Ontario election campaign gets underway as leaders hit the trail

Ontario’s political party leaders hit the campaign trail today, as the provincial election gets underway.

Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford started his campaign in Brampton, Ont., where he repeated his promise to build Highway 413 if his party forms government

Polls suggest the Tories could secure another majority government after Ford’s approval ratings rose and fell with the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NDP and the Liberals are both trying to position themselves as the party best poised to defeat Ford, with the NDP heading into the election with far more incumbents and more funds, and the Liberals drawing on the strength of their history of electoral victories.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said it’s important to spend money on infrastructure but suggested the Tories are going ahead with projects for the wrong reasons.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca spent the afternoon speaking with voters in Oakville and says the Liberals would take the estimated cost of Highway 413 to repair schools.