Where Stephanie stands.

Based on the short timeline between recent elections, we need to be ready for an election as early as Fall 2027. That means we need to start putting the people, systems and infrastructure in place to win immediately.

As leader, I will:

• Appoint a Campaign Director by February 2027;
• Open Candidate Nominations in early Spring of 2027;
• Ensure a Green Light process that is clear, reliable and timely; and
• Promptly call nominations when strong candidates are ready.

A strong provincial Party starts with strong local organizations. The Ontario Liberal Party will provide hands-on support to recruit and build riding associations in communities where local organization is limited or inactive.

As leader, I will:

• Show up in every riding, in rooms big and small, to connect with Ontarians and spread our message.
• Help local Liberals recruit members to their executive team, provide training and organizational support, assist with early membership and volunteer development, and help with planning community and fundraising events;
• Focus on giving each riding association the money, foundation, tools, and support needed to become active and sustainable, with succession planning for the long term; and
• Hire more field staff and, where needed, conduct a focused search to recruit PLA presidents and/or executive teams to build strong riding associations in every riding.

The Party will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Party's technology, data and campaign tools, including Liberalist, voter data, field organizing systems and digital infrastructure.

As leader, I will:

• Initiate the assessment by the end of 2026;
• Present the results and a modernization plan to the Executive Council by Spring 2027. The plan will:
  • identify gaps and required upgrades;
  • recommend technology and data investments; and
  • Include implementation timelines to ensure that tools are ready and operational for PLAs and campaigns to train and to access accurate and actionable voter data.
• Complete major technology and data improvements well in advance of the next election; and
• Ensure regional VPs, riding presidents, prospective campaign managers, and other members who volunteer are trained on data tools.

One of the most important roles of the leader is to act as chief fundraiser. With a healthy campaign fund, we can reach Ontarians in every corner of the province with our message between elections.

As leader, I will:

• Expand professional fundraising capacity;
• Create a dedicated fundraising cabinet;
• Recruit top donors;
• Expand monthly donor programs;
• Empower fundraising champions across every region to assist riding engagement with donors, and to provide training and planning; and
• Ensure that our riding associations have support to fundraise for the next election.

Leadership races, nominations, and elections bring in new members. When people join our Party as members, we need to engage them.

As leader, I will:

• Develop a welcome package for all new and returning members to engage them from the start;
• Activate members early to become lifelong members; and
• Appeal to progressive and Liberal minded Ontarians to join the OLP using modern online recruitment methods.

Volunteers are our greatest asset. They have a lot of talent and experience. We need to ensure the collective knowledge and skills of experienced volunteers is shared with the next generation of organizers to broaden our talent pool across the province.

The Ontario Liberal Academy will empower members to take on field and fundraising positions and to get involved in the policy process.

In addition to regional training, online training will be offered. For those who demonstrate aptitude we will invest in opportunities to attend intensive in-person training sessions. This is succession planning for the next class of volunteers that will take our Party into the future.

I commit to launch an Ontario Liberal Academy offering:

• Campaign schools
• Digital organizing
• Fundraising certification
• Candidate preparation
• Media training
• Data management
• Canvassing excellence
• CFO training

With sessions available online and in person, we can engage members regularly and in every region. We will create the next generation of Ontario Liberal campaign managers and equip our members with the tools and knowledge they need to win.

OLP Commissions were created to ensure that specific stakeholder groups have an opportunity to engage meaningfully within the Party. Having a purposeful connection between these Commissions and Party leadership will be critical to our Party's success.

As leader, I will:

• Strengthen the voice and organizational capacity of Party Commissions:
  • Ontario Liberal Rural and Northern Commission;
  • Ontario Liberal Seniors' Commission;
  • Ontario Women's Liberal Commission; and
  • Ontario Young Liberals.
• Foster a direct and consistent connection to the Leader and senior Party staff year round, not just during campaigns or major conventions;
• Hold quarterly meetings with each Party Commission and the Senior Leadership team, including the Leader, to discuss priorities, emerging issues and opportunities for engagement. These meetings will create a regular channel for Commissions to bring forward the perspectives of the members and communities they represent; and
• Establish a clear process to track issues and recommendations raised by Commissions, and ensure appropriate follow-up.

A stronger Ontario Liberal Party means making sure that members and riding associations in every part of the province have a meaningful connection to the Party and its leadership.

As leader, I will:

• Hold regular meetings between Regional VPs, PLA presidents, the leader, executive council and Party staff;
• Set meeting dates well in advance to allow volunteers ample time to plan their attendance; and
• Establish the Ontario Liberal Party “Coming Together Fund” to ensure that all ridings are represented at in-person meetings. Affordability cannot be a barrier to full and active participation.

We need to create more opportunities for young Liberals to get involved, build experience, and take on meaningful roles within the Party.

As leader, I will:

• Work with the OYL and provide staff resources to host caucus events, tour stops and roundtables;
• Make intentional visits and meetings with youth stakeholders during caucus tours;
• Develop specific youth training sessions in collaboration with the OYL for campaign and PLA-related roles;
• Facilitate youth entry into the Ontario Liberal Party by connecting them with PLAs and leaders within the Party;
• Reduce financial barriers to attending Ontario Liberal Party events; and
• At a minimum: double the OLP Liberal Caucus Summer Internship Program in 2027; include more placements in MPP offices; ensure diversity; and invest in Young Liberals by providing more opportunities to gain paid, professional experience within the Party.

Our members should have a meaningful role in shaping the ideas and policies that our Party presents to Ontarians.

As leader, I will:

• Ensure that ridings and regions have a clear process and a schedule for policy development;
• Ensure that the policy proposals from ridings and regions are discussed at a provincial convention;
• Ensure that the general membership have an opportunity to vote on policy both virtually and at a provincial convention; and
• Ensure that the policies from members feed into the platform for the next election.

Establish a province-wide approach that creates a strong base for by-elections so that we are always ready.

As leader, I will:

• Use polling and data to support mobilization and organizational assistance;
• Treat all ridings as winnable in by-elections;
• Direct the central party to provide financial and capacity support to give our Liberal by-election campaigns the best possible results; and
• Encourage held ridings and our stronger PLAs to contribute to by-elections for an all hands on deck approach.

This will help ensure local candidates begin with stronger financial and organizational backing from across the Party, while building a culture in which Liberals across Ontario support each other wherever a campaign is taking place.

Our Party's constitution should reflect our values while providing clear, fair and modern rules for how the Ontario Liberal Party operates.

As leader, I will:

• Suggest that the Constitution should begin with a meaningful statement of values. In consultation with Party members, a vote will be held on this change at the next AGM;
• Open the Constitutional Committee to new members;
• Ensure that the Constitutional Committee takes input from across the province and that proposals will be available for review and comment long before the AGM;
• Strengthen nomination voting rules to instill confidence in our democratic processes;
• Limit nomination voting to Canadian citizens and permanent residents; and
• Keep membership eligibility at age 14 so young people can continue to have a voice and get involved early.

Our values should be reflected in how we treat the people who give their time and energy to our Party.

As leader, I will:

• Establish a province-wide code of conduct that ensures all volunteers and staff, particularly Young Liberals, are safe, respected and appreciated;
• Apply the Code of Conduct consistently to staff, candidates, riding associations, campaign teams and volunteers;
• Provide clear guidance and training so that members and volunteers understand their responsibilities and know where to turn if an issue arises;
• Create transparent and trusted processes for reporting concerns and resolving complaints in a timely and fair manner for all involved;
• Ensure that those who initiate complaints are included in the process, communicated with empathetically and informed of the outcome; and
• Regularly review these standards to ensure they continue to reflect best practices and foster a welcoming, respectful and inclusive Party culture.

When you get a referral from your doctor, you should not have to wait months for a phone call with an appointment that you cannot change. Ontario should work with agencies like OntarioMD to make better use of the capacity we already have by giving patients and health care providers a clear picture of where care is available and how long the wait is. We will build on Ontario’s existing e-referral system to create a province-wide, patient-friendly referral system that makes wait times transparent and gives patients more choice over where they receive care.

I will:

• Expand Ontario’s e-referral and centralized intake systems into a single province-wide system covering specialist care, diagnostic imaging and scheduled procedures;
• Give patients and referring health professionals clear information about expected wait times and available capacity across Ontario, so patients can choose to receive care sooner at another appropriate provider;
• Allow patients to track the status of their referral online and know where they are in the process, rather than waiting without information; and
• Make better use of available capacity across Ontario’s public hospital system before sending patients to private clinics.

Too many Ontarians are on a waitlist for a family doctor. Many others have a family doctor who has no time to see them due to the Doug Ford Conservative government’s policies. We need to ensure that Ontarians have reliable care and an ongoing relationship with their providers.

I will:

• Connect those without a doctor to a health team that includes family doctors, nurse practitioners, mental health workers and other professionals that can meet their needs;
• Prioritize rural and northern doctor placements where there are longer waitlists and fewer doctors and nurses;
• Make it easier for rural residents to switch to a primary care provider closer to home when one becomes available, reducing unnecessary travel and improving access to care; and
• Allow health professionals to work to their full scope of practice as part of large, team-based practices overseen by doctors and nurse practitioners that can care for entire communities.

All residents of Ontario, urban and rural, deserve to have timely access to healthcare. Waiting too long to receive medical treatment can be fatal. Closing an emergency department causes more than inconvenience. If somebody has a stroke, heart attack, embolism, or other catastrophic event, every minute counts. Interceding quickly is crucial for recovery and delay can result in death or permanent disability.

I will:

• End all ER closures, full stop;
• Ensure that all Emergency Departments are fully funded;
• Provide incentives to healthcare professionals to live and work near emergency rooms where closures have been a problem in the past; and
• Make it easier for doctors and nurses from across Canada to practice in our communities, including creating a centralized credentials database to cut paperwork and red tape.

Ontarians should be able to get timely care when they need it. We will reduce pressure on emergency rooms, improve the flow of patients through hospitals and make better use of the capacity we already have.

I will:

• Reduce emergency room and hospital wait times by expanding access to care outside hospitals and making better use of existing hospital capacity;
• Reduce the amount of healthcare budgets spent on administration;
• Ensure hospitals have the staff they need to keep beds, emergency departments and other services open;
• Publish hospital wait times for procedures and emergency services, giving patients the information they need to make informed decisions about where to access care and request referrals;
• Expand publicly funded, hospital-operated outpatient surgical centres to perform procedures such as hip and knee replacements, where clinically appropriate, reducing surgical wait times and freeing up hospital beds;
• Expand community-based virtual triage and assessment programs, building on successful models like Renfrew County's Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre, which connects patients with physicians and community paramedics to deliver timely care outside emergency departments;
• Improve transitions from hospital to home care, rehabilitation, long-term care and other community supports so patients who no longer need hospital-level care can leave safely and beds are available for others who need them;
• Review hospital funding models to remove financial barriers to making fuller use of operating rooms and diagnostic capacity, helping reduce surgical and procedure backlogs; and
• Increase access to care outside of hospitals to make better use of existing hospital capacity.

Patients waiting for home care or long-term placement occupy 17% of hospital beds in Ontario. We need to make sure that seniors have the care they need throughout their aging process.

I will:

• Rethink the approach to care for seniors so that there is a continuum of care from home-care to long-term care, e.g. with more NORCs (naturally-occurring retirement communities), and graduated approaches to living and care;
• Invest in home care capacity and community wraparound support;
• Increase long-term care capacity in underserved communities;
• Support seniors and people with chronic needs to stay healthier and receive care at home;
• Expand the use of portable x-rays, portable ultrasound machines, other mobile technologies, and teams who can treat patients outside of hospital beds.

Northern and rural Ontarians need a long-term pipeline of doctors who will build their careers and lives in the communities they serve.

Dalton McGuinty first proposed the opening of a Northern Ontario School of Medicine to start this pipeline, and it worked: the vast majority of physicians who complete both their medical degree and postgraduate training at NOSM University stay to practice in Northern Ontario.

We must build on that success by training more doctors in the North, bringing qualified internationally trained physicians into practice faster, while ensuring the quality that Ontarians expect, and helping doctors and their families put down roots in the communities that need them.

I will:

• Expand Practice Ready Ontario, administered by the Touchstone Institute, to bring more qualified internationally trained family doctors into rural and northern communities;
• Expand opportunities for medical students and residents to train in rural and northern communities;
• Provide doctors the tools they need to stay connected with other health professionals around the province, no matter where they are working;
• Work with communities to provide the settlement, housing and professional supports that help newly recruited doctors to establish roots and remain in the community; and
• Support the spouses and families of physicians relocating to rural and northern Ontario.

Ontario cannot rebuild its healthcare system without respecting the people who keep it running. But Doug Ford’s Conservative government enacted Bill 124 to restrict pay increases for healthcare workers during some of the most difficult years they have ever faced. While the law has now been repealed, Ontario still needs to repair its relationship with healthcare workers and ensure their compensation is sufficient to attract and retain them, so that we have the care workers we need to care for us.

I will:

• Ensure community health centres have sufficient resources to pay their healthcare workers fairly;
• Respect the collective bargaining rights of healthcare workers;
• Ensure PSWs who work in community are adequately paid, e.g. for their travel between visits; and
• Strengthen protections against violence and unsafe working conditions for frontline healthcare workers.

For decades, Ontario has shifted mental health care away from psychiatric institutions without ensuring sufficient community-based supports are available to meet people's needs.

Someone experiencing a mental health or addictions crisis should be able to get immediate, appropriate care in their community without having to rely on an emergency room or police response. We will expand community-based crisis services so people can get help when and where they need it, and be connected to ongoing care.

I will:

• Expand 24/7 community-based mental health and addictions crisis services across Ontario;
• Use successful evidence-based, province-wide addictions and substance use programs, including those that have worked in other provinces;
• Create more mobile crisis teams that can respond to people in distress and provide care and de-escalation in their communities; and
• Ensure people receiving crisis care are connected to appropriate treatment, counselling, withdrawal management, housing and other ongoing supports.

Promising new treatments and technologies face a fragmented healthcare system in Ontario, where hospitals often evaluate and purchase innovations independently. Ontario should make it easier to test promising innovations, evaluate what works and adopt successful technologies across the healthcare system.

I will:

• Create a centralized pathway to test and evaluate innovative treatments, diagnostics, and administrative technologies, breaking down hospital-by-hospital silos and allowing successful innovations to scale more quickly across Ontario;
• Use Ontario’s purchasing power to help proven Ontario-developed healthcare technologies commercialize, scale and reach patients across the province; and
• Improve transparency in healthcare procurement through standardized reporting on contract awards, competitive bidding and how public funds are spent, while working with the medical technology industry to reduce waste, deliver better value and prevent shortages of critical medical supplies.

New technology can help healthcare workers spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients, while improving access to care and lowering the cost of delivering it. Ontario should be a place where new treatments and medical technologies are researched, developed and put to work for patients. This will also allow Ontario to attract and retain the best and brightest minds.

I will:

• Improve interoperability between electronic medical record systems across Ontario, allowing hospitals, family doctors, specialists and other healthcare providers to securely share patient information, reduce duplicate testing and improve continuity of care;
• Invest in technologies that reduce administrative work and make health care more efficient, including AI scribes that allow doctors to spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients;
• Expand access to virtual and telehealth appointments where they can provide patients with faster and more convenient care;
• Invest in health and medical research and help Ontario retain the researchers developing the next generation of treatments and medical breakthroughs; and
• Help promising made-in-Ontario health technologies move from research into clinical use so Ontario patients benefit from innovations developed here.

Students need a strong foundation in reading and math to succeed in school and beyond. According to the latest EQAO results, nearly half of Ontario's Grade 6 students are not meeting the provincial standard in mathematics, while one-third of Grade 3 students are falling short in mathematics and writing. Teachers should have access to proven instructional approaches and the resources and training they need.

I will:

• Strengthen teacher training and professional development with a focus on evidence-based reading and math instruction;
• Ensure early reading assessments are followed by timely, effective support for students who need additional help; and
• Expand access to targeted literacy interventions for students who continue to face challenges with reading, including those with special needs and in higher grades.

Students should have more opportunities to explore different careers, gain practical experience and prepare for what comes next. For students pursuing a certificate rather than a diploma, meaningful work experience and supported career pathways can help them build skills and participate more fully in their communities. Providing pathways to work experience will help integrate them into the community. Ontario should give students greater flexibility to build skills, earn credentials and explore their options before entering post-secondary education or the workforce.

I will:

• Explore adding an optional additional year of secondary school, giving students more time to explore career pathways, gain hands-on work experience through co-op, pursue advanced courses and earn recognized post-secondary credits. This policy helps families make a wise financial investment in post-secondary programs;
• Expand access to cooperative education opportunities for students beginning in Grade 10, including more placements with local employers;
• Expand tax incentives for employers that provide student placement opportunities for students with special needs;
• Expand access to supported co-op placements, community-based learning and employment opportunities for students with special education needs;
• Expand programs with schools that allow high-school students to earn credits through accredited skilled-trades and technical courses on weekends, with opportunities for that learning to count toward future college credentials; and
• Restore the Ontario Science Centre at its original Don Mills location and renew its world-class science programming.

The use of Artificial Intelligence is becoming a part of daily life, and Ontario needs to prepare our students to use AI as a tool, and not as a crutch. We must do this while protecting their foundational skills, critical thinking and independent learning.

I will:

• Establish province-wide guidance for the appropriate use of AI in Ontario classrooms;
• Take a more limited approach to AI in earlier grades; and
• Provide teachers with the training and guidance they need to use AI effectively in the classroom and help students learn to use it appropriately.

Every student deserves to feel safe, respected and supported at school, and every teacher and staff member deserves a safe workplace. We need more adults in schools to support students, address behavioural challenges and help create classrooms where everyone can learn.

I will:

• Increase access to guidance counsellors, mental health professionals, social workers and Child and Youth Workers in Ontario schools;
• Strengthen measures to prevent and address violence, threats and harassment against students and school staff;
• Strengthen civics education in Ontario schools, helping students understand how democratic institutions work, their rights and responsibilities as citizens, and the importance of informed participation in civic life;
• Work with educators, school staff, parents and experts to improve violence prevention, intervention and reporting in schools; and
• Strengthen education and prevention programs that teach students respect for others, address bullying and discrimination, and confront antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and other forms of hate.

Every student should have the support they need to succeed. It is unacceptable that some special needs students are not attending full school days because the resources are not there to support them. Boys and young men also face challenges that deserve our attention. Girls have graduated high school on time at rates six percentage points higher than boys, while men account for just 43% of full-time university enrolment. Addressing these challenges involves reducing barriers to support, giving educators the resources they need and directing additional help to schools and communities where the needs are greatest.

I will:

• Reduce backlogs and wait times for student assessments, Individual Education Plans and Identification, Placement and Review Committee decisions;
• Ensure that completed assessments and decisions follow students between Ontario school boards, preventing unnecessary delays or reassessments;
• Increase access to specialized supports in schools, including introducing Executive Functioning Coaches, Educational Assistants, Child and Youth Workers, social workers, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and autism therapists to ensure students with special education needs receive the support they require;
• Create a dedicated, needs-based after-school funding stream that directs additional resources to high-priority neighbourhoods;
• Develop targeted mentorship, mental health and career-pathway supports for boys and young men who are struggling academically or becoming disengaged from school, helping them stay on track to graduate and pursue post-secondary education, training or employment; and
• Expand funding to make schools community hubs with community programming, recreation, tutoring, mentorship and other extracurricular activities.

Since schools shut down during COVID, fewer students have been meeting the recommended levels of daily physical activity. Schools should help students build healthy habits that stay with them throughout their lives. We should encourage students to be more physically active during the school day and make better use of existing programs that give young people opportunities to get involved.

I will:

• Encourage greater daily physical activity for students in Ontario schools and mandate physical education until it becomes an elective; and
• Promote greater student participation in established initiatives such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and ParticipACTION.

Post-secondary education should open doors to opportunity, not leave students facing unnecessary financial barriers. Ontario needs to make college, university and career training more accessible while giving graduates the financial flexibility to establish themselves in their careers.

I will:

• Reverse the Ford government's cuts to OSAP for students attending public colleges and universities;
• Call for a public inquiry into the OSAP private career college debacle;
• Extend the student loan repayment grace period from six months to one year;
• Eliminate interest on student loans for the first five years after graduation; and
• Restore OSAP for students attending eligible private career colleges, subject to rigorous oversight, safeguards against misuse and demonstrated labour-market need.

Ontario has some of the best colleges and universities in the world, but too many talented graduates leave to pursue opportunities elsewhere. We need to give young people more reasons to build their careers, pursue research and start businesses right here at home.

I will:

• Strengthen partnerships between post-secondary institutions, employers and innovation hubs to connect students and graduates with meaningful career opportunities in Ontario; and
• Help students and recent graduates with innovative ideas access mentorship, industry partnerships and entrepreneurial supports to turn those ideas into successful Ontario businesses.

Communities across Ontario need skilled professionals, particularly in underserved areas. We should encourage graduates to build their careers in communities where their skills are needed.

I will:

• Reinstate the provincial tuition tax credit for graduates working in high-demand occupations in underserved communities; and
• Cap the benefit and distribute it over several years.

School boards should be accountable to the families and communities they serve. Elected school board trustees play an important role in ensuring local voices are heard.

I will:

• Protect meaningful local representation through elected school board trustees, while strengthening transparency, financial accountability and responsiveness to parents and communities.

Ontario cannot solve the housing shortage if communities do not have the infrastructure needed to support new homes or if the cost of development limits incentive to build. The province should help unlock housing by reducing costs and investing where growth is actually happening.

I will:

• Waive development charges for new housing developments that commit at least 20% of their units to affordable housing, with the province fully reimbursing municipalities for the lost revenue;
• Create a single-window process for provincial approvals related to housing development. This will give municipalities and developers one point of contact to navigate provincial requirements and coordinate approvals across multiple ministries;
• Publicly track and report the number of homes built by type so progress is measured by homes delivered, not announcements;
• Provide additional upfront funding for critical water and wastewater infrastructure where municipal financing constraints are delaying housing construction, with priority given to projects that can unlock new housing; and
• Prioritize provincial housing infrastructure investments in communities with demonstrated housing needs and growth potential, with a focus on enabling multi-family housing.

Too many middle-class families are finding themselves priced out of homeownership, with too few options between expensive detached houses and small condominiums. Ontario needs more homes that meet the needs of growing families, including townhomes, duplexes, fourplexes and family-sized apartments. We need to work with municipalities and builders to make these homes easier and less expensive to build in communities where people already live and work.

I will:

• Permit fourplexes as-of-right across Ontario for projects that meet established zoning and building standards;
• Work with municipalities and builders to remove unnecessary barriers to the construction of townhomes, stacked townhomes and family-sized apartments;
• Work with municipalities, builders and other stakeholders to review Ontario's Building Code, removing unnecessary red tape and barriers to creating more housing options, particularly for middle-income households, while maintaining health and safety standards; and
• Create incentives for main-street property owners to add housing, including funding for new units created in buildings of up to four storeys.

Ontario needs to increase the supply of housing people can actually afford. The government does not need to become the builder of every home, but it can use its financing, land and purchasing power to get more affordable and co-operative housing built.

I will:

• Work with the federal government, Build Canada Homes, municipalities and housing providers to support the development of supportive and transitional housing, affordable rental homes and mixed-income housing developments; and
• Relaunch a dedicated Ontario Co-operative Housing Program to support the creation of new co-operative housing across the province.

Ontario needs more purpose-built rental housing, while renters need protection from sudden and unpredictable increases and support when facing financial hardship. We can provide stability for new rental construction planning while ensuring rent increases for tenants are manageable and helping those at risk of eviction remain housed.

I will:

• Work with landlords, tenants and builders to make renting more affordable by introducing fair, phased-in rent control;
• Require any approved above-guideline rent increase to be applicable only for capital enhancements;
• Conduct a comprehensive review of the Landlord and Tenant Board to improve fairness, reduce delays and ensure timely resolution of disputes for both tenants and landlords; and
• Establish a provincially funded rent bank to provide short-term, interest-free loans to tenants facing temporary financial hardship, helping prevent evictions and homelessness.

Ontario needs to make better use of the land and infrastructure we already have to build more homes while protecting our valuable green spaces and agricultural land. By revitalizing underused properties and prioritizing development in existing communities, we can create more housing opportunities without paving over natural spaces and prime farmland.

I will:

• Make more land available for housing through infill, public land and serviced growth areas, without opening the Greenbelt for development; and
• Expand incentives for the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites, helping municipalities and developers transform underused properties into new housing.

Ontario will need significantly more electricity as our population and economy grow and emerging technologies increase demand. We need to plan ahead and build a reliable, clean and affordable electricity system that can meet Ontario’s needs.

I will:

• Lift Ontario's moratorium on offshore wind development in the Great Lakes, establishing a rigorous, science-based approval process that protects aquatic ecosystems, migratory wildlife and the interests of surrounding communities;
• Work with the federal government as Canada works to double the capacity of its electricity grid by 2050, ensuring Ontario is prepared for growing demand;
• Install solar panels on suitable government buildings, using public assets to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs;
• Work with federal, provincial and territorial partners to strengthen electricity grid interconnections across Canada, supporting a more integrated and reliable national electricity system;
• Scale up solar, wind and grid-scale energy storage while maintaining reliable baseload electricity capacity;
• Support the refurbishment of Ontario's existing nuclear facilities and the responsible expansion of nuclear power, to provide reliable, low-emission electricity while maintaining affordability and rigorous safety standards;
• Improve hot-water efficiency in public buildings through modern water-heating systems, low-flow fixtures and automated controls, while supporting similar energy-saving upgrades in commercial buildings;
• Expand power generation and transmission using an integrated approach that prioritizes affordability and considers the communities and places affected by new infrastructure;
• Ensure Ontario's long-term electricity planning accounts for growing demand from data centres and other energy-intensive industries, while protecting grid reliability and affordability for households and businesses;
• Partner with Indigenous communities to identify and plan power projects that are mutually beneficial to their communities and to Ontario’s need for additional capacity; and
• Encourage on-site co-generation and energy storage to help businesses and other electricity users manage periods of peak demand.

It is essential that we help Ontarians reduce their energy costs while making cleaner technologies more accessible. Whether they own a home or live in an apartment, more Ontarians should have opportunities to lower their electricity bills and reduce emissions.

I will:

• Target relief where it matters: make the Ontario Electricity Rebate something that benefits those who earn less. End the rebate for households earning more than $300,000 per year;
• Launch a public education campaign to help Ontarians reduce electricity consumption through simple, everyday actions that lower energy bills and prevent waste;
• Expand incentives for commercial buildings to install energy-efficient lighting, occupancy sensors, smart controls and more efficient water-heating systems, reducing energy waste and operating costs;
• Expand provincial heat-pump incentives to complement federal rebates, including support for heat-pump water heaters, and ensure eligibility is not restricted based on a household's existing energy provider; and
• Expand access to rooftop and other small-scale solar generation for homes, apartment buildings and businesses by improving incentives and simplifying approvals, while working with the Electrical Safety Authority to establish a safe approval pathway for certified plug-in balcony solar panels.

We can reduce emissions and save money by making better use of our government buildings, transportation infrastructure, and new technologies.

I will:

• Support the expansion of electric-vehicle charging infrastructure across Ontario;
• Promote active transportation by supporting safer walking and cycling infrastructure in urban, rural and Northern communities;
• Work with municipalities and school boards to expand the use of electric school buses, public transit buses and other zero-emission municipal vehicles as existing fleets are replaced, where practical and cost-effective;
• Deliver on Ontario’s long-delayed organic waste diversion commitments by setting enforceable targets to phase food and organic waste out of landfills and working with municipalities to expand green bin collection in high-rise buildings, schools and government facilities, reducing emissions and extending the lifespan of existing landfills;
• Restore municipalities' authority to establish higher green building standards and provide financial support to municipalities that adopt them; and
• Ensure major new trade-infrastructure projects consider their environmental impacts and look for opportunities to support Ontario’s green economy.

Ontario needs to accommodate growth without sacrificing the agricultural lands, watersheds and natural areas that communities depend on. Environmental protections should be clear, predictable and based on transparent rules.

I will:

• Recommit to protecting 30% of Ontario's land and water, working with Indigenous Communities and conservation partners to develop a realistic plan and timeline to achieve this goal;
• Launch planning to create a permanent Ontario Foodbelt to protect prime agricultural land and preserve Ontario's long-term capacity to produce food;
• Strengthen Greenbelt protections and expand protections for important rivers, streams and watersheds, with transparent criteria and independent review of proposed boundary changes;
• Strengthen compliance with Ontario's Environmental Bill of Rights, ensuring meaningful public consultation on major environmental decisions and greater transparency about how public input influences government policy;
• Expand outdoor education and paid employment opportunities for young Ontarians in environmental conservation, habitat restoration and climate resilience, including through a modernized Junior Rangers program delivered in partnership with Ontario Parks, conservation authorities and community organizations;
• Work with municipalities to protect and expand urban parks and green spaces as communities grow, ensuring more Ontarians have access to nature close to home;
• Restore conservation authorities' ability to advise municipalities on watershed and natural-heritage impacts of development, while maintaining their role in protecting communities from flooding and other natural hazards and improving approval processes with clear standards and timely decisions;
• Prepare Ontario’s infrastructure to adapt to the impacts of climate change;
• Work with municipalities and Indigenous Communities to strengthen preparedness for flooding, wildfires and other climate-related risks, including investments in resilient infrastructure and improved emergency planning; and
• Ensure these changes recognize existing infrastructure and lands already designated for development by municipalities, avoiding unnecessary delays and red tape for housing in appropriate locations.

Municipalities need a provincial government that treats them as partners. They should have predictable funding, meaningful consultation and enough time to implement provincial decisions - not new responsibilities handed down without the resources to deliver them.

I will:

• Review Ontario’s municipal fiscal framework to ensure municipalities have the resources they need to deliver the services residents rely on;
• Respect municipal decision-making on local matters and stop using provincial powers to override municipalities on decisions that should be made locally;
• Repeal government appointment of regional chairs, allow regions to elect their own chairs in the manner that they see fit, and respect regional democracy by removing strong chair powers;
• Allow municipalities to conduct preferential ballots if they choose to;
• Establish an anti-downloading guarantee so that any new provincial mandate imposed on municipalities comes with full, ongoing provincial funding;
• Provide more stable, multi-year funding instead of relying on short application windows and one-off funding programs;
• Consult municipalities before legislation affecting them is drafted and provide adequate time to implement major changes;
• Conduct an independent review of Ontario’s strong mayor powers;
• Ensure smaller and rural municipalities have fair access to provincial infrastructure funding, with eligibility and cost-sharing requirements that reflect their financial capacity and infrastructure needs; and
• Restore municipal decision-making over local streets by repealing provincial restrictions on where municipalities can build bike lanes.

Reliable public transit connects people with work, education and their communities. Ontario needs to be a real funding partner in municipal transit while expanding regional service so that more people have practical alternatives for getting where they need to go.

I will:

• Restore the province’s commitment to fund 50% of eligible net municipal transit operating costs, reversing the downloading of transit operating costs to municipalities that began under Mike Harris;
• Expand GO Bus and Ontario Northland bus services to better connect communities with regional transit hubs and major population centres;
• Complete GO Expansion, including electrification and safety improvements, and deliver more frequent two-way, all-day service; and
• Expand integrated transit payment and fare programs beyond the GTHA, making it easier and more affordable to travel between transit systems across Ontario.

Growing communities all across Ontario need safe, reliable transportation links that connect people to jobs, services and economic opportunities.

I will:

• Prioritize widening Northern Ontario Highways 69, 11 and 17 and explore a nation-building project for a 400-series-like highway in the North;
• Explore targeted incentives to encourage more commercial trucks to use Highway 407 instead of Highway 401, helping reduce congestion and improve traffic flow;
• Work with ONroute operators to introduce safe, accessible outdoor play areas at highway service centres, giving families travelling across Ontario more opportunities to stop, rest and let children play;
• Upload Ottawa Road 174 and County Road 17 to provincial responsibility, relieving local property taxpayers of the financial burden and ensuring Eastern Ontario receives its fair share of provincial infrastructure investment; immediately begin detailed design and commit to finally building the long-awaited upgrades connecting Ottawa and Clarence-Rockland; and
• Expand GO Transit and GO-compatible passenger rail services to communities in the eastern and western Greater Golden Horseshoe where demand supports additional service.

Ontario can build more infrastructure while getting better value for every public dollar. Growing communities need water, wastewater, schools, recreation facilities and other infrastructure to keep pace with new housing and population growth.

I will:

• Expand predictable, formula-based provincial infrastructure funding to better meet the needs of small, medium-sized and large municipalities, reducing reliance on competitive applications and one-time grants;
• Support infrastructure including water and wastewater systems, schools, community centres, recreation facilities and sports fields; and
• Establish an independent commission to examine why major infrastructure projects — particularly transit — have become more expensive and recommend ways Ontario can deliver projects more efficiently and get better value for taxpayers.

Rural and northern communities need long-term infrastructure investment they can plan around. Roads, bridges, water systems and transportation links are essential to keeping communities connected, attracting investment and supporting growth.

I will:

• Establish a 10-year Rural Infrastructure Agreement providing predictable, multi-year funding for roads, bridges, water and wastewater infrastructure, allowing rural municipalities to plan major capital projects years in advance rather than repeatedly applying for short-term grants; and
• Prioritize widening northern Ontario Highways 69, 11 and 17 and explore a nation-building project for a 400-series-like highway in northern Ontario.

People should not have to travel hours simply to access basic healthcare. Rural and northern communities need services designed around the realities of distance, smaller populations and the challenges of recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals. We need to expand access to primary care, make better use of virtual services and build a long-term pipeline of doctors who will put down roots in the communities they serve.

I will:

• Prioritize underserved rural and northern communities for additional primary care funding, expanding access to teams that include family doctors, nurse practitioners, mental health workers and other healthcare professionals;
• Make it easier for rural residents to switch to a primary care provider closer to home when one becomes available;
• Expand access to virtual specialist appointments and community-based virtual triage programs, reducing unnecessary travel and connecting patients with physicians and community paramedics where appropriate;
• Expand Practice Ready Ontario to bring more qualified internationally trained family doctors into rural and northern communities, while increasing opportunities for medical students and residents to train in these regions; and
• Work with communities to provide housing, relocation and professional supports that help recruited doctors and their families establish roots, including employment opportunities for spouses and partners.

Ontario’s rural and northern communities have enormous economic potential. We need to support their main streets, small businesses, tourism industries and local economic-development priorities while recognizing that different regions need different tools to grow.

I will:

• Create a Rural Prosperity Fund bringing support for main-street revitalization, tourism, small businesses and brownfield redevelopment together under one economic-development program; and
• Provide enhanced support for tourism investment and development in northern, rural, Indigenous and underserved communities.

Ontario's farmers need predictable support to manage rising costs, protect their farmland and build strong markets for the food they produce. We need to strengthen farm risk management, invest in local food processing and help ensure Ontario's agricultural sector remains strong for generations to come.

I will:

• Immediately increase annual funding for Ontario's Risk Management Program to $250 million, accelerating the full implementation of the province's previously announced funding increase to better support farmers facing rising costs and market uncertainty;
• Establish an Ontario Agri-Food Processing Growth Fund to support the construction and expansion of food-processing facilities, keeping more Ontario-grown products processed in Ontario, strengthening domestic supply chains and creating local jobs;
• Fully support and defend Canada's supply management system, protecting Ontario's dairy, poultry and egg farmers and the stability of our domestic food supply;
• Work with the federal government and neighbouring provinces to remove unnecessary interprovincial barriers to livestock processing, allowing Ontario farmers to access nearby processing facilities across provincial borders while maintaining rigorous food safety standards;
• Expand access to professional succession-planning advice and support for Ontario farm families, helping farms transition successfully to the next generation;
• Set measurable Buy Ontario food procurement targets for publicly funded institutions, creating more reliable demand for Ontario farmers and food producers;
• Invest in agricultural research and innovation to help Ontario farmers adopt new technologies, respond to climate-related challenges and improve productivity; and
• Launch planning to create a permanent Ontario Foodbelt to protect prime agricultural land and preserve Ontario's long-term capacity to produce food.

Reliable internet, cell service and transportation are necessities, not luxuries. People in smaller, rural and northern communities need dependable connections to healthcare, education, jobs and neighbouring communities.

I will:

• Target remaining gaps in rural and northern internet and cellular coverage, working with communities and service providers to expand reliable connections in underserved areas;
• Expand regional and intercommunity transportation services in rural and northern Ontario, improving connections to hospitals, colleges, employment centres and Ontario Northland routes.

Too often, policies affecting rural and northern Ontario are designed at Queen’s Park and communities are consulted only after the important decisions have already been made. The people who lead these communities understand their needs, challenges and opportunities, and they should have a meaningful voice in shaping provincial policy from the beginning.

I will:

• Establish a Premier’s Rural and Northern Municipal Council, bringing together municipal leaders from across rural and northern Ontario; and
• Meet regularly and consult with the Council early in the development of provincial policies and programs that affect rural and northern communities, giving local leaders meaningful input before decisions are made, not after.

Justice delayed has real consequences for victims, families and people awaiting trial. Ontario needs courts that have the staff, technology and resources to resolve cases fairly and in a timely manner.

I will:

• Work with justice-system partners to reduce court delays by increasing Crown prosecutor and court staffing, and seeking additional judicial appointments where needed;
• Expand digital court scheduling, filing and evidence disclosure to reduce unnecessary delays and improve access to justice;
• Expand successful Indigenous Diversion programs that take pressure off courts while reducing recidivism rates, by addressing root causes of crime; and
• Establish transparent performance measures and regular public reporting on court backlogs and progress in reducing delays.

People released on bail must comply with the conditions set by the courts. Victims of crime also deserve protection, clear information and meaningful support throughout the justice process.

I will:

• Strengthen existing provincial bail supervision and compliance programs, focusing additional resources where there is a serious risk to public safety;
• Improve coordination between police, Crown prosecutors and victim services to support enforcement of bail conditions and keep victims informed; and
• Expand access to counselling, safety planning and practical assistance for victims of crime, including support beyond the immediate aftermath of an offence.

Organized crime, fraud and exploitation cause serious harm to individuals, businesses and communities. The number of older Ontarians being targeted by scams is unacceptable. Investigating and prosecuting complex crimes requires specialized expertise and coordination.

I will:

• Expand specialized investigative and prosecution capacity for organized crime, fraud, cybercrime and organized theft, building on existing provincial teams;
• Fund and expand Internet Child Exploitation units, build digital forensics capacity, set provincial standards for first response to a child-safety report, support investigators with mandatory wellness programs, and improve sharing of information across services so offenders who move between jurisdictions can’t be missed;
• Ensure that fraud and scams against older Ontarians are properly investigated;
• Improve coordination between provincial, municipal and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate organized criminal activity; and
• Strengthen access to forensic accounting, digital evidence and other specialized resources needed to investigate and prosecute complex crimes.

Ontarians should be able to attend school, practise their faith, use public transit and participate in community life without facing threats, harassment or hate-motivated violence. Hate crimes have increased to unacceptable levels in Ontario, with a particular recent rise of antisemitism.

I will:

• Strengthen coordination between police services, prosecutors and community organizations to improve the reporting, investigation and prosecution of hate-motivated crimes;
• Establish protective zones around places of worship, including churches, synagogues, mosques and temples, to prevent harassment, intimidation and obstruction of access while protecting freedom of religious expression;
• Support regional police services in protecting communities at elevated risk of hate-motivated crime, including Jewish, Black, Muslim, South Asian and LGBTQ+ communities;
• Expand security support for places of worship, community centres and other organizations facing credible threats, building on existing provincial programs;
• Establish dedicated provincial funding to help community festivals and cultural events cover rising safety and security costs, including security personnel, crowd management and emergency preparedness;
• Work with municipalities, schools, post-secondary institutions and transit agencies to improve responses to threats and harassment in public spaces while respecting lawful expression and peaceful protest; and
• Ensure that we are fostering respect, connection and appreciation for people with different backgrounds through public education, anti-hate training and friendship groups.

Our democratic institutions should reflect the voices of the people they represent. That means respecting local democracy, ensuring elected representatives are accountable to their communities and examining how Ontario's electoral system can better reflect the choices of voters.

I will:

• Acknowledge the shortcomings of Ontario's first-past-the-post electoral system and convene an Ontario Liberal policy conference to examine proportional representation and other electoral reforms, with meaningful input from party members;
• Allow regions to elect their own chairs in the manner that they see fit, and respect regional democracy by removing strong chair powers; and
• Conduct an independent review of Ontario's strong mayor powers.

Ontarians deserve confidence that their tax dollars are being spent responsibly and that government decisions, including those made by unelected officials, are made in the public interest. Recent investigations into procurement processes at two large Ontario hospitals underscore the need for stronger independent oversight, transparent procurement practices and safeguards against conflicts of interest.

I will:

• Implement the Auditor General's recommendation to restore independent oversight of government advertising, including the authority to reject partisan advertisements funded by taxpayers;
• Strengthen integrity safeguards for officials responsible for public procurement and those subject to influence, including strengthening conflict-of-interest policies, and implementing independent verification and personal financial audits to prevent misconduct and protect public funds.