Why calling an election now helps Doug Ford and his Ontario PCs [Video]

While Premier Doug Ford insists that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threat is why he’s calling an election 15 months ahead of schedule, there are plenty of reasons why the timing is politically advantageous to Ford and his Ontario PC Party. 

Ford will visit Ontario’s lieutenant-governor today to make the formal request that kickstarts the provincial campaign, with election day set to be Feb. 27.

Here’s why calling the election now helps the Progressive Conservatives, with insights from party insiders. 

1. Campaign readiness

Even though the early election rumours began swirling last May when Ford first refused to rule out a snap vote, there’s evidence the other parties are nowhere near as ready as the PCs to contest an election. 

The PCs blew the other parties out of the water in fundraising in 2023 and 2024. That money helps pay for the advertising needed to reach voters during the campaign and supports the voter outreach and data gathering work that is crucial …