Candidates emerge in Waterloo Region ridings as provincial parties gear up for potential snap election

With the federal election on the horizon, political parties in Ontario are readying their candidates for the potential of an early provincial election.

While Premier Doug Ford is in the middle of his term, the likelihood that he could call an early election ahead of the federal election is growing, and the premier hasn’t ruled it out as a possibility.

Names are beginning to appear on would-be ballot boxes here in Waterloo Region, and local politicians are readying their bids for the local MPP seats.

The Ontario NDP’s named Jeff Donkersgoed as their candidate for the next provincial election on Sunday. Donkersgoed is a secondary school music teacher with the Waterloo Region District School Board.

On Saturday, Marjorie Knight was officially named as the Ontario NDP candidate for the next election. Knight ran for the Cambridge seat in 2022, eventually losing to Ontario PC MPP Brian Riddell.

Before the holidays, Colleen James was announced as the Liberal candidate for the Kitchener Centre riding. James is currently halfway through her term as a councillor for the Region of Waterloo.

Green Party MPP Aislinn Clancy’s bid for re-election in the Kitchener Centre riding is building momentum as well. Last week, Clancy named longtime Ontario Green Party Executive Teresa Cornwell as her campaign manager for the next election.

The Conservatives have had a difficult time winning in Kitchener Centre, as a Conservative MPP hasn’t been elected in that riding in more than two decades.

The Ontario PC’s have announced some of their candidates in Toronto and Ottawa, but there has been no movement here in Waterloo Region as of yet.