Former Liberal MP and MPP Han Dong says he’s running for Toronto city council.

Dong says in a social media post that he declared today to run for the ward of Scarborough North in the municipal election this fall.

He represented the Ontario Liberals as a member of provincial parliament in Trinity-Spadina from 2014 to 2018 before winning back-to-back federal elections for the Liberals in Don Valley North in 2019 and 2021.

Dong resigned from the federal Liberal caucus in 2023 in response to a Global News report over his alleged communications with the Chinese Consulate.

The final report on the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference ultimately cleared Dong of wrongdoing in 2025 and he went on to settle a defamation lawsuit against Global.

Dong says he will lean on his decades of experience in provincial and federal politics to attract investment and bring jobs to Scarborough North while encouraging fiscal discipline at city hall.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2026.

Canadian Press Staff, The Canadian Press