“If you have been following it all, you know that Ford and the (Progressive Conservatives) in Ontario have wanted to have an early election for some time,” John Shields, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) said.

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford officially set a provincial election in motion Tuesday for Feb. 27, more than a year before the next fixed election date. The election had been set for June 2026, but Ford said he needs a new mandate to deal with four years of a Donald Trump presidency in the United States.

Doug Ford will launch his reelection campaign in Windsor on Wednesday with remarks at 10 a.m., followed by a media availability with reporters.

Ford is taking Ontarians to the polls amid political instability in Ottawa after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced that he would resign.

Ford sparked the early election on Tuesday afternoon with a visit to Lt.-Gov. Edith Dumont and a request for her to dissolve Ontario’s 43rd parliament. The proclamation she signed doing just that took effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford plans to call a snap election Wednesday, using the threat of 25 per cent tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump as a justification. Opposition parties say early election is not necessary.