The leader of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, has kicked off his provincial election campaign, saying he needs a strong mandate to fight the tariffs threatened by U.S.

“If you have been following it all, you know that Ford and the (Progressive Conservatives) in Ontario have wanted to have an early election for some time,” John Shields, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) said.

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford officially set a provincial election in motion Tuesday for Feb. 27, more than a year before the next fixed election date. The election had been set for June 2026, but Ford said he needs a new mandate to deal with four years of a Donald Trump presidency in the United States.

Ford is taking Ontarians to the polls amid political instability in Ottawa after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced that he would resign.

Premier Doug Ford is planning to call a provincial election next Wednesday, which would send Ontarians to the polls on Feb. 27, a senior Progressive Conservative source has confirmed to CBC News.The planned election call would follow months of speculation that Ford wanted to face voters before the fixed 2026 date.

Ontario premier Doug Ford has triggered an early election in the province, saying he needs a strong mandate to take on the tariff threat.

Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford launched his re-election campaign in Windsor, Ont. Wednesday and is asking residents of Ontario for a "strong, stable, four year mandate to do whatever it takes to protect Ontario.