Will he or won't he? Signs that Ford may call an early Ontario election stack up

Inside Ontario's legislature, the halls are decked, the sounds of children’s choirs singing Christmas carols waft down the corridors, and in the air there’s a feeling of an election.

Inside Ontario's legislature, the halls are decked, the sounds of children’s choirs singing Christmas carols waft down the corridors, and in the air there’s a feeling of an election. 

Staff and politicians alike are abuzz with early election speculation, seeing signs big and small stacking up as the legislature prepares for its winter break.

Some see the government's fast-tracking of several bills as an indication it wants to clear the legislative decks before a spring election call. Others point to a year-end deadline Premier Doug Ford has given his Progressive Conservative caucus members to decide if they'll stand for re-election. 

Some say the $200 "rebate" cheques the government plans to mail to Ontario households early in the new year are evidence an election will soon follow, while others note that government ad spending is at the highest level ever.

Buzz has been building since Ford repeatedly refused to rule out calling an election earlier than the fixed June 2026 date at a press conference this spring.

All of it has the opposition parties and special interest groups reading the tea leaves and ensuring their own election planning is well underway.

"I'm hearing what everybody else is, that there are definitely plans afoot to consider calling the election early," said Liberal campaign co-chair Genevieve Tomney.