Ford has said Trump’s threat of a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian imports, which could start as early as Feb. 1, will disproportionately impact Ontario and could cost as many as 500,000 jobs, although oppositions leaders say the early vote is not necessary.

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford officially set a provincial election in motion Tuesday for Feb. 27, more than a year before the next fixed election date. The election had been set for June 2026, but Ford said he needs a new mandate to deal with four years of a Donald Trump presidency in the United States.

“If you have been following it all, you know that Ford and the (Progressive Conservatives) in Ontario have wanted to have an early election for some time,” John Shields, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) said.

Ford is taking Ontarians to the polls amid political instability in Ottawa after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced that he would resign.

Doug Ford, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, has called an early election. He leads the party for a third consecutive campaign.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has officially triggered an early provincial election for Feb. 27 after meeting with Ontario's lieutenant-governor, his office confirmed. Ford visited Lt.-Gov. Edith Dumont on Tuesday afternoon to ask her to dissolve the 43rd parliament of the Province of Ontario.

Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford launched his re-election campaign in Windsor, Ont. Wednesday and is asking residents of Ontario for a "strong, stable, four year mandate to do whatever it takes to protect Ontario.

Ontario's political party leaders are fanning out across the province today for their first official day on the snowy campaign trail. Premier Doug Ford was in Windsor, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie launched in Barrie and NDP Leader Marit Stiles gathered supporters in Toronto.