In a surprising turn of events, Bonnie Crombie has stepped down as the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, effective immediately. This announcement comes on the heels of her earlier commitment to resign following a lackluster performance in a leadership vote last fall.
Crombie, who successfully guided the provincial Liberals back to official party status after they secured 14 seats in last year’s election—an increase from just nine—has chosen to leave sooner than initially planned. In her statement, she reflected on the timing of her departure: "As we begin a new year, I believe this is the right moment for me and for the party to move forward." She expressed pride in the achievements made during her tenure, emphasizing the collective effort to revitalize the party.
Having previously served as the mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, Crombie announced her decision to resign in September after receiving only 57 percent support during a leadership vote at the party’s annual meeting. Kathryn McGarry, the president of the Ontario Liberal Party, acknowledged Crombie's contributions, stating, "Bonnie stepped forward at a critical moment and played an important role in rebuilding our party, growing our movement, and positioning us for the future."
The party is now in the process of selecting an interim leader while outlining the steps for a future leadership contest. Although no specific date has been confirmed for this contest, McGarry assured that an announcement would be forthcoming.
In the wake of Crombie’s resignation, several potential candidates are contemplating their bids to succeed her. Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith, who finished as the runner-up in the 2023 leadership race, is reportedly organizing a team for another attempt at leading the provincial party. Other members of the Ontario Liberal caucus, including Lee Fairclough, Adil Shamji, and Rob Cerjanec, have also indicated they are seriously considering entering the leadership race when it is officially called.
Shamji shared his thoughts on the gravity of such a decision, stating in an interview, "It is a promise of what the party will look like and what the province will look like. I need to take the time to make sure that I can make that promise, deliver on it, and be able to make the all-encompassing commitment that it will require of myself, my family, my entire life, so that I can give Ontario Liberal Party members and Ontarians what they deserve."
On the other hand, fellow caucus member Ted Hsu, who placed fourth in the previous leadership race, has announced he will not seek the position again. Meanwhile, former Liberal Party president Mike Crawley is reportedly contemplating a run for the leadership.
Crombie's leadership lasted two years, but it ended with a significant defeat to Premier Doug Ford in the snap election he called in February 2025, well ahead of schedule. Although she successfully led the Liberals back to official status by winning 14 seats, Crombie herself was unable to secure a seat in Mississauga, and the party fell short of becoming the Official Opposition, despite garnering nearly 600,000 more votes than the New Democrats led by Marit Stiles.
Her entry into the Liberal leadership race was marked by much anticipation and a notable ability to challenge Premier Ford. Despite facing some early missteps—including suggesting land swaps in the Greenbelt in a Globe and Mail interview before retracting her statement, and indicating a right-of-center governance approach to TVO before walking that back—she managed to win the leadership contest, overcoming challengers like Erskine-Smith, Yasir Naqvi, and Hsu through three rounds of voting.
Crombie had considered running in several byelection campaigns but eventually decided to focus on securing a seat in Peel Region, her home base. However, in the 2025 election, despite her optimism about the party's chances in the six seats available in Peel, the party ultimately failed to win any, including her own.
This report, originally published by The Canadian Press on January 14, 2026, highlights a significant leadership shift within the Ontario Liberal Party, raising questions about its future direction and the potential candidates vying for Crombie's position.
