Brampton South

Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria sought a third term in Brampton South, having risen from a freshman MPP in 2018 to one of the most senior members of the Ford cabinet. Appointed Transportation Minister in September 2023, Sarkaria oversaw a portfolio that included the government’s commitment to invest tens of billions of dollars in roads, highways, and transit over the coming decade. He was also the first turban-wearing Sikh to serve in an Ontario cabinet. His tenure as Minister of Transportation placed him at the centre of debates over Highway 413 and broader infrastructure spending.

The riding covers the southern section of Brampton, bordering Mississauga. Like the rest of the city, Brampton South experienced rapid growth during the 2022–2025 term, further straining local services and healthcare infrastructure.

Candidates

Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria (Progressive Conservative) — Sarkaria holds a law degree from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University. Before entering politics, he worked as a corporate and commercial associate at Miller Thomson LLP and at TD Securities. He previously served as Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction and as President of the Treasury Board before becoming Minister of Transportation.

Bhavik Parikh (Liberal) — Parikh is an IT professional and entrepreneur with over 16 years of experience in technology. He moved to Canada from India in 2008 and has been active in community service, serving as president of the Vraj Community Service organization and participating in local cultural initiatives.

Rajni Sharma (NDP) — Sharma is a social service worker with over 30 years of experience working with seniors, women, and youth across Toronto and Brampton. She has been an advocate for equity, affordability, and improved healthcare access.

Minor candidates included Johnny Nolan (New Blue Party) and Rajinder Boyal (Green Party).

Local Issues

As Transportation Minister, Sarkaria was the face of the government’s infrastructure agenda in Brampton, particularly the Highway 413 project. The proposed highway would pass near the riding’s northern boundary, and Sarkaria championed it as essential for reducing gridlock in one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities. The passage of Bill 212 in late 2024, which exempted Highway 413 from the provincial Environmental Assessment Act and portions of the Greenbelt Act, accelerated the project timeline but drew sharp criticism from environmentalists and opposition parties.

The hospital crisis in Brampton continued to be a central concern for residents of Brampton South. During the 2022–2025 term, the Phase 2 expansion of Peel Memorial advanced through planning and procurement, but construction had not yet commenced. With emergency room wait times at Brampton Civic Hospital among the longest in the province, residents questioned whether the pace of healthcare investment matched the city’s growth. The Ontario government’s decision in 2024 to expand the role of private surgical clinics and diagnostic centres in delivering publicly funded procedures was another point of contention, with critics warning it could divert resources from the public hospital system.

Affordability remained a pressing issue. Rising rents, elevated mortgage rates, and the high cost of groceries and essentials weighed on residents, many of whom work in manufacturing, logistics, and the service sector. The NDP and Liberals pushed affordability measures as central to their platforms, while the PCs pointed to their record on infrastructure investment and job creation.