Kingston and the Islands MPP Ted Hsu has officially put his name forward as a candidate for the Ontario Liberal leadership.
The role was last held by Stephen Del Duca, who after a landslide defeat in 2022 stepped down and now holds the position of Mayor in Vaughan.
While Hsu has not publicly declared his candidacy yet, he has been “exploring the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party” and meeting with Liberal supporters throughout the province, and on Thursday he teased a special announcement to come at an event on Sunday morning.
The news, however, has been spoiled by Elections Ontario who share registered candidates in party leadership contests.
Elections Ontario, along with the Liberal Party of Ontario, confirms that Hsu registered as an official party leadership candidate on May 20.
Hsu joins only Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, MP for the Beaches-East York, as registered candidates, although Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie is expected to announce her candidacy as well.
Ottawa-area MP Yasir Naqvi, Don Valley West MPP Stephanie Bowman and Don Valley East MPP Adil Shamji have also been rumoured to be eyeing a run at the leadership position.
Hsu has taken to using “a fresh start” as a slogan as he gears up for a leadership bid, and a media release from his team outlines his experience and the areas the province needs to look for that fresh start.
“After five tough years under the Doug Ford Conservatives, it’s time for a fresh start in Ontario,” the release from Hsu reads.
“We need a fresh approach to health care, housing, and how we deal with the rising cost of living, while at the same time, investing in a world-class, competitive, 21st century economy that also protects the environment.”
Hsu, who won the Liberals back the Kingston and the Islands riding from the NDP in 2022, will be holding the announcement event at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour on May 28 at 11 am.
If successful in the bid for leadership, Hsu will face an uphill battle after his Liberals won only 8 seats in the previous election and 7 in 2018.
