Lee Fairclough

Lee Fairclough (born June 2, 1973) is a Canadian politician who has served as the member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Etobicoke—Lakeshore since 2025. A member of the Ontario Liberal Party, she is a candidate in the 2026 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election.

Before entering politics, Fairclough worked for more than two decades in Ontario's health system as a medical radiation therapist, hospital executive, and health-quality leader, including as president of St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener (2019–2022) and as senior vice-president of clinical care at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Since September 2025 she has served as the Liberal critic for hospitals, mental health, and addictions and homelessness.

Early Life and education Fairclough's parents, Valerie and Neville Fairclough, immigrated to Canada from England in 1967. They first settled in Etobicoke, then moved to Southampton, Ontario, on the shore of Lake Huron during Fairclough's pre-teen years, before moving to Scarborough, Ontario, where she attended Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute.

Valerie Fairclough taught high school art and English while Neville Fairclough worked as an engineer on nuclear projects for Ontario Hydro. In her inaugural speech, Fairclough said her father eventually led construction of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station.

Fairclough has a Master's degree in Health Sciences (MHSc) from the University of Toronto, an undergraduate degree in biology and mathematics (BSc) from McMaster University, and is a certified Medical Radiation Therapy Technologist (MRTT) trained at the University of Waterloo. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation.

Fairclough was a competitive swimmer for many years including as a Varsity Swimmer for McMaster. After university, Fairclough was a member of the Canada women's national rugby union team from 1995 to 1998. She represented Canada at the 1998 Women's Rugby World Cup in Amsterdam.

Career She began her medical career as a medical radiation therapist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, subsequently moving to several roles within Princess Margaret and the University Health Network. She moved to Health Quality Ontario in 2014 as vice president of quality improvement, and in 2018 also served as interim executive lead to establish the newly announced Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence.

She was appointed president of St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener in 2019. She stepped down from that job to run in Etobicoke—Lakeshore in the 2022 Ontario general election. She subsequently served as senior vice-president of clinical care at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health until the 2025 election when she ran again in Etobicoke—Lakeshore defeating Hogarth.

Political career

2022 and 2025 elections Fairclough first sought election in Etobicoke—Lakeshore in the 2022 Ontario general election, resigning as president of St. Mary's to run. She was defeated by Progressive Conservative incumbent Christine Hogarth, despite an endorsement from the Not One Seat movement.

She ran again in the 2025 Ontario general election and defeated Hogarth, taking the seat with 25,195 votes (48.5 percent). During the campaign she was endorsed by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO).

Legislative roles Fairclough has served on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts since April 29, 2025, and as second vice-chair since May 5, 2025.

On September 2, 2025, she was appointed Ontario Liberal critic for hospitals, mental health, and addictions and homelessness.

In the 44th Parliament she has sponsored or co-sponsored private members' legislation including the Homelessness Ends with Housing Act, 2025 (Bill 28) and the Stop Harmful Gambling Advertising Act, 2026 (Bill 107).

2026 leadership campaign On May 8, 2026, Fairclough announced her candidacy in the 2026 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election, campaigning under the slogan "Fighting for a Better Ontario". Media coverage has noted that she is among the candidates already serving as an MPP at Queen's Park.

At launch she had the support of caucus colleagues Ted Hsu and Lucille Collard, and of former deputy premier Deb Matthews. In May 2026, Stephanie Smyth endorsed Fairclough, joining Hsu and Collard among Liberal MPPs backing her bid; Tyler Watt later became a fourth caucus endorser.

Awards Fairclough was presented with the University of Toronto Arbor Award in 2019, a recognition "given to individuals who are exemplary in their dedication and service to the community."

In 2022, Fairclough was awarded the YWCA Cambridge Women of Distinction Awards' "The Courage of COVID" for her role at St. Mary's Hospital managing the COVID-19 pandemic in her region.

Electoral record