The Ontario attorney general has put forth a proposal to eliminate fixed election dates in the province, alongside increasing the political donation limit to $5,000 and establishing permanent public funding for political parties.
In a move to depart from the current system of fixed election dates, Doug Downey has introduced a bill aimed at removing what he refers to as “American-style” election scheduling. These fixed dates, originally implemented about two decades ago by former premier Dalton McGuinty, would have set the next provincial election for 2029. Downey argues that without fixed dates, Ontario would have greater flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and external challenges.
Despite the existence of fixed dates, governments retained the freedom to call elections earlier, as demonstrated by Premier Doug Ford’s decision earlier this year to call for a vote in February rather than adhering to the June fixed date. Ford’s rationale was the need for a fresh mandate to address threats posed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The proposed bill also includes raising the annual donation cap per individual to a political party from $3,400 to $5,000 starting next year, with provisions for future adjustments linked to inflation rates. Additionally, the legislation seeks to make the quarterly per-vote subsidy for political parties a permanent fixture, following a temporary extension granted by the Progressive Conservative government until 2027 just before this year’s election.