OTTAWA (Reuters) - Ontario's legislature will be dissolved on Tuesday and the most populous Canadian province will vote on Feb. 27 to elect its next government, Premier Doug Ford's office said. Ford said last week he would call an early election, citing the need for a strong mandate to fight tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ontario voters are set to head to the polls in a rare winter election. Premier Doug Ford has already been framing the snap election, coming right before an anticipated federal vote, as necessary for a strong mandate in order to best represent Ontario’s interests on the national and world stage.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has officially set a provincial election in motion for Feb. 27, more than a year before the next fixed election date.

Ontario’s take-no-prisoners Premier Doug Ford is threatening to ban U.S. alcohol in stores and cut power to American homes and businesses close to the border in his war on Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs.

The leader of Ontario said he will be calling an election next week because he needs a mandate to fight Trump's threatened tariffs.

Due to Trump’s tariffs, Canada cannot afford to have the focus of one of its key provincial leaders diverted into trying to win an unnecessary provincial election.

The start of Donald Trump's second term as president of the United States was a driving force behind Ontario Premier Doug Ford's decision to call an early election, a member of the premier's cabinet says.

By: Jennifer Bieman Ontario Premier Doug Ford is sending voters to the polls 15 months early, with a snap election he says is needed to deal with the threat posed to Ontario’s economy by U.S. President Donald Trump and his avowed tariffs on Canadian exports.

Canada's foreign minister said Ottawa as well as the provinces and territories are working on both preventing tariffs and a potential response if those tariffs happen on Feb. 1.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called an early provincial election, stating his government needs a fresh mandate to address potential tariffs from US President Donald Trump, as reported by BNN Bloomberg. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Ford announced that Ontario residents will head to the polls in late February.

The premier of Ontario, Canada's most populous province, said on Friday he would call an early election, citing the need for a strong mandate to fight against tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.