Ontario NDP to select new leader in March 2023

Ontario New Democrats will select a new leader the first week of March 2023.

While the exact date was not confirmed, the party’s provincial council did provide an outline of what the leadership contest will look like over the next eight months.

Leadership hopefuls have until December 2022 to register.

Several NDP caucus members have previously indicated their intention to seek the party’s leadership, including Laura Mae Lindo (Kitchener Centre), Marit Stiles (Davenport), Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls), and Catherine Fife (Waterloo).

Sol Mamakwa, the Indigenous MPP from Kiiwetinoong in northwestern Ontario, said recently he has been approached about making a run for the leadership.

Joel Harden, who represents Ottawa Centre, recently confirmed he would not be a candidate.

Peter Tabuns was named the interim leader following the resignation of Andrea Horwath, who announced her intention to step down following the results of the provincial election last month in which the party failed to build on its official opposition status.

Leadership hopefuls will need to submit signatures from 100 NDP members in support of their candidacy with at least 50 per cent of signatories being women and 25 per cent be equity-seeking NDP members, including Black, Indigenous and racialized members. This is in line with the party’s stated goals of the leadership race to be “positive, inclusive and accessible” while growing the membership of the party in equity-deserving communities.

Potential candidates will also be required to submit a $55,000 registration fee – $5,000 of which is due upon registration and the rest in installments. The party points out that the fee is “substantially lower” than the $100,000 required for the most recent Ontario Liberal Party and Ontario PC Party leadership races.

A ranked ballot system will be used with the winning candidate receiving 50 per cent plus one of all votes cast.