Saturday January 31, 2026 | TORONTO, ON
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The Liberal Party of Canada has announced Danielle Martin as their Liberal candidate in the upcoming federal by-election in University—Rosedale.
University-Rosedale in downtown Toronto had been held for 10 years (2015-2025) by Chrystia Freeland (at one time the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister) whose resignation from being a member of parliament became official on January 9, 2026.
The riding includes a core sector of downtown commercial enterprise and retail, a wide range of housing type and income levels, and the campuses of the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University.
According to the 2021 census the ethnic profile of University-Rosedale is: 61.2% White, 14.4% Chinese, 6.1% South Asian, 3.5% Black, 2.2% Latin American, 2.1% Korean, 1.6% Arab, 1.6% West Asian, 1.4% Filipino, 1.3% Indigenous, 1.3% Southeast Asian.
Political profile:
The Liberals will be wanting to hold onto this seat in such an influential core area of Canada’s largest city. So far, no other major parties have announced their candidates.
Except for the 2025 election when the Conservatives gave Freeland a fairly close race, Freeland had produced a strong win for the Liberals with the second-highest vote count going to the NDP (in 2015, 2019, and 2021).
Freeland was originally from Alberta, and became a Toronto transplant with a high profile career in international journalism. Freeland ha moved on to become an advisory to the President of Ukraine.
Choosing Martin:
For their candidate in 2026, the Liberals have chosen a young woman with a professional career in a sector (health care) that the government may want to have additional inside expertise. It’s kind of a throwback to the Trudeau era where family doctor Jane Philpott was drawn into elected poltiics.
Over recent years, Martin has been a guest doctor interviewed on various topics in national media interviews.
“Danielle Martin has spent her career working to improve health care for Canadian families,” said Sachit Mehra, President of the Liberal Party of Canada.
“For more than twenty years, I have served the people of University—Rosedale as a family doctor and a hospital and university leader. I’m ready to bring that same work ethic and determination to be a strong voice for this wonderful community as your next Member of Parliament,” said Danielle Martin in a Liberal news release today.
“I’m running because our community and our country are facing a critical moment, and leaders from all walks of life need to stand up for our values. I am excited to work with the Liberal team on the issues that matter, both locally and across the country,” said Martin.
The Liberals say that Dr Martin has deep roots in University—Rosedale, and more than two decades of experience caring for patients in her family medicine practice, says the Liberal Party.
“Martin has advised governments on health care policy and worked to strengthen Canada’s public health care system, the party that has a stronghold of Liberal seats in the southern Ontario region,” the Liberal bio for Martin outlines.
Martin has served as Executive Vice-President at Women’s College Hospital, and led the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, the largest academic department of family medicine in the world.
By-election:
A by-election to fill the vacant seat must be announced between January 20 and July 8, 2026.
As per Elections Canada, the by-election must be held on a Monday, at least 36 days but no more than 50 days after the date that a by-election date is announced.
That means the earliest date a by-election could be held is March 2, but now that 11 days have passed since the eligible announcement date, that means the earliest date could be March 16.
The Liberals are currently two seats short of a majority in the House of Commons, which could be an incentive to hold the by-election sooner than later.
===== RELATED:
NEWS SECTIONS: 45th PARLIAMENT of CANADA | CANADA-NATIONAL | LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA | HEALTH | HEALTH CARE SECTOR