Bonnie Crombie is attempting a political homecoming. The former mayor of Mississauga has decided to run once again for the office she gave up in 2024, setting up a high-profile contest ahead of the city's municipal election in October. Her return puts one of the region's best-known political figures back into the local arena after a turbulent detour through provincial politics.
Crombie is no stranger to the mayor's chair. She had led Mississauga since taking over from Hazel McCallion, the long-serving and widely beloved mayor whose tenure defined the city for decades. Stepping into that role came with high expectations, and Crombie built a strong base of support before deciding to pursue a bigger stage.
That ambition led her to leave city hall midway through her third term in 2024 to become leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. The move was a gamble, trading the relative security of a popular municipal post for the far more uncertain terrain of provincial leadership, where she was tasked with reviving a party that had fallen on hard times.
The bet did not pay off at the ballot box. In the 2025 snap provincial election, Crombie went head to head with Premier Doug Ford, whose Progressive Conservatives comfortably held onto power. The Liberals were unable to win more than 14 seats, a disappointing result that left the party well short of the breakthrough she had promised to deliver.
The defeat was compounded by a personal setback. Crombie struggled in her own riding of Mississauga Cooksville, a stumble that came as a shock given her local standing and that underscored just how difficult the provincial campaign had been for her. The outcome cast a long shadow over her leadership of the party.
By January, Crombie had stepped down as leader of the Ontario Liberals, closing the chapter on her provincial venture. Her decision to now seek her former municipal job marks a clear pivot back to the level of government where she had enjoyed her greatest electoral success, including a dominant showing when she captured about 78 percent of the vote on her way to a third term in 2022.
The path back will not be simple. Crombie will have to unseat the current mayor, Carolyn Parrish, who has already begun trading jabs and is not expected to cede the office easily, while several city councillors are also vying for the top job. With multiple candidates in the mix and no shortage of history between the contenders, the October race in Mississauga is shaping up to be a closely fought battle.