queensparkOntarians will be going to the polls a little earlier than expected in the next provincial election and will elect an extra 15 MPP’s.

Premier Kathleen Wynne says the province plans to move the fixed election date for 2018 to June from October and increase the number of members in the legislature to 122 from the current 107.

None of them are from Northern Ontario.

Timmins-James Bay MPP Gilles Bisson says the north will be outnumbered statistically in the house as a result.

The change is due to an increase in population, which Bisson says he understands.  However, he adds that shouldn’t mean putting the north at a disadvantage.

Wynne says Elections Ontario recommended moving the fixed election date to avoid overlap with federal and municipal elections.

Wynne also says the province will tighten rules on election-related third party advertising, which has more than tripled since 2007 — although she did not provide any details.

(With files from The Canadian Press)