Brampton North

Progressive Conservative MPP Graham McGregor entered the 2025 election in a considerably stronger position than when he first won Brampton North in 2022. During the intervening term, McGregor was elevated to cabinet in August 2024 as Ontario’s Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform, a portfolio created in response to a surge in vehicle thefts across the Greater Toronto Area. He became the first Brampton backbencher from the 2022 class to receive a cabinet appointment, raising his profile in a city where auto theft had become a pressing public safety concern.

The riding stretches across the northern portion of Brampton and includes large suburban residential subdivisions that have absorbed significant population growth. With Brampton overtaking Mississauga as Ontario’s third-largest city by population during this period, the demand for new schools, healthcare capacity, and transit connections continued to outpace government investment.

Candidates

Graham McGregor (Progressive Conservative) — Born and raised in Brampton, McGregor held positions at the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing prior to his election. He was active in the community through the Brampton Youth Hockey Association. During his first term, he was appointed Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform, tasked with reducing vehicle theft and lobbying the federal government for stricter bail provisions.

Ranjit Singh Bagga (Liberal) — Bagga is a businessman with over 30 years of experience in the hospitality, entertainment, recreation, and leisure sectors. A long-time Brampton resident, he campaigned on better healthcare, affordable housing, and job creation.

Ruby Zaman (NDP) — Zaman is a single mother of three who works as an over-the-road truck driver. She was one of three NDP candidates nominated together in Brampton ridings and campaigned on healthcare access and affordability.

Minor candidates included Sameera Falcon Khan (Green Party) and Melanie Porte (New Blue Party).

Local Issues

Auto theft emerged as a significant public safety issue during the 2022–2025 term, with Brampton and surrounding Peel Region communities experiencing some of the highest rates of vehicle theft in the country. Stolen vehicles were frequently transported through rail hubs for export overseas. McGregor’s appointment as Associate Minister of Auto Theft reflected the government’s acknowledgment of the problem, and he pushed for permanent cargo scanning equipment at Canadian National rail hubs in Brampton and Vaughan. Opposition parties argued the government had been slow to act and that inadequate bail conditions allowed repeat offenders to continue committing thefts.

Healthcare remained a critical issue shared across all Brampton ridings. The city’s ratio of hospital beds to population continued to lag well behind the provincial average, with Brampton Civic Hospital regularly operating at or above capacity. The Phase 2 expansion of Peel Memorial progressed through procurement stages during this term, but critics noted that construction had not yet begun and questioned whether the expanded facility would be sufficient for a city growing by tens of thousands of residents each year.

Housing affordability and the cost of living were persistent concerns. Brampton’s rapid population growth strained the housing market, and many residents working in transportation, logistics, and warehousing faced increasing difficulty finding affordable rental or ownership options. The city’s adoption of a Residential Rental Licensing program in 2024 to enforce safety standards in rental properties added a new dimension to local debate, with some landlords and homeowners opposing the regulations.