Former Newmarket-Aurora MPP Chris Ballard launched his bid to return to Queen’s Park during a nomination meeting on Sunday, Jan. 12, where he was confirmed as the Ontario Liberal candidate for the riding.
The former MPP was officially confirmed in front of a sizeable crowd of supporters at the Newmarket Community Centre and Lions Hall on Saturday.
“I think I reflect the frustration of a lot of local residents about all that's not happened in our community, all the promises that have been made. We want to hold the provincial government and the local representative to account for all they haven't been doing,” said Ballard in an interview with AuroraToday, pointing to the ongoing search for a new site for Southlake, as well as lack of a GO Station location on Mulock Drive
Ballard said he also wanted to see the mental health hub built, adding projects like it and a new hospital should have been built years ago.
“We've lost a decade almost because of dilly-dallying and a lack of provincial commitment,” he said.
Ballard also echoed a call from party colleague Jason Cherniak, Ontario Liberal candidate for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, against Premier Doug Ford calling an early election. An election is set to happen in June 2026, unless called early.
“I contend that the premier is running around, talking about building tunnels under highways and being captain Ontario, taking on Trump all by himself, as a way of distracting Ontarians from the crumbling economy, the health-care system in shambles and all of the other problems we face on a day-to-day basis,” added Ballard. “He's doing all of that because he just doesn't know how to run the province.”
Ballard will be joining the race under Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in the next provincial election.
Former provincial government colleague Kathryn McGarry, who was an MPP for Cambridge from 2014 to 2018 and served in government alongside Ballard, said he handled the housing and environment files well during his time as minister. While in office, Ballard served as minister of housing and minister responsible for the poverty-reduction strategy, and later as minister of environment and climate change.
“It's really important for us to bring in people that are ethical, that are here for the right reasons,” said McGarry, who is currently president of the Ontario Liberal Party. “That's what I know about Chris Ballard.”
Ballard won the election in 2014 against Conservative candidate and current Newmarket Councillor Jane Twinney. He lost the 2018 election to Christine Elliott, also coming third behind NDP candidate Melissa Williams.
Ballard, an Aurora resident, did not run in 2022, when Liberal candidate Sylvain Roy was runner-up to current Conservative MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy.
Ballard also served as a municipal councillor in Aurora, elected in 2010 but vacating before the term ended.
