Bonnie Crombie’s future as leader of the Ontario Liberal Party will be decided this weekend as party members gather in Toronto for their annual meeting. The event, which kicks off Friday, includes a mandatory leadership review vote that will determine whether Crombie stays at the helm.
Crombie, the former mayor of Mississauga, must secure more than 50 per cent support to continue leading the party. The review comes after a disappointing showing in February’s provincial election, where the Liberals placed third and Crombie failed to win a seat, losing to Progressive Conservative candidate Silvia Gualtieri in Mississauga East–Cooksville.
Despite increasing their seat count from nine to 14 and regaining official party status, the Liberals failed to capture voter momentum or form the Official Opposition. A post-election report found the campaign’s emphasis on health care and the family doctor shortage didn’t resonate with voters, who were more focused on affordability issues.
Crombie, however, remains upbeat heading into the vote, calling the gathering “a homecoming” for nearly 2,500 Liberals set to chart the party’s future. The outcome of the leadership review will be announced Sunday afternoon, potentially shaping the direction of the Ontario Liberals ahead of the next election cycle.