listening,” she said. “The basics — health care, education, good jobs — they’ve all been pushed aside and that has to change.”
Fairclough is campaigning on promises to reduce hospital wait times, improve access to mental health and addiction services, shrink classroom sizes and strengthen Ontario’s public education system.
She also pledged to repeal the Ford government’s controversial legislation that limits the application of freedom-of-information laws to the premier’s office and cabinet ministers.
“I didn’t step into politics to watch from the sidelines,” Fairclough said. “I stepped forward to fix what’s broken because I believe we can build an Ontario that works for everyone.”
Before entering politics, Fairclough built a career in health care and public service. A former member of Canada’s national women’s rugby team, she worked as a radiation therapist before taking on leadership roles at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and later serving as president of St. Mary’s General Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her leadership campaign has already secured support from fellow Ontario Liberal caucus members Ted Hsu and Lucille Collard, along with former Ontario deputy premier Deb Matthews.
The Ontario Liberal Party leadership became vacant earlier this year after former leader Bonnie Crombie stepped down following disappointing internal support after the Liberals failed to significantly close the gap with Ford’s Progressive Conservatives in the 2025 election.
Fairclough joins a growing field of potential leadership contenders that includes Nate Erskine-Smith, Rob Cerjanec, former federal cabinet minister Navdeep Bains, housing advocate Eric Lombardi and former political staffer Dylan Marando, who was the first to formally declare his candidacy.
Ontario Liberals are expected to choose their new leader in November as the party attempts to reposition itself ahead of the next provincial election battle.