On September 14, Ontario Liberal Party leader Bonnie Crombie stepped down after receiving only 57 per cent support from delegates at the party’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). Though she exceeded the 50 per cent threshold required by the Ontario Liberal Constitution, some party members had been calling for her resignation if she received less than 66 per cent. First elected leader in 2023, Crombie will remain in the role until a successor is chosen.

Although she exceeded the 50 per cent threshold required votes to remain party leader at the largest AGM in party history, Crombie announced she would be stepping down a few hours after the results were released.

Initially, Crombie had intended to stay on as leader, stating that she and the executive council believed “a leadership race at this moment would do more harm than good for our party.”

In a statement to the CBC, Crombie added, “I wanted to be sure the party was ready to take on the significant challenge of putting on a leadership race and could draft a clear roadmap… They have assured me that the party is ready, and I am confident they can handle that task.”

The Ontario Liberal Party is now preparing for its third leadership race since 2020, finalizing how the election will be held, when voting will occur, and candidate entry fees. 

What led up to Crombie’s resignation?

This month’s AGM was the first since the province’s 2025 general election, in which the Liberals failed to form Official Opposition and Crombie did not win a seat in the legislature. 

Crombie took accountability for the party’s loss to the Progressive Conservatives, after a party report revealed their campaign — primarily focused on healthcare — did not resonate with voters, who were more concerned about affordability. 

Despite this, the Liberals regained official party status for the first time in seven years, increasing their seat count from nine to 14 and received 30 per cent of the popular vote. 

Reactions to Crombie stepping down

Leading up to Crombie’s leadership review at the AGM, some Liberal party members called for her to resign if she received less than two-thirds support as party leader. Noah Parker, a party organizer who had advocated for a leadership race, is quoted in a CBC article as saying, “people in the electorate and Ontario Liberals will relish an opportunity to set a new course, one of which that can beat Doug Ford.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford posted a statement on X thanking Crombie for her years of public service: “Politics demands a lot of personal sacrifice, including time away from family and loved ones. I want to wish Bonnie all the best in her next chapter.”

John Fraser, who has served twice as an interim leader of the Ontario Liberal Party said “[Crombie] did the right thing. She put her party, her team, and the people of Ontario first because she knew that 57.5 would be a distraction.”