Simcoe—Grey

Simcoe—Grey is a sprawling riding in central Ontario stretching from the shores of Georgian Bay to the communities south of Barrie, encompassing the towns of Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Clearview, Springwater, Essa, New Tecumseth, Adjala-Tosorontio, and the Blue Mountains. With a population nearing 130,000 and an area of roughly 1,950 square kilometres, it mixes resort and retirement communities with farming hamlets and fast-growing commuter towns. The riding had been held by PC MPP Jim Wilson for 30 years before he sat as an independent following his 2018 resignation from caucus amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Wilson announced in 2020 he would not seek re-election, leaving the seat open for 2022.

Candidates

Brian Saunderson (Progressive Conservative) — Born on November 16, 1961, Saunderson is a former Olympic rower who competed at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal in 1990 as a member of Canada’s Men’s Eight. A lawyer by profession, he practiced civil litigation, real estate, and corporate law for 22 years and taught business law ethics at Georgian College’s Barrie campus. He served as Collingwood’s deputy mayor from 2014 to 2018 and was elected mayor in 2018, a position he held until running for the provincial seat.

Ted Crysler (Liberal) — Born and raised in Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, Crysler holds an Honours B.A. in Political Science and History and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Carleton University, plus a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Toronto. He practiced technology and corporate law in Europe and Canada and co-founded TektiCare Inc., a startup focused on aging health technology.

Keith Nunn (NDP) — The NDP candidate for the riding in 2022.

Allan Kuhn (Green Party), David Ghobrial (New Blue Party), Rodney Sacrey (Ontario Party), and Billy G Gordon (None of the Above Direct Democracy Party) also ran.

Local Issues

The housing affordability crisis was among the most acute concerns in the riding. Collingwood and Wasaga Beach were among Canada’s fastest-growing communities, with Simcoe County ranking as the second-highest living-wage region in Ontario. The County’s affordable housing wait list underscored the scale of the shortage, with thousands of applications flooding in whenever new units became available. Simcoe County officials presented plans for transitional modular housing programs to serve Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, part of broader efforts to address growing homelessness in communities traditionally associated with tourism and retirement living.

Healthcare and elder care were closely linked issues. With a significant retiree population, access to long-term care beds and home care services was a persistent concern. Liberal candidate Crysler made aging-at-home systems a centrepiece of his campaign, reflecting widespread anxiety about the adequacy of seniors’ care after the devastating toll COVID-19 had taken in Ontario’s long-term care homes during 2020 and 2021.

Development pressures and infrastructure capacity also featured prominently. Residents in Wasaga Beach raised concerns about the pace of residential construction, particularly a proposed 214-unit development that critics argued would overwhelm existing stormwater and road infrastructure. The tension between growth and livability was a recurring theme across the riding’s resort towns, where seasonal tourism economies were increasingly giving way to year-round residential development.