TORONTO - Premier Kathleen Wynne will be in Sudbury, Ont., today where she is expected to call a byelection to replace a New Democrat who quit after just five months on the job.

Wynne said Tuesday that Sudbury should have a new MPP when the legislature resumes sitting after its Christmas break on Feb. 17.

The byelection has already split the Liberal ranks in Sudbury after the party's candidate in last June's general election, Andrew Olivier, said he was asked by Wynne to step aside because she had another candidate in mind.

Wynne had said she hoped Olivier would stay with the Liberal team, but he said Tuesday that he would run as an independent candidate in the byelection.

The Liberals convinced New Democrat MP Glenn Thibeault to quit the NDP and be their candidate in the byelection, and Wynne will appear with Thibeault today.

New Democrat Joe Cimino, who beat Olivier by less than 1,000 votes in June, surprised supporters in November when he quit the legislature for personal reasons.