Ontario Liberal Party begins process of selecting its next leader after Bonnie Crombie announces resignation

Ontario Liberal Bonnie Crombie waves onstage after winning 57 per cent of the votes in a leadership review vote at the Ontario Liberal Party annual general meeting on Sunday, September 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Laura Proctor

The Ontario Liberal Party (OLP) has begun the process of selecting its next leader following the recent resignation of Bonnie Crombie.

Crombie, who was selected as the party’s leader in 2023, announced that she is stepping down after receiving 57 per cent in a leadership vote at the party’s annual general meeting on Sept. 14. She said her plan is to vacate the role as soon as a successor is chosen.

On Sunday, the Ontario Liberal Party’s Executive Council announced that it has approved the creation of a Leadership Vote Committee, a “working group that will consult with members, research best practices, and provide recommendations to the Executive Council on how to approach the upcoming Leadership Contest.”

“This is an exciting moment for our Party,” OLP President Kathryn McGarry said in a news release.

“We are continuing the important work of rebuilding and renewing our movement, and we want every member to help shape the path forward as we prepare to choose our next Leader.”

In the weeks to come, the committee will put out a survey, which will ask party members for their opinion on how to build a fair, engaging, and accessible leadership vote.

The responses will help shape the recommendations that guide the contest’s structure and process, the party said.

Chaired by OLP Treasurer Gabriel Sékaly, the committee will include McGarry and Executive Vice-President David Farrow as well as experienced Party members Jonathan Espie, Mandy Moore, Tim Shortill, Sean Torrie, and Simon Tunstall.

“This work marks an important milestone in the Ontario Liberal Party’s ongoing renewal as it prepares to present Ontarians with a strong, modern, and united alternative in the next provincial election,” OLP said.

With files from The Canadian Press