Michael Ford

Michael Douglas Ford (born Michael Douglas Aldo Ford Stirpe; 1994) is a Canadian lobbyist and politician who served as the Ontario minister of citizenship and multiculturalism from 2022 to 2025. He was the member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for York South—Weston from 2022 to 2025, representing the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party. Ford was a member of Toronto City Council from 2016 to 2022, representing Etobicoke North. He is the nephew of Doug Ford, the 26th premier of Ontario, and Rob Ford, the 64th mayor of Toronto. In 2025, Ford registered as a lobbyist.

Early and personal life Ford was born in 1994, to Ennio Stirpe and Kathy Ford in Toronto, Ontario. He attended Richview Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke, graduating in 2012. He is the nephew of Doug Ford, the 26th premier of Ontario, and Rob Ford, the 64th mayor of Toronto. He is the grandson of Doug Ford Sr., who was an MPP.

In 2014, Ford changed his surname from Stirpe to Ford, and removed Aldo from his given name.

Political career

2014 municipal election In the 2014 municipal election, Ford was initially a candidate for Toronto City Council in Ward 2 Etobicoke North. However, he dropped out when his uncle, Rob Ford, withdrew from the mayoral race after being diagnosed with an abdominal tumour. Rob Ford then registered to run for the council seat, while Michael transferred his candidacy to the school board race. He also quickly earned a reputation for being more politically moderate and conciliatory than his uncles — including expressing admiration of Justin Trudeau, whom both of his uncles were known for criticizing, and attending Toronto's Pride Week parade.

Toronto City Council Councillor Rob Ford died on March 22, 2016, at which time the council seat in Ward 2 was declared vacant. After city council declared on May 6 that a by-election would be held to fill the seat, Michael Ford announced he would resign his trustee position to run for council.

He won the by-election, winning 69.53 per cent of the vote over 11 other challengers. At 22, he is the youngest person in recent history to be elected to council.

Ford ran for re-election in the 2018 municipal election in the newly expanded Ward 1 Etobicoke North. He defeated fellow incumbent councillor Vincent Crisanti. In July 2025, after Ford decided not to run for re-election at the provincial level, he became a registered lobbyist at Toronto City Hall.

Provincial politics In April 2022, Ford announced that he would run in the June provincial election in York South—Weston, for the Progressive Conservative Party. He was appointed Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism in the Ford Ministry. On September 20, 2024, Ford took a leave of absence to prioritize his "health and well-being over the next couple of months." On January 24, 2025, Ford announced that he would not be running for re-election in the 2025 Ontario general election.

Post-political career Ford is the principal at Etobicoke-based lobbying firm MDF Strategies.

Election results