7:58 p.m.
And that's a wrap. Thank you all for joining us on our liveblog. Remember to subscribe to our free election newsletter.
7:57 p.m.
Schreiner says Ontario isn't better now than it was seven years ago. He says Ford's government has failed on every account, including housing, health care and climate action.
7:56 p.m.
Stiles accuses Ford of quitting his job during the tariff threats and the province doesn't need to settle for this PC government. She says she offers hope to fix the province's health care crisis and bolster Ontario's education sector.
7:55 p.m.
Crombie up now. She says Ontario needs a leader who will protect everyone's job not just their own. She says there needs to be a new government to fix the province's healthcare crisis, and specifically reaches out to NDP voters.
7:54 p.m.
Closing statements now.
Ford starts. He says this election is about who his best to deal with Donald Trump's tariff threats. He also vows to reinvest in Ontario's economy to attract trade and jobs.
7:52 p.m.
Next subject is climate. Schreiner says province needs to protect farmland and ecologically important spaces, and to stop subsidizing oil and gas.
Stiles says conservation is very important, and Ford takes a shot at Crombie, calls her the queen of the carbon tax.
Crombie attacks Ford, calls him a liar like Donald Trump and rules out a consumer carbon tax.
7:44 p.m.
Now onto housing. Crombie vows to bring new adjudicators for the Landlord and Tenant Board to deal with the massive backlog of cases, and she says a Liberal government will remove development charges for home construction.
Ford says Crombie never did this when she was mayor of Mississauga, and notes that his government removed the HST from purpose-built rentals.
7:41 p.m.
Stiles and Ford square off in a one-on-one debate. She criticizes his government for underfunding the education sector. Ford says that's not true and his government has made historic investments.
Schreiner and Crombie square off in the other debate. Schreiner asks Crombie if she will release a costed platform. She says she will and urges the moderator to ask this to the other leaders.
7:35 p.m.
Next question is about what would you do to reserve program cuts at post-secondary institutions.
Stiles says an NDP government would boost investment in these schools. Ford says his government boosted the schools by $1.3 billion after federal international student permit cuts. He also noted that his government has cut tuition by 10 per cent in 2018 and frozen it ever since.
Crombie says a Liberal government would significantly increase investment in post-secondary institutions, and calls the over-reliance on international students a "Ponzi scheme," and reiterated her plan to cap the number of international students at 10 per cent.
Schreiner says investments needed in trade schools.
7:31 p.m.
Next question is a bit of a cool down one. Question is where do the leaders go if they have a weekend off. Ford says he never has a weekend off.
Schreiner says he loves spending time in his nature with his family; Crombie says Thunder Bay and playing pickelball. Stiles says she would go swimming.
7:27 p.m.
Next round of questioning. On addictions health care, Stiles says Ford has pulled resources out of communities. The next question is to Ford about his failed pledge in 2018 to end hallway health care — why hasn't it happened? Ford says his government has made historic investments in the sector, including aggressively adding new seats for med students.
7:22 p.m.
Stiles says the Liberals have received $25k from private health operators. Crombie says her party has followed the "rules to a tee" and notes her $3-billion plan to invest in health care.
7:18 p.m.
Next question is for the NDP Marit Stiles - how will she end homeless encampments? Stiles says it will be done by building new affordable and supportive housing.
Schreiner asks Stiles why there needs to be a new government bureaucracy to do so under her plan. She says every other province has a similar agency.
7:15 p.m.
Schreiner attacks for Ford for the redevelopment of Ontario Place, which the premier defends. He says it will attract millions of visitors and there will be public space available.
7:12 p.m.
New round of questioning starts. Global's Colin D'Mello starts this round by asking Ford about his plan to build a tunnel under the 401 without a feasibility study. Ford mostly uses this time to attack his opponents, and says his government has invested to build new highways.
Crombie responds by asking Ford why anyone should trust him and calls Ford's tunnel plan a "fantasy" and "dumb."
Ford responds that his government is investing in infrastructure and attracting jobs.
7:05 p.m.
Next topic: Will you build on the Ontario's Greenbelt? Schreiner says no. Crombie also says no, and accuses Ford of lying to Ontarians. Stiles also says no and attacks Ford for his now-reverse plan to open it up.
Ford says he won't and apologizes for reversing course and opening it up, only to backtrack when under fire.
7:01 p.m.
Crombie says Liberals will focus on the underlying causes of crime but also vows to throw the book at repeat offenders.
Ford says under the Liberals, jails closed and police forces were starved.
Stiles vows action to clear backlogs in the courts.
Crombie says there needs to be action to deal with addiction services, and not just use the notwithstanding clauses.
6:58 p.m.
Next topic is public safety. Ford points to record calling for tougher bail laws (these are made by the federal government) and investing in police resources. He attacks Crombie and the federal Liberals for the record on the file.
Crombie responds that the PCs have failed to make public safety a priority. She says things have gotten out of control.
6:54 p.m.
Ford says his government has increased ODSP by 17 per cent. He also says the province needs a strong economy to make those investments.
Crombie counters that she's the only one leader promising to cut taxes.
6:52 p.m.
Crombie says the Ontario Liberals will cut income taxes, remove the HST off home and hydro bills, and take off the "hidden taxes" on home construction.
6:50 p.m.
Next topic - affordability.
Schreiner scolds Ford for those $200 rebate cheques and vows to cut taxes for the middle class, build rental homes and cut down on prices.
Ford defends his record, says the difference between him and the opposition leaders is that he believes that money belongs to the voters.
Stiles touts her grocery rebate plan and vows action on price gouging.
Ford responds again by saying that his government is the only one in the province's history to not raise taxes.
6:46 p.m.
Stiles sys hallway healthcare crisis created by the Liberals but Doug Ford's PCs poured gasoline on the fire. Crombie says Ford government hasn't spent enough on health care.
She calls Ford's record "abysmal."
Ford says again his government has recruited Philpott and she sees his government's "vision."
6:44 p.m.
Schreiner says his plan includes investing in rural hospitals, expand mental health services and pay better wages to professionals. Stiles pledges removing the paperwork from the desk of family doctors saving them time.
Ford didn't announce any new proposals in his campaign yet. Answering about health care, the PC leader pointed to investments his government made and said will continue to invest.
6:41 p.m.
Crombie up first. She says under her plan, Ontarians will have a family doctor within four years.
Crombie explained that she would draw in more doctors by adding new med student spaces, boosting pay for nurses and PSWs and accelerating recruitment efforts.
"Doug Ford doesn't believe in our public health system. It's time for a change."
Ford counters that no government has done more on the issue than his, and then pivots to attacking the other leaders for their approach to the economy.
He said his government has spent 30 per cent more than the previous one, adding that he's recruited former federal health minister Jane Philpott to work to ensure all Ontarians have access to a family doctor.
6:38 p.m.
After asking each leader about their first job, we move to health care.
6:35 p.m.
The election debate is off to a start. The first topic is leadership. PC Leader Doug Ford says he's the best prepared to deal with the U.S. tariff threat.
"I will fought like I've never fought before."
NDP Leader Marit Stiles is up next and vows to fight for Ontarians to lower costs. She criticized Ford for his snap election call.
"As we face this big threat from Donald Trump... Doug Ford quit his job, and I'm applying for that job."
Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie says she's running for the province's top job because she's concerned about its future, pointing to the millions going to food banks and struggling without a family doctor.
She also said she's the only leader that will cut your taxes.
The Greens' Mike Schreiner also accuses Ford of abandoning Ontarians by calling this snap election and criticizes the PCs for their poor priorities. He said Ford hasn't been focused on building homes and improving health care.
6:27 p.m.
The leaders of the province's major parties are taking part in the main debate for the 2025 Ontario election Monday night.
During the first debate last week, which focused on northern issues, PC Leader Doug Ford faced criticism for his government's housing record. The opposition leaders — Liberal Bonnie Crombie, the NDP's Marit Stiles and the Greens' Mike Schreiner — accused the governing PCs of failing to get desperately needed housing online.
READ MORE: Ford's housing record under scrutiny at Northern Ontario debate
Follow along here for live updates on tonight's debates.