Three contenders hope to fill MPP Ted Arnott’s shoes

Running for Wellington-Halton Hills PC nomination are Coffey, McKenzie and Racinsky

WELLINGTON-HALTON HILLS – Three individuals have tossed their name in the hat hoping to be the next Wellington-Halton Hills candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.

Kyle Coffey, Ross McKenzie and Joseph Racinsky been all been approved by the party’s provincial nominations committee.

Longtime Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott, also Speaker of the Legislature, announced in October he will not run in the next election.

Three choices

Coffey grew up on a farm north of Fergus, attended Centre Wellington District High School and went on to receive a degree in international business and administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.

He is currently an economic business development officer with the Town of Oakville.

McKenzie has lived in Inverhaugh for 28 years and worked for the ministries of agriculture and economic development for a combined 17 years. Ten of those years were at Queen’s Park.

Racinsky is a town councillor in Halton Hills.

He was first elected in 2022 at age 20, making him the youngest person to be elected to council in Halton Hills.

Fourth candidate withdraws

Bob Foster, a Fergus resident who served two terms on Centre Wellington council, was also approved by the nomination committee.

However, on Jan. 20 he announced he is withdrawing from the nomination process.

“After careful consideration, I have decided not to enter the race,” Foster stated in a brief email to the Advertiser.

He thanked Arnott for his service and offered “best wishes” to the other candidates for nomination.

Nomination is Feb. 15

The PC Party nominating meeting will take place on Feb. 15 at the Rockmosa Community Hall in Rockwood.

Doors open at noon and the candidates will have 10 minutes to make their pitches. Voting begins at 1pm and the result is expected by 5pm.

Only those who have signed up as members of the PC Party of Ontario by 5pm on Feb. 1 can participate in the vote.

*This article has been updated from a previous version that included Foster as one of four candidates running for the PC nomination.