Marit Stiles set to be next leader of Ontario NDP ahead of confirmation vote

Marit Stiles is expected to be the next leader of the Ontario NDP after the party announced the Toronto-area MPP was the lone contender to meet all the requirements to enter the contest.

The party says in a news release today only Stiles met the requirements ahead of the deadline, setting her on the path to a confirmation vote.

Stiles, who represents the riding of Davenport, has previously served as a school trustee, the party’s education critic and president of the federal New Democratic Party.

If confirmed, she will take over the party’s top job after former leader Andrea Horwath resigned on election night in June.

Horwath, who was elected mayor of Hamilton last month, had led the NDP since 2009, raising it from third-party to official Opposition status in 2018.

The party required candidates to garner nomination signatures from 100 members, with at least half coming from women, gender diverse or non-binary members, and a quarter from “equity-deserving groups” such as people who are Black or Indigenous.

The Canadian Press