General elections were held on June 2, 2022, to elect Members of the Provincial Parliament to serve in the 43rd Parliament of Ontario.
The governing Progressive Conservatives, led by Premier Doug Ford, were re-elected to a second majority government, winning 7 more seats than they had won in 2018. The NDP retained their status as the Official Opposition, despite losing seats and finishing third in the popular vote, while the Ontario Liberals finished 2nd in the popular vote, but only won 8 seats, a gain of one seat from 2018 but falling short of official party status. The Green Party retained the single seat they won in 2018 while the New Blue and Ontario Party failed to win a seat, both losing their lone sitting MPPs.
A total of 4,701,959 valid votes were cast in this election, as well as a smaller number of invalid ballots. The election set a record for the lowest voter turnout in an Ontario provincial election, as only 44.06% of the people who were eligible voted. This broke the previous record for low turnout of 48.2% in the 2011 election.
Background
As of December 2016, Ontario elections are held on or before the first Thursday in June in the fourth calendar year following the previous general election.
In the June 2018 Ontario general election, the Progressive Conservative Party (PC Party) led by Doug Ford won a strong majority government. The New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Andrea Horwath became the Official Opposition; this was the first time since 1990 they surpassed their third-place status. The governing Liberal Party led by Premier Kathleen Wynne was decimated, winning only 7 out of the 124 seats in the legislature and being reduced to third-place status. The Green Party won its first seat in history, with leader Mike Schreiner becoming its first Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP).
Wynne resigned as leader immediately after the 2018 election and MPP John Fraser succeeded her as interim leader; he held that post until March 2020, when Wynne's former minister of transportation, Steven Del Duca, became permanent leader of the Liberal Party. Meanwhile, Horwath and Schreiner both remained leader of their parties and had no intention of resigning.
By December 2019, polling showed that the Ford government was as unpopular as the previous Wynne government. However, the Progressive Conservatives experienced a surge of support during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic; a Mainstreet Research poll in June 2020 showed the PCs at 42 per cent, the Liberals at 28 per cent, and the NDP at 23 per cent.
On October 5, 2020, Ontario MPPs voted unanimously in favour of a motion stating that the government will not call an election prior to the fixed election date in 2022. Before this vote, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario could have been dissolved earlier by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on a motion of no confidence or if the Premier triggered a snap election (the former was extremely unlikely to work against the incumbent government with a majority).
In April 2021, the province experienced a major third wave of COVID-19 infections, and, after quickly reversing government health policies, such as opening and then abruptly closing restaurants, the government was criticized over their handling of COVID-19. This led to the PCs' support dipping, but remaining ahead of the Liberals and NDP.
In late April 2022 – days before the election call – the Ford government released its budget, promising to implement it if the government was reelected. The budget recorded a deficit of $19.9 billion and promised substantial spending on infrastructure (including for their proposed Highway 413) and tax breaks for some workers and seniors.
On May 3, 2022, Premier Doug Ford met with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario to advise dissolution of the legislature and for writs of election be drawn up.
Timeline + 42nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario - Movement in seats held up to the election (2018-2022)Party2018Gain/(loss) due to2022 Resignationfrom caucus Resignationas MPP Expulsion Switchingallegiance Byelection hold76 (2) (2) (2) (3) 6740 (1) (1) 387 (3) 1 2 71 1N/A 1 10 1 10 3 3 60 3 3Total 124 – (2) – – 2 124
+ Changes in seats held (2018–2022) Seat Before Change Date Member Party Reason Date Member PartySimcoe—GreyNovember 2, 2018Jim WilsonResignationfrom cabinet and caucus due to allegations of sexual misconductGlengarry—Prescott—RussellNovember 29, 2018Amanda SimardResignationfrom caucus after opposing the government's cuts to francophone servicesJanuary 16, 2020Joined caucusLanark—Frontenac—KingstonFebruary 20, 2019Randy HillierSuspendedlater removed after alleged autism comment, and alleged lack of commitment to the caucusOttawa—VanierJuly 31, 2019Nathalie Des RosiersResignationaccepted position at Massey College of the University of TorontoFebruary 27, 2020Lucille CollardOrléansSeptember 20, 2019Marie-France LalondeResignationto run in the 2019 Canadian federal election for its equivalent seatFebruary 27, 2020Stephen BlaisCambridgeJuly 21, 2020Belinda KarahaliosExpelledfrom caucus after voting against Bill 195January 18, 2021Joined caucusco-created (alongside her husband) the New Blue Party, and officially joined soon afterYork CentreJanuary 15, 2021Roman BaberExpelledfrom caucus for opposing COVID lockdownDon Valley EastAugust 17, 2021Michael CoteauResignationto run in the 2021 Canadian federal election for its equivalent seatChatham-Kent—LeamingtonAugust 19, 2021Rick NichollsExpelledfrom caucus due to refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19December 22, 2021Joined caucusDurhamOctober 22, 2021Lindsey ParkResignationfrom caucus following party accusations that she had misrepresented her COVID-19 vaccine status.AjaxFebruary 2, 2022Rod PhillipsResignationElgin—Middlesex—LondonFebruary 28, 2022Jeff YurekResignationHamilton East—Stoney CreekMarch 17, 2022Paul MillerExpelledfrom caucus during vetting process for re-election for having joined an Islamophobic Facebook groupBrampton NorthApril 22, 2022Kevin YardeResignationfrom caucus after losing nomination contest to be re-elected
2018 June 7: The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC) under Doug Ford wins a majority government in the 42nd Ontario general election, with Andrea Horwath's New Democrats (NDP) forming the Official Opposition. After leading the party to the worst result in its history, outgoing Premier Kathleen Wynne resigns as leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, but remains MPP for Don Valley West. June 14: Ottawa South MPP John Fraser is named interim leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. June 29: Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford is sworn in as the 26th Premier of Ontario. July 11: Wellington—Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott, a Progressive Conservative, is elected Speaker by secret ballot.
2020 March 7: Former Vaughan MPP and cabinet minister Steven Del Duca is elected leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. October 5: MPP's vote unanimously in favour of a motion introduced by Scarborough—Guildwood MPP Mitzie Hunter stating that the government will not call an election prior to the fixed election date in 2022.
2021 November 8: Randy Hillier announces that he will run under the banner of the People's Party of Canada's proposed Ontario wing, the Ontario First Party. He later announced that he would not seek re-election. December 14: Former Member of Parliament for Hastings—Lennox and Addington, Derek Sloan, announces that he will lead the Ontario Party in the upcoming election.
2022 May 3: Writs of the election were drawn up, dissolving the Legislature and officially starting the campaign. May 10: First leaders' debate, organized by Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities. May 16: Second leaders' debate, organized by Broadcast Consortium. June 2: Election day.
Campaign period Contests + Candidate contests in the ridingsCandidates nominated Ridings PartyPCNDPGreenLibIndOthTotals5 9 9 9 9 8 7 2 1 456 35 35 35 35 35 35 27 1 1 2 4 2107 30 30 30 30 30 29 28 5 9 5 3 4 1 2 4 2108 28 28 28 28 28 28 27 12 7 6 5 5 6 4 3 9 2249 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 6 7 3 6 3 3 4 5 5 12610 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 11 3 2 2 2 1 1 3 6011 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 5 1 1 1 2 22Total 124 124 124 124 123 121 105 39 28 17 16 13 12 11 11 29 897
Incumbents not standing for reelection 26 MPPs chose not to campaign in the election:
Electoral districtIncumbent at dissolutionAjax Rod PhillipsBeaches—East York Rima Berns-McGownBrampton North Kevin YardePreviously elected under the NDP bannerBruce—Grey—Owen Sound Bill WalkerBurlington Jane McKennaDon Valley East Michael CoteauDon Valley West Kathleen WynneDurham Lindsey ParkPreviously elected under the PC bannerElgin—Middlesex—London Jeff YurekEssex Taras NatyshakHaldimand—Norfolk Toby BarrettHastings—Lennox and Addington Daryl KrampKingston and the Islands Ian ArthurKitchener South—Hespeler Amy FeeLanark—Frontenac—Kingston Randy HillierPreviously elected under the PC bannerNewmarket—Aurora Christine ElliottParry Sound—Muskoka Norm MillerPerth—Wellington Randy PettapieceScarborough Centre Christina MitasSimcoe—Grey Jim WilsonPreviously elected under the PC bannerStormont—Dundas—South Glengarry Jim McDonellThornhill Gila MartowThunder Bay—Superior North Michael GravelleToronto Centre Suze MorrisonWindsor—Tecumseh Percy HatfieldYork Centre Roman BaberPreviously elected under the PC banner
Party slogans PartyEnglishFrench (translation)"Get It Done.""Passer à l'action" ("Taking Action") (NDP)"Strong. Ready. Working for you.""Force. Détermination. Pour vous" ("Strength. Determination. For you.")"The Choice is Yours""C’est votre choix" ("It's Your Choice.")"The Ontario You Want. The Leadership We Need." "L'Ontario que vous voulez. La direction qu'il nous faut." (identical to English slogan) "Strength. Stability. Liberty. Good government." "Freedom, Family, & Faith""Liberté, Famille, et Foi" (identical to English slogan)
Debates Date Time (EDT) Organiser(s) Language Participants PC NDP Lib. Green May 10, 2022 1:00pm – 2:30pm Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities English May 16, 2022 6:30pm – 8:00pm Broadcast Consortium English May 17, 2022 8:00pm – 9:00pm Radio-Canada and TFO French
Issues Summary The 2022 Ontario Budget, entitled Ontario's Plan to Build, served as the platform of the governing PC Party. The main five themes it emphasized were: growing the clean energy economy with minerals from the Ring of Fire, building infrastructure including Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass and expanding GO service, supporting workers by funding more skilled trades programs, raising the minimum hourly wage to $15 and allowing universities to issue three-year degrees, lowering taxes by eliminating license plate stickers, eliminating tolls and reducing housing development fees and lastly to avoid future COVID-19 lockdowns by hiring more healthcare workers..
The Official Opposition NDP's campaign focused on increased funding for social programs and government services, which would be paid for through higher taxes on businesses and individuals earning over $200,000 per year. Funding would go toward reducing class sizes, raising welfare payments and disability payments, subsidies for black, indigenous and LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, hiring more healthcare and education staff and increased wages for public servants. The NDP also proposed to expand COVID-19 vaccine mandates, implement a mixed member proportional electoral system, to close down all privately owned long-term care facilities and to stop the construction of new highway projects.
+ 2022 Ontario election – issues and respective party platformsIssuePCNDPLiberalGreenNew BlueOntario PartyBudgetEliminate the deficit in the 2027–2028 fiscal yearLower the deficit to $5 billion by 2025-2026 Present a balanced budget in the 2026-2027 fiscal yearLower the deficit steadily from $20 billion in 2022–23 to $6 billion in 2025-26Business subsidiesProvide all mining tax revenue to northern Indigenous communities