Progressive Conservative Candidate Unavailable for Interview, Campaign Responds with Policy Statement

Will Bouma’s campaign office informed BrantBlog that “Unfortunately, Will Bouma is unavailable” when asked for an interview. 

However, in an email response, the campaign outlined the Ontario PC Party’s key priorities as the province prepares for a February 27 election. 

The statement emphasized economic concerns, citing the threat of tariffs from former U.S. President Donald Trump and the PC Party’s plan to protect jobs and businesses in Brantford-Brant.

“Our plan to protect Ontario will build the progress we have achieved to grow our economy, create new jobs, protect livelihoods, keep us competitive, clean up our streets, and deliver better care not just for a week, or a month, but for years to come,” the email read.

The PC campaign listed its core priorities, including building Ontario’s economy with over $200 billion in infrastructure investments and $2.5 billion allocated to skilled trades training, protecting workers from potential economic fallout due to U.S. tariffs by investing “tens of billions of dollars” to safeguard jobs, keeping Ontario competitive by opposing the federal carbon tax and pushing for regulatory reductions, cleaning up streets by banning drug injection sites near schools and clearing encampments from public spaces, and improving healthcare with an additional $1.8 billion investment to expand access to primary care and family doctors.

Born in the Netherlands, Will Bouma immigrated to Canada as a child, later earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo and a degree from the Michigan College of Optometry. 

After practicing optometry in Michigan for several years, he returned to Ontario in 2006 and established his own practice in St. George. Bouma’s political career began at the municipal level, serving on the Brant County Council after being elected in 2014. He later secured the Progressive 

Conservative nomination for Brantford-Brant in the 2018 provincial election, winning by a narrow margin of 635 votes against NDP candidate Alex Felsky. 

He was re-elected in 2022 and has served as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier since 2019.

The Brantford-Brant riding, encompassing the City of Brantford, Brant County, and portions of Six Nations and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, has historically been a closely contested district. 

Previously held by Liberal MPP Dave Levac from 1999 to 2018, the seat shifted to the Progressive Conservatives with Bouma’s victory. 

As Premier Doug Ford faces criticism from opposition leaders over what they call an “unnecessary and wasteful” early election, Brantford-Brant remains a key battleground. 

With Bonnie Crombie (Liberal), Marit Stiles (NDP), and Mike Schreiner (Green) all vying to shift voter sentiment, the February 27 election will determine whether Bouma retains his seat or if a new representative will emerge in this historically competitive riding.