Here's what the new Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie promised

The Ontario Liberal Party has a new leader.

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie was chosen on Saturday with 6,911 points, 53.4 per cent of the vote, after the third ballot. More than 100,000 party members were eligible to cast ballots last weekend. During Saturday's count, the Liberal Party announced that 22,827 participated in the vote, nearly double from the 2020 race.

"Thank you for believing in what we are going to build together. Thank you for taking a spark and turning it into a big, red flame here today. There is no question, being an Ontario Liberal is back, and that is thanks to each and every one of you," Crombie said as she took the podium following the announcement. 

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In the first round of votes, Crombie scored the highest number of points with 5,559 (43 per cent), Nate Erskine-Smith with 3,320 points (25.7 per cent), Yasir Naqvi with 2,270 points (21.3 per cent) and Ted Hsu with 1,300 points (10 per cent). A total of 50 per cent, or 6,471 votes, is needed to win the leadership contest, so Hsu was eliminated. His supporters' second choices were tallied up and added to the points of the remaining candidates.

In the second round of votes, Crombie inched closer to the magic number with 6,047 points (46.7 per cent), while Erskine-Smith saw a total of 3,792 points (29.3 per cent). Naqvi scored 3,101 points (24 per cent) on the second ballot, removing him from consideration as voting rolls into the third round.

Here’s what Crombie promised: 

HEALTH CARE

Crombie’s plan touts a “patient-central” approach to health care by eliminating loopholes that allow corporations to bypass the Canada Health Act and clearing the surgical backlog “without resorting to private for-profit surgical centres.”

She also said she would provide 10 paid sick days for everyone, recruit more family doctors and expand nurse practitioner-led clinics, expand hospitals and deliver wage parity between staff in home, community, long-term and acute care sectors.

Crombie also said she would give personal support workers and registered practical nurses a pay bump.

HOUSING

Crombie will require home builders to include at least 20 per cent long-term affordable units as a condition of the sale of provincial surplus land, including near GO Stations. Other initiatives include removing the Provincial Sales Tax on construction of purpose-built rental housing, introducing provincial rebates for development charges, creating as-of-right zoning frameworks to unlock more rental homes, and limiting third-party Ontario Land Tribunal appeals.

Bonnie Crombie, who is considering a bid for the Ontario Liberal Leadership is photographed on the steps of the Ontario Legislature, in Toronto on Thursday May 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

She also said she will reward towns and cities with progress-based, top-up funding for community infrastructure tied to housing starts.

GREENBELT

Crombie has promised to “take politics out of the process” when it comes to the Greenbelt by creating an arms-length process to preserve and expand the protected space. She will also legislate the boundary to “prevent land swaps for good.”

DEMOCRACY

The Mississauga mayor said she will allow municipalities to choose a ranked-ballot system in their municipal elections and potentially introduce electronic voting, raise the filing fee and the number of endorsements needed to run for mayor, and support the idea of launching a citizens' assembly to make recommendations on electoral reform in Ontario.

OTHER PROMISES IN HER PLATFORM

• Achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
• Deliver smaller class sizes through the use of mandatory ratios or students and teachers
• End mandatory online learning credits and eliminate EQAO testing
• Boost the low-income workers and family tax credit
• Double the current rate of the Ontario Disability Support Program
• Eliminate provincial portion of interests on OSAP loans
• Boost the Guaranteed Annual Income system and Ontario Seniors’ Care at Home Tax Credit