
Ontario Election 2025: It matters!
The Ontario Election is in full swing and we will head to the polls on Thursday, February 27. This election is an opportunity for us to reflect on the track record of the current Ford government and elect candidates who will stand up for workers. To learn more about how and where to vote, visit Elections Ontario here.

Election Primer for Workers
The parties haven't released their full platforms yet. But in the meantime, we have put together an Election Primer for Workers with questions to ask your candidates when they come asking for your vote. The primer includes background information on why these policies are so important. These questions are:
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Do you support raising the minimum wage to at least $20 per hour?
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Will you legislate real rent control and invest in public housing?
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Will you double the monthly rates for Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program?
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Will you fix our laws to stop wage theft & misclassification?
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Will you improve funding for public services like health care, education, child care and transit?
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Will you legislate 10 employer-paid sick days?
The Ford government is not a friend to workers
Premier Doug Ford’s government passed many laws that harmed us. When he first came into power in 2018, Ford rolled back labour laws that we fought for, including a much higher minimum wage and paid sick days. This meant workers entered the COVID pandemic with fewer protections and put our lives and communities at risk.
The Ford government has also cut funding to essential public services. Inadequate child care funding is putting $10 a day child care at risk. Cuts to healthcare has meant 2.5 million Ontarians are without a family doctor and we have a staffing crisis in our hospitals. Cuts to education funding means crumbling schools and huge class sizes. Instead of funding our social programs, Ford gave handouts to his big business friends, like when he tried to sell off Ontario's Greenbelt to developers.
We're all frustrated about the cost-of-living crisis
Too many of us find it hard to make ends meet. Housing costs and food prices keep rising while our wages stagnate and public services deteriorate. Inflation isn't caused by government spending or a higher minimum wage. The high prices were triggered by the global pandemic that created bottlenecks in the supply chain. But they are sustained by greedy corporations and landlords.
With the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, who vows to impose tariffs on Canadian exports, we can expect more instability. Tariffs increase the prices of goods and in trade wars, workers often experience both higher prices and job loss. Since taking office, Donald Trump has been gutting laws and policies to protect workers and families, and appointing billionaires into positions of power.
This is exactly why, in Ontario and Canada, we need to elect representatives who will strengthen employment laws and invest in public services.
If you feel angry, frustrated, and a little scared, you are not alone. But that's why the Ontario election is so important. We have a chance to make a difference by voting for candidates who will stand up against the billionaires and pass laws that will actually help workers and their families.
We can stand united against the 1%
Some politicians want us to blame immigrants, refugees and international students for the cost-of-living crisis. Other politicians want us to blame people with different sexual orientations or gender identities. These politicians fear the unity of the 99% and will try to pit us against each other so they can pick us off one-by-one. But we cannot let them divide us.
You have a crucial role to play this election. You can help others around you look past alarmist headlines and fearmongering. Whether you can vote or not, every conversation you have over the next 4 weeks will make a difference in who will be elected on February 27. (And if you are unsure who supports workers, read our Election Primer.)
As different party platforms are released, we will look at the policies and let you know where the parties stand on issues that matter to us. Let's work together to hold our candidates accountable at the doorstep, at all-candidates debates, and on the street.
We had a fantastic organizing meeting on Tuesday, January 21. If you missed it, you can watch the organizing meeting video. Please also check out the Justice for Workers event page to plug in to upcoming actions and events.