Several incumbent MPPs with decades of experience between them will not seek another term in 2022.

The spring election could be more wide-open than recent ones. Voters will judge the Progressive Conservative government on the COVID-19 pandemic; the Liberals will try to mount a comeback after an epic defeat following a 15-year reign; and New Democrats will try to build on their best election result in many years.

The uncertainty means several ridings will be up for grabs — especially so with the political retirements of many MPPs who would have otherwise likely coasted to victory.

Editor's note: This is an ongoing list and will be updated as more MPPs announce that they do not intend to run for reelection. It has been most recently updated on April 25, 2022.

Michael Gravelle (Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North)

Gravelle announced on April 25 that he would be stepping down for the June election due to health reasons. Earlier in the month, he said his lymphoma had returned. Read more about his announcement here.

Rima Berns-McGown (NDP, Beaches—East York)

The NDP's poverty and homelessness critic announced her retirement from politics on March 10. Berns-McGown said she is a "deeply introverted person" and is stepping down for her own well-being "to work with community and to return to a life of letters and libraries."

"This decision was difficult to make, because I am so proud of the work we’ve been able to do in Beaches—East York. We kept people housed during the pandemic and got eviction notices overturned; forced rapacious landlords to back down; put the Ford government and Metrolinx on notice over its callous treatment of our beloved Small’s Creek; addressed issues of anti-Black racism; supported Indigenous neighbours; and worked hard to help local businesses survive and thrive despite the pandemic," she said in a statement.

She thanked her community, team, riding association, fellow NDP MPPs, and Leader Andrea Horwath.

"I especially want to thank my family – and most particularly my incredible partner, David McGown – for all their unwavering support, strength, and love," she said.

Horwath said she was confident Berns-McGown would be an important part of the NDP in the future.

“I want to send my heartfelt thanks to Rima for her work as an MPP, her friendship and her wise council these last four years," the NDP leader said in a statement. "Rima is a deeply caring person who brings empathy, hope and a vision for a better future to everything she does. She is a committed advocate for change, and her work to build a better province for vulnerable people has been inspiring and energizing for everyone in her orbit."

Berns-McGown was elected in 2018 for the first time. Beaches—East York has been all orange since 1999, except between 2014–18, when Liberal Arthur Potts eked out a win by fewer than 500 votes.

Christine Elliott (PC, Newmarket—Aurora)

The health minister and deputy premier announced March 4 that she won't seek another term, leaving the PCs without a longtime party stalwart and their most recognizable red Tory face.

She said she was thankful for her time in office and the changes she made to the health-care system. She said Premier Doug Ford asked her to stay on as minister until the end of her term, and she agreed.

Elliott was a three-time PC leadership candidate. She nearly won in 2018, garnering more votes than Ford, but lost due to the party's complex points-based system.

Her resignation will be a blow to the party's chances in Newmarket—Aurora, which went Liberal between 2014 and 2018, but was blue the two terms before that.

The same day Elliott announced her retirement, the party announced who will run in her place: Dawn Gallagher Murphy, Elliott's constituency manager since 2018.

Read our in-depth analysis of Elliott's departure here.

Steve Russell / Toronto Star

Randy Hillier (Independent, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston)

Hillier made an announcement on March 3 that "will be greeted with sadness by some, and that will be greeted with glee by others": he's stepping down.

The most controversial member of provincial parliament won't run in 2022, he said in a 20-minute-long video on Odysee, a decentralized video-sharing platform favoured by some members of the far right.

Hillier has consistently shared misinformation and conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and its vaccines.

He recently attended the "Freedom Convoy" protests in Ottawa, where he encouraged his followers to flood 911 with calls, ostensibly so police would have a harder time responding to the illegal occupation.

He was banned from speaking in the Ontario legislature last month after he called federal Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra a "terrorist" on Twitter.

Hillier was booted from the PC caucus in 2019 after he allegedly said “yada, yada, yada” toward parents of children with autism who attended the legislature to watch a debate on changes to the provincial autism program.

Hillier was the head of the "Ontario First" party, which attempted to fashion itself as essentially the Ontario wing of the People's Party of Canada (PPC). At least, it was — its website now displays a "Populist Party of Ontario" logo, and its social media accounts have been deleted. It's unclear where PPC Leader Maxime Bernier will direct his support now in Ontario, if anywhere.

Bill Walker (PC, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound)

Walker announced he will retire in a Feb. 18 statement. He told Bayshore Broadcasting he wants to spend more time with his family.

Walker has been an MPP since 2011. He has served as chief government whip, government and consumer services minister, associate energy minister, and deputy speaker during his time in the PC government.

"I feel I have made a difference and I am at peace with my decision to retire. Both sides of government have been rewarding and a huge learning opportunity of what it means to be a public servant," he said in his statement.

The party announced Rick Byers, who managed Walker's 2018 campaign, will take the torch from Walker in 2022.

“I am honoured to join Doug Ford and the Ontario PC team in the next provincial election, while taking the place of MPP Bill Walker, who has been a great friend over the years and has done a tremendous job serving his community,” Byers said in a party release. “I am grateful to have his support.”

Byers has been president of the Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound Conservative and Progressive Conservative associations. He has run four times federally and provincially, and has not yet been successful.

Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound has been a safe PC riding since its creation in 1999.

Daryl Kramp (PC, Hastings—Lennox and Addington)

Kramp, who is 74, told Global he won't run again for family and health reasons.

The MPP was previously a federal Conservative MP between 2004 and 2015. Before that he was an OPP investigator, and a municipal councillor and deputy reeve for Madoc.

The PC Party announced Loyalist Township Mayor Ric Bresee will run in the riding this year.

Bresee has been a councillor since 2000, and mayor since 2018. He previously worked as an economics professor at St. Lawrence College for nearly two decades.

“I am honoured to join Doug Ford and the Ontario PC team ahead of the next provincial election, and would like to thank MPP Daryl Kramp for his years of service and dedication to serving our constituents for over 18 years,” he said in a party release.

“I’m pleased that my long-time friend has been confirmed as the Ontario PC Party candidate for Hastings-Lennox and Addington,” Kramp said in the release. “Ric has dedicated many years serving his community and will make an excellent MPP.”

Hastings—Lennox and Addington was created in 2018 from Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, and Prince Edward—Hastings.

The former was held for its lifespan (2007–2018) by former PC and current independent MPP Randy Hillier. The latter was held by Todd Smith between 2011–2018, and was Liberal before that, from 1999–2003.

None of the elections were nail-biters except 1999's, when Prince Edward—Hastings' MPP was decided by 56 votes.

Jane McKenna (PC, Burlington)

McKenna will step away from provincial politics to run for Halton Regional Chair in October.

“I will continue to get things done for the people of #BurlON and #Halton by running for Regional Chair of Halton in the upcoming municipal election,” she tweeted Feb. 18.

McKenna is currently the associate minister for children and women's issues. She was a PC MPP between 2011 and 2014, when she lost. She won again in 2018.

On Feb. 18, the PC Party said its new Burlington candidate would be announced "in the coming days."

Burlington has been blue since it was created in 1999 for all but four years, from 2014 to 2018, when Liberal Eleanor McMahon took over between McKenna's stints. Liberals have come within a few percentage points of the PCs in recent elections.

Natalie Pierre. Courtesy Ontario PC party.

The PC party announced Natalie Pierre as its 2022 Burlington candidate on March 4.

Pierre works in talent acquisition for Sheridan College. The party said she has mentored high school, college and university students.

"I am honoured to join Doug Ford and the Ontario PC Team as your candidate for Burlington in the next provincial election," she said in a statement.

Pierre and her husband Paul lost one of their two sons to suicide in 2017, and have since worked with McKenna to advocate for more mental health resources in schools.

Rod Phillips (PC, Ajax)

Phillips announced Jan. 14 that he'll step down in February and won't seek reelection.

"I have always considered public service a privilege and it has been an honour to serve as the MPP for Ajax and in three Cabinet portfolios," the long-term care minister said in a statement. "That said, my professional life has been spent in the business world and I look forward to returning to the private sector."

This is a key departure for the Progressive Conservatives. Phillips was seen as a steady and capable hand, and one of Premier Doug Ford's most trusted cabinet members. He was previously environment minister before his promotion to minister of finance. He resigned that post after his pandemic vacation became public. But he was quickly posted to long-term care in the next shuffle — a tricky file, to say the least.

Before Phillips' win in 2018, the previous riding, Ajax—Pickering, was held by longtime Liberal stalwart Joe Dickson. This will be a race to watch in the spring election, as the NDP will field a strong candidate in longtime former Ajax mayor Steve Parish.

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 21 - Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek speaks at the Toronto Region Board of Trade, November 21, 2018. Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star

Jeff Yurek (PC, Elgin-Middlesex-London)

Yurek has been a PC MPP since 2011. He was briefly the minister of natural resources and forestry for a few months in 2018, then transportation minister for over half a year, before he was shuffled out of cabinet.

He announced Jan. 7 that he will resign and won't seek another term.

"When I entered politics over ten years ago, I made three promises to myself: represent the people of Elgin-Middlesex-London to my fullest ability, remain authentic and true to my values and beliefs, and recognize when it is the right time to step down," he said, adding that it was an "arduous" decision.

Yurek took Elgin-Middlesex-London from Liberal MPP Steve Peters, who held it from 1999 to 2011. Yurek won handily in the three elections since then.

Kathleen Wynne (Liberal, Don Valley West)

Wynne, Ontario's first female and first openly gay premier, announced in October that she wouldn't seek another term.

Wynne was an MPP since 2003, and was premier from 2013 to 2018, when her party suffered a disastrous defeat after numerous scandals and 15 years in power.

She was one of just seven Grits re-elected, sneaking in to win Don Valley West by fewer than 200 votes more than her PC challenger. She had won every previous election with more than half the vote.

NDP MPP Taras Natyshak holds a press conference at Queen's Park on Monday, February 3, 2020. Jessica Smith Cross / QP Briefing

NDP MPP Taras Natyshak holds a press conference at Queen's Park on Monday, February 3, 2020. Jessica Smith Cross / QP Briefing

Taras Natyshak (NDP, Essex)

First elected in 2011, Natyshak has become known as a thorn in the Ford government's side, as the NDP's ethics and accountability critic.

Natyshak called his time in office "the honour of my life."

"After a decade of splitting time between Essex and Queen’s Park in Toronto, what’s right for my family now is for me to be with them full time," he said in a statement.

Natyshak won by fewer than 1,400 votes in 2011, then cruised to victory in 2014 with over 60 per cent of the vote. In 2018 it was closer, with the PC challenger Chris Lewis fewer than 3,000 votes behind.

Christina Mitas (PC, Scarborough Centre)

Mitas said she won't seek reelection to focus on her family. She has had two children during her time in office and is pregnant with a third.

"This is something that I have wished for since I was a high school student in the riding, and it has truly been a dream come true to see it come to fruition," she said in a statement earlier this month. "That being said, it has been the honour of my life to build my family during this time."

Mitas faced scrutiny for evading her party's vaccine mandate through an exemption. QPB has outlined her reasons for stepping down here.

Scarborough Centre was Liberal from 2003 to the Grits' 2018 implosion, when Mitas beat out the NDP candidate by about 2,000 votes.

Lindsey Park (Independent, Durham)

Park announced she won't seek a second term after bolting the PC caucus this fall. Her leaving followed a public spat with Government House Leader Paul Calandra over her vaccination status that saw her stripped of her parliamentary assistant title.

"I know the people of Durham will elect a Member of Provincial Parliament as my successor who will continue the important community projects we have advanced during my term and start new ones that will continue to make Durham one of the best places to live, work and raise a family," she said in a statement.

Park won handily in 2018, but Liberal Granville Anderson beat the PCs' Mike Patrick in a close race in 2014. Before that, the PCs had carried the riding since 1943.

Percy Hatfield (NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh)

Hatfield has been an MPP since he was elected in a 2013 by-election with 61 per cent of the vote.

"Serving as the MPP for Windsor—Tecumseh has been a great honour and I am deeply grateful for the trust placed in me by my constituents over these past eight years, but I believe it is now time for me to step aside and make room for new voices from our community," he said in a statement.

Before he resigned in 2013, Liberal Dwight Duncan had represented the area since 1995.

Jim Wilson speaks with reporters July 2, 2014 (John Michael McGrath/QP Briefing)

Jim Wilson speaks with reporters July 2, 2014 (John Michael McGrath/QP Briefing)

Jim Wilson (Independent, Simcoe—Grey)

Wilson has been a representative of Simcoe—Grey for 32 years. He spent 28 of those as a Progressive Conservative, before he was ejected from the PC caucus in 2018.

He announced in September 2020 that he wouldn't take a run at reelection as an independent.

"It has been my privilege and pleasure to have represented the riding for more than 30 years. I am grateful for the support shown me since I was first elected in 1990, and returned to the legislature with healthy pluralities in seven subsequent general elections," he said in a statement. "In that time, our region has experienced significant growth, and I have done my best in government, in opposition and independently to ensure that the province delivered the services and infrastructure our families, businesses and communities need to succeed and prosper into the future."

Wilson has held Simcoe—Grey easily since it was created in 1999. The surrounding area is PC-friendly as well, so it shouldn't be a problem for Ford's party to hold onto it in 2022.

Ian Arthur (NDP, Kingston and the Islands)

Arthur won't seek a second term to focus on "what is most important to me," he said in a statement. "I am deeply grateful for all the people who have supported me and our vision for Kingston."

Before Arthur's win in 2018, the riding had been solidly Liberal since the end of the Bob Rae era in 1995.

Norm Miller (PC, Parry Sound—Muskoka)

Miller, the son of former premier Frank Miller, announced his retirement last November. He said in a statement that he was inspired to run after hearing stories at his father's funeral of how MPPs can help people. He's held the seat for the past 21 years.

"While those years have been rewarding, I have been considering what I want to do for the next few years. I look forward to spending more time with my family so I am announcing today that I will not seek re-election in the 2022 Ontario general election," he said.

Parry Sound—Muskoka is historically a safe PC riding. Before Miller, it was held by Ernie Eves. No challenger has come close to unseating Miller during his time in office.

Jim McDonnell (PC, Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry)

McDonnell has represented Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry since 2011. He was elected a South Glengarry councillor in 1994 and served as mayor from 2003 until his run for a provincial seat.

He said he'll continue to be active in his community despite his retirement.

“I have truly enjoyed serving as our community’s MPP for the past decade, and I have been blessed by a wonderful family, especially my wife Margie and a group of colleagues who have supported me in my work,” he said in a statement. “I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish locally and across Ontario under the leadership of Doug Ford with a great team at Queen’s Park. However, the time has come to pass the torch and to enjoy the next chapter of my life closer to home,” said MPP McDonell.

McDonnell has cruised to victory in each election with the majority of the vote, but the riding was held by Liberals between 1999 and 2011.

Amy Fee (PC, Kitchener South—Hespeler)

Fee announced she will retire from politics after three years to focus on her family.

"I am a mother first. Out of respect to the community, I feel the need to hand the reigns to someone who can represent Kitchener South–Hespeler with total dedication," she said in a statement.

Fee was arrested in 2019 for assault, and the charges were later withdrawn.

Fee's riding was created for the 2018 election from from parts of Kitchener—Conestoga, Kitchener Centre and Cambridge, which are mixed bags politically. PC Mike Harris, Jr. holds Kitchener—Conestoga, NDP Laura Mae Lindo represents Kitchener Centre and former PC, now New Blue MPP Belinda Karahalios holds Cambridge.

Randy Pettapiece (PC, Perth—Wellington)

Pettapiece has held the riding since 2011.

The MPP, who is 73, cited the long hours and his desire for more time with his family in his November retirement announcement.

"Running again would mean committing, potentially, to another four-year term. For a full-time MPP, the hours are often long. In retiring, I choose instead to spend those hours as a full-time husband, father, and grandfather," he said. "In 2011, I ran for provincial office for three main reasons: because I wanted the provincial government to listen better to local concerns; because I believe in public service, an impression left on me by Jean Wilson, my English and Civics teacher at Ridgetown College; and because people in my community encouraged me to run."

Perth—Wellington was Liberal from 2007 to 2011. It was created for the 2007 election from parts of Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey, Perth—Middlesex and Waterloo—Wellington, which are historically mostly Liberal.

Gila Martow (PC, Thornhill)

Martow told Queen's Park Today she won't run in the next election after a reported falling out with the premier. She tried to become Thornhill's federal candidate in the 2021 election, but lost out to Melissa Lantsman, who now represents the riding. An optometrist herself, Martow has criticized her own party for how it's handled the dispute with eye doctors.

Martow has represented Thornhill provincially since a by-election in 2014 after PC Peter Shurman resigned. Before that, the riding was always a close race between the Grits and PCs.

A running list of MPPs who won’t run for reelection in 2022

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