Monica Ciriello MPP is a Canadian politician, currently serving as the MPP for Hamilton Mountain in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. She was elected in the 2025 Ontario general election as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Monica Ciriello
Ciriello in 2025
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Hamilton Mountain
Assumed office
February 27, 2025
Preceded byMonique Taylor
Personal details
Born1988 or 1989 (age 37–38)
London, Ontario
PartyProgressive Conservative
Other party
Conservative Party of Canada
SpouseGreg Witt
ProfessionLawyer

Early life, education and early career

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Ciriello was born in London, Ontario. Her father, John Ciriello, was a professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Western University.[1]

Ciriello earned a BA in Political Science from Western and a MA in the same field from the University of Windsor and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Michigan. During her studies, Ciriello was active with campus Conservative organizations.[1]

While studying law in the United States, Ciriello met her future husband, Greg. Ciriello credits her spouse with inspiring her to focus on municipal planning law.[1]

After returning to Canada, Ciriello worked as a solicitor for the City of Windsor and, later, for the City of Hamilton. In 2018, she entered the private sector before returning to the City of Hamilton as Director of Municipal Law and Licencing in 2019.[1]

Ciriello has previously worked with the conservative think-tank, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, and participated in podcasts for the local affairs magazine Municipal World.[1][2]

Political career

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Ciriello stood as the Conservative Party's candidate in Hamilton Centre in 2019. During the campaign, Ciriello campaigned against federal carbon pricing and gun control, and as "pro-pipeline" and tough-on-crime. Ciriello was critiqued during the campaign for living outside of the riding. She placed third with just over 14% of the vote.[3][4][5]

Ciriello was named as the Ontario Progressive Conservative candidate on Hamilton Mountain just prior to the snap 2025 provincial election. Like most Ontario PC candidates, Ciriello did not participate in local debates during the campaign. Her campaign told the Hamilton Spectator that she was not aware of the all-candidates debate hosted by local media.[6][7]

On election night, Ciriello captured just over 36% of the vote, beating her nearest rival, school trustee Dawn Danko of the Ontario Liberals by 2,000 votes. In winning, Ciriello became the first PC candidate to win the seat since Trevor Pettit, who held it from 1995 to 1999 during the government of Mike Harris.[8]

In 2025 she was appointed as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Attorney General by Doug Ford.

Electoral history

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2025 Ontario general election: Hamilton Mountain
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
Progressive ConservativeMonica Ciriello13,94836.16+6.16$75,486
LiberalDawn Danko11,93330.93+15.36$57,529
New DemocraticKojo Damptey10,03726.02–18.79$62,639
GreenJoshua Czerniga1,5444.00–1.62$525
New BlueLayla Marie-Angela Protopapa3921.02–1.25$0
None of the AboveDan Preston2780.72N/A$0
IndependentEjaz Butt2670.69N/A$2,191
Ontario PartyBing Wong1780.46–1.27$565
Total valid votes/expense limit 38,57899.42±0.0$135,739
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 2250.58±0.0
Turnout 38,80346.14+4.65
Eligible voters 84,106
Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing −4.60
Source: Elections Ontario[9][10]
2019 Canadian federal election: Hamilton Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticMatthew Green20,36846.16+0.60$71,015.33
LiberalJasper Kujavsky12,65128.67-4.72$79,469.65
ConservativeMonica Ciriello6,34114.37-0.28$13,186.90
GreenJason Lopez3,3707.64+3.31none listed
People'sMelina Mamone8331.89none listed
Christian HeritageGary Duyzer1820.41none listed
IndependentTony Lemma1580.36$2,716.24
IndependentEdward Graydon1340.30none listed
IndependentNathalie Xian Yi Yan850.19none listed
Total valid votes/expense limit 44,12299.09
Total rejected ballots 4050.91+0.26
Turnout 44,52759.08-0.34
Eligible voters 75,371
New Democratic hold Swing +2.66
Source: Elections Canada[11][12]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Wells, Jon (5 March 2025). "Rookie MPP revels in pulling off 'unthinkable' PC win on Hamilton Mountain". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 5 March 2025.
  2. "Today's Top Issues in Municipal Law". February 2025.
  3. Werner, Kevin (7 October 2019). "Hamilton Centre's crime prompt Conservative's Monica Ciriello and NDP's Matthew Green to face off during debate". Stoney Creek News. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025.
  4. Moro, Teviah (9 October 2019). "Candidates face off in wide-open Hamilton Centre". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025.
  5. Moro, Teviah (22 October 2019). "Green keeps Hamilton's urban heartland NDP orange". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025.
  6. Radley, Scott (20 February 2025). "No-show Progressive Conservative candidates spur criticism at Hamilton election debates". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 22 February 2025.
  7. Bron, Sebastian (21 February 2025). "Hamilton Mountain election race gets 'personal' as parties battle for city's only open seat". Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on 21 February 2025.
  8. Bron, Sebastian (27 February 2025). "Monica Ciriello wins open Hamilton Mountain seat for Tories". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  9. "Hamilton Mountain Unofficial Election Results". Elections Ontario. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  10. "Vote Totals From Official Tabulation" (PDF). Elections Ontario. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  11. "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  12. "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved August 14, 2021.