Premier Ford will call for an election this Wednesday. Election day will be February 27.
The stakes are high for workers and their families this election. Whoever comes into power on February 27 will make important decisions that have a big impact on our everyday life, such as our ability to afford housing, healthcare, childcare and our rights at work. That’s why we need to be united to show our collective power!
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Possible reasons why Premier Ford is calling an early Ontario election:
1. Coinciding with cheques in the mail: Premier Ford has just sent out $200 government rebate cheques to Ontarians who filed their taxes last year. Holding an election now means people will be voting while Ford’s $200 cheque is fresh in their memory and bank account.
2. Responding to President Donald Trump and tariffs: US President Trump stated he will implement a 25% tariff on Canadian exports on February 1. These tariffs will hurt Canadian businesses and workers. Premier Ford claims he needs a new mandate to act quickly to protect Ontario from these tariffs.
(That said, holding a 4-week election in February precisely when the tariffs are being implemented will do the opposite as all Ontario political parties will be busy campaigning instead of passing legislation).
3. Getting ahead of possible bad press: Last year, the RCMP started a criminal investigation on the Ford government’s decision to open up the Greenbelt to private developers, but as of today has not provided an update.
And today, the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario just released a report stating the province’s decision to expand alcohol into convenience stores early cost taxpayers an extra $600 million. An early election allows Premier Ford to secure another 4 years in power before his government receives more bad press that might hurt his chances of winning.
What’s at stake for Ontario workers?
Let’s be clear: since Premier Ford took office, his government repeatedly prioritized big business over workers.
Just last fall, the Ontario government announced they are taking $2.5 billion from the Workers Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and putting it in the pockets of businesses. This is a slap in the face to all the injured workers in Ontario who are living in poverty due to WSIB’s restrictive policies and inadequate WSIB benefits [1].
Furthermore, while the Ford government passed five sets of “Working for Workers” labour laws in their term, the government has yet to enact any changes that truly protect people in unstable and low-income jobs [2].
For example, wage theft in Ontario runs rampant under Ford’s government. Between 2017 and 2025, the Ontario Ministry of Labour failed to collect $60 million in unpaid wages for workers, as revealed by a CBC News investigation this past November.
What can we do as workers?
Workers may be doubting that any political party has a plan for real protections for all workers. But we know that real change comes when workers organize together for what we need and deserve. If you or someone you love has experienced wage theft, join the movement by sending an email to our Provincial representatives in all parties.
Let’s raise our voices about our rights at work. The Justice for Workers campaign will soon release a guide on what questions to ask your candidates. No matter the outcome of any election, our movement must continue to build power and fight for Justice for Workers.
[1] For example, “deeming” (or “determining”) is a WSIB practice of pretending an injured worker has a job that they do not really have. The WSIB uses the pretend job as an excuse to cut the injured worker’s benefits. Source: What Injured Workers Need (Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups)
[2] For an example, read our blog post Why the Working for Workers Five Act does not work.