TORONTO — A housing advocate has entered the Ontario Liberal Party leadership race.

Eric Lombardi says he will focus on improving the economy to pay for better education and health-care systems.

The engineering graduate from the University of Waterloo has worked in tech and finance and been outspoken about housing reform, especially how it affects younger voters who feel left out of the political and housing game.

Lombardi joins a group of four other candidates competing for the party leadership, including former Liberal MP and cabinet member Navdeep Bains.

Current provincial caucus members Rob Cerjanec and Lee Fairclough are also vying to lead the party, while former political staffer Dylan Marando rounds out the current leadership hopefuls.

Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith has said a run for leadership is much less likely after losing a nomination race in Scarborough Southwest to Ahsanul Hafiz.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.

Liam Casey, The Canadian Press