Graydon Smith

Graydon Smith MPP is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2022 provincial election. He represents the riding of Parry Sound—Muskoka as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.^[1]

The Honourable Graydon Smith ECO MPP
Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Incumbent
Assumed office March 19, 2025
Premier	Doug Ford
Preceded by	Vijay Thanigasalam
Minister of Natural Resources[a]
In office June 24, 2022 – March 19, 2025
Premier	Doug Ford
Preceded by	Greg Rickford
Succeeded by	Mike Harris Jr.
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament for Parry Sound—Muskoka
Incumbent
Assumed office June 2, 2022
Preceded by	Norm Miller
Mayor of Bracebridge
In office October 25, 2010 – June 2, 2022
Preceded by	Don Coates
Succeeded by	Rick Maloney
Member of Bracebridge Town Council
In office November 13, 2006 – October 25, 2010
Constituency	At-large
Personal details
Political party	Progressive Conservative

Smith was formerly the mayor of Bracebridge, Ontario.

On June 24, 2022, Smith was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell.^[2]

On June 6, 2024, it was announced that Smith remained the Minister of Natural Resources but no longer had responsibility for forestry.^[3]

After the 2025 Ontario general election, he was appointed as the Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Background

Smith grew up in Port Sydney, Ontario, where his family owned and operated a local business. He along with his father and brother were members of the Kinsmen Club of Bracebridge for many years. Smith was inspired to enter politics through his time with the Kinsmen Club and a Bracebridge councillor who encouraged him to run in 2006.

Smith is married with two children and lives in Bracebridge, Ontario.

Political Career (2006 - present)

Smith began his political career in Bracebridge, Ontario as a District of Muskoka councillor in 2006. After one term as councillor, the Bracebridge mayor at the time and Smith’s mentor, Don Coates decided to retire and encouraged Smith to run for the mayorship in 2010. He won the seat and served as mayor for 12 years.

During his time as mayor, he became a board of director with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario in 2014 and was president 2021. Smith was also a board of director with the Ontario Small Urban Municipalities.

In 2022, former Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller announced he was retiring and would not be seeking re-election paving the way for Smith to run as the Progressive Conservative candidate. On June 2, 2022 Smith won the provincial election with about 45%^[4] of the votes. On June 24, Smith was appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.

In June 2022, Smith was criminally charged under Ontario's Endangered Species Act. Specifically, he was accused of ordering road construction which destroyed endangered Blanding's Turtle habitats during his tenure as mayor of Bracebridge.^[5][6] On October 25, 2022, the charges against Smith were dropped.^[7]

Election results

v t e 2025 Ontario general election: Parry Sound—Muskoka
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Progressive Conservative	Graydon Smith	21,731	46.80	+1.43
	Green	Matt Richter	19,360	41.69	+1.06
	Liberal	David Innes	2,828	6.09	N/A
	New Democratic	Jim Ronholm	1,329	2.86	–4.83
	New Blue	Brandon Nicksy	785	1.69	–0.29
	Ontario Party	Helen Kroeker	403	0.87	–2.83
Total valid votes/expense limit			46,436	99.21	–0.37
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots			371	0.79	+0.37
Turnout			46,807	55.37	+2.28
Eligible voters			84,534
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		+0.19
Source: Elections Ontario[8][9]

v t e 2022 Ontario general election: Parry Sound—Muskoka
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	Progressive Conservative	Graydon Smith	20,216	45.37	−2.70	$85,536
	Green	Matt Richter	18,102	40.63	+20.61	$95,858
	New Democratic	Erin Horvath	3,427	7.69	−14.34	$14,568
	Ontario Party	Andrew John Cocks	1,649	3.70		$8,029
	New Blue	Doug Maynard	883	1.98		$2,616
	Independent	Daniel Predie Jr.	155	0.35		$0
	Populist	Brad Waddell	126	0.28		$3,142
Total valid votes/expense limit			44,558	99.58	+0.29	$117,992
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots			187	0.42	-0.29
Turnout			44,745	53.09	-6.13
Eligible voters			82,580
	Progressive Conservative hold		Swing		−11.65
Source(s) "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-18. "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-05-21.

2018 Bracebridge mayoral election[10]
Candidate	Votes	%
Graydon Smith	4,457	75.9%
Lory-Lynn Giaschi-Pacini	1,417	24.1%

2014 Bracebridge mayoral election[11]
Candidate	Votes	%
Graydon Smith	5,171	84.0%
Phil Kolyn	986	16.0%

2010 Bracebridge mayoral election[12]
Candidate	Votes	%
Graydon Smith	2,882	46.1%
Larry Stroud	1,954	31.2%
John Duck	1,422	22.7%

2006 Bracebridge municipal election: At-large (three to be elected)[13]
Candidate	Votes	%
Scott Young	2,675	17.82%
Steven Clement	2,464	16.42%
Graydon Smith	2,428	16.18%
Barb McMurray	2,271	15.13%
Don MacKay	2,211	14.73%
John Kelly	1,247	8.31%
Tricia Hunter	1,171	7.80%
Jim Swanborough	542	3.61%

Notes

1. Known as Minister of Natural Resources & Forestry until 2024, succeeded by Nolan Quinn as Associate Minister Forestry