Green party hopes for breakthrough in key Ontario ridings

Mike Schreiner wants to bring some green energy to a handful of Ontario ridings where he says he feels the same kind of momentum that gave him a historic victory in the last provincial election.

The leader of the Green Party of Ontario visited Parry Sound-Muskoka on Tuesday night, then on Wednesday hit Toronto's University-Rosedale riding - where the party is running star candidate Dianne Saxe, the province's former environmental commissioner - as well as Beaches-East York, where deputy Green leader Abhijeet Manay is seeking office. Later Wednesday, Schreiner will be attending a rally in Guelph.

While in Parry Sound-Muskoka, Schreiner said the momentum there is still very similar to the momentum I felt in Guelph in 2018."

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at Manay's campaign launch, Schreiner said we have strong ridings here in Toronto ... (and) I'll be off to Dufferin-Caledon later today, which has always been a strong riding for us as well."

He said Waterloo and Wellington regions are also a focus.

If you follow the Greenbelt around the northern part of Toronto, and into Parry Sound-Muskoka, historically that's where the Greens have done well."

Schreiner, the first Green MPP ever elected in the province, has been a strong performer at Queen's Park and is known to work well with colleagues from all political parties.

When asked about lessons learned from the fall national election where the federal Greens saw support plunge to a 20-year low amid controversy and division within the party and with its leader, Schreiner said, I learned that if you are going to be successful, you've got to be united.

The Ontario Green Party is united, we are strong, we have a full slate of candidates - the most diverse, strongest slate of candidates we've ever had" and with record fundraising levels, I think there's some real opportunity there."

Kristin Rushowy is a Toronto-based reporter covering Ontario politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @krushowy