Brantford—Brant

Progressive Conservative MPP Will Bouma, a Brant County optometrist first elected in 2018, sought a third consecutive term in this mixed urban-rural riding along the Grand River. During the 2022–2025 term, Brantford continued its transformation from a mid-sized manufacturing city into a growing regional centre, drawing new residents from the Greater Toronto Area along the Highway 403 corridor. The presence of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus and Conestoga College bolstered the local post-secondary sector, while the city grappled with persistent challenges around addiction, homelessness, and healthcare access.

The NDP once again nominated Harvey Bischof, the former president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, making this their second consecutive matchup against Bouma. The Liberals entered the race with local business leader Ron Fox.

Candidates

Will Bouma (Progressive Conservative) — Bouma is a Doctor of Optometry who earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo and his optometry degree from the Michigan College of Optometry. He practises in the village of St. George. He served as a Brant County councillor beginning in 2014 and sat on the Brant County Board of Health before entering provincial politics. He has also volunteered with his local fire department.

Harvey Bischof (NDP) — Bischof is a longtime Brantford resident and former high school English teacher who served as president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation from 2017 to 2021. He holds an Honours BA in English Literature from Trent University, an MA and BEd from Queen’s University, and a Director’s certificate from the Rotman School of Management. He has spent over 30 years in education, including 14 years on the OSSTF provincial executive.

Ron Fox (Liberal) — Fox is a realtor with Royal LePage Action Realty and a former Tim Hortons franchisee with over 20 years of experience in that role, during which he served as President of the Alliance of Canadian Franchisees. He was raised in the Brantford area and campaigned on healthcare, housing affordability, and fiscal responsibility.

Karleigh Csordas (Green Party) — Csordas is a customer service manager and small business owner with a degree in kinesiology and experience working in healthcare. She has been involved with Green Team Brantford and local neighbourhood associations, advocating for environmental sustainability and community engagement.

Minor candidates included Joshua Carron (New Blue Party), Rob Ferguson (Libertarian), Mike Clancy (None of the Above Direct Democracy Party), and James Carruthers (Ontario Alliance).

Local Issues

The opioid and addiction crisis remained the defining local challenge during the 2022–2025 term. Brantford continued to experience opioid-related emergency visits and fatalities at rates above the provincial average. The city and county released a community drugs strategy action plan to address the intersection of addiction, mental health, and homelessness. The provincial government announced funding for Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs, with Brantford identified as a community in need. However, the implementation timeline and the adequacy of the $6.3 million annual funding commitment per hub remained subjects of local debate.

Healthcare access was a broader concern beyond the addiction crisis. The Brant Community Healthcare System faced the same staffing pressures seen across Ontario, with difficulty recruiting and retaining nurses, physicians, and support workers. The Ford government’s Bill 124, which had capped public-sector wage increases at one percent annually, was struck down by the Ontario Court of Appeal during this term, but healthcare unions argued the damage to recruitment had already been done.

Housing affordability continued to intensify as a local issue. While Brantford had traditionally offered more affordable housing than the GTA, the influx of buyers moving down the 403 corridor pushed prices higher during the preceding years. Rising interest rates in 2023 and 2024 added further strain on homeowners carrying variable-rate mortgages, while rental vacancy rates remained low and costs climbed for tenants.