Monique Taylor officially launches campaign for Hamilton East — Stoney Creek seat

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles was on hand Thursday as Monique Taylor officially launched her campaign in the riding of Hamilton East — Stoney Creek.

Taylor joins Jeff Beattie of the Progressive Conservatives, for the Green Party it is Pascale Marchand, and the Liberal candidate is Heino Doessing.

The riding became formally vacant when Neil Lumsden resigned.

Taylor was an MPP representing Hamilton Mountain for 14 years.

READ MORE: Former MPP Monique Taylor joins running for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek seat

She left the seat to run federally, but was not successful. Her kickoff rally on Thursday made her focus clear.

“Families are squeezed between not having the income that they need, while they’re working two jobs — they have children with special needs and then they have adult children who have lost the promise of OSAP to get that desperately needed post-secondary education,” said Taylor. “I have experience at this job. I know exactly what needs to be done on day one.”

In addition to Hamilton East — Stoney Creek, voters will head to the polls in Scarborough Southwest and York—Simcoe on Sept. 3.

WATCH MORE: Provincial byelections called for Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, two other ridings