Premier Doug Ford visited Ontario Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont to dissolve the government Tuesday afternoon.
The Lieutenant Governor will also call for the issuance of writs for the general election on January 29, 2025, and name February 27, 2025, as election day in Ontario.
While Premier Ford has said he's calling an early election to get a strong mandate to fight pending tariffs, Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky believes the timing is linked to more local issues.
"The only reason the premier wants to go to an election early is to try to avoid any of the bad information or the scandalous information that might be coming forward in the next few months," said Gretzky.
The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario just released a report that estimates the move to accelerate the expansion of alcohol sales to convenience stores will cost the province around $1.4 billion over the next five years.
In October 2023, the RCMP launched an investigation into Ford's decision to open up the Greenbelt for development. That report is expected in the coming year.
"Under seven years of this Conservative government, I have not talked to a single person in our community who says that their life has actually gotten easier or gotten better. People are struggling more than they ever have been because this government's focus is on their own political gains," said Gretzky.
Ford held a majority government. Ontario was not expected to head into an election until June 2026.