And then there were three.
The Green Party of Ontario has nominated Jennifer Baron as its candidate for the York-Simcoe riding in the provincial election. The announcement was made Feb. 2.
She joins Progressive Conservative incumbent Caroline Mulroney and the New Blue Party's Brent Fellman as the only official candidates in the race so far.
Baron is a Georgina resident who has taught in local elementary schools for close to 30 years. She’s also taught environmental education at Nipissing and York universities, and has a Master’s of Education in School Leadership.
“I am committed to advocating for real solutions that take care of the people and places we love,” Baron said in a media release, where she also listed swimming and kayaking on Lake Simcoe among her hobbies. “Like many in our community, I am deeply concerned about the health of the entire Lake Simcoe watershed and am committed to protecting our environment. In this election, I’m fighting for a fairer future where every Ontarian has access to quality education and health care, and I’m fighting to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.”
Fellman, who also ran for the party in the 2022 provincial election, has served as president of the Innisfil Minor Baseball Association and coached basketball, hockey and baseball for years. He urges residents to vote for the person who will best represent them.
"You're the hiring committee, we're applying for the job," he said in a social-media post. "The New Blue Party wants the power to shift downwards, whereas you'll find the establishment parties want to shift the power upwards. I believe you, as an individual, know what's best for you and your family. We don't want government interfering with you, the citizen, your rights, your property, and what's important to you."
Since being elected MPP, Mulroney — the Minister of Francophone Affairs and president of the Treasury Board of Ontario — has advanced infrastructure projects like the Bradford Bypass and the expansion of high-speed internet access, and pushed for the development of thousands of new homes in the region.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together in York-Simcoe,” she said recently. “From making progress on the Bradford Bypass to expanding GO (Transit) train service and investing in housing and infrastructure, we’re delivering results that make a difference in people’s lives. I’m looking forward to building on this momentum to strengthen our communities, support families, and ensure that York-Simcoe continues to thrive as a place where people want to live, work, and raise their families.”
Neither the Liberal Party nor Official Opposition New Democrats have confirmed to BradfordToday when they'll nominate candidates. The deadline to run is Feb. 13.
There were eight candidates in the 2022 election — Mulroney won with nearly 56.8 per cent of the vote.
Election Day is Feb. 27. For more information on the riding, visit voterinformationservice.elections.on.ca.