Politics & World • Canadian Politics

Patrick Brown (Canadian politician)

Patrick Walter Brown is a Canadian politician and lawyer who has served as mayor of Brampton since 2018.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated September 11, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Patrick Walter Brown is a Canadian politician and lawyer who has served as mayor of Brampton since 2018. He previously led the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party from 2015 to 2018 and served as the federal Conservative MP for Barrie from 2006 to 2015. His political career has spanned municipal, provincial, and federal levels.

Early life and education

Brown was born in Toronto in 1978 and is of Irish and Italian descent. He studied political science at the University of Toronto and later earned a law degree from the University of Windsor.

Federal political career

Brown served on Barrie City Council before entering federal politics. He was elected MP for Barrie in 2006 and remained in the House of Commons until 2015.

Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership

In 2015, Brown became leader of the Ontario PC Party and the Official Opposition. He resigned in January 2018 amid sexual misconduct allegations and was later expelled from the caucus. He denied the allegations.

Mayor of Brampton

Brown was elected mayor of Brampton in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. His mayoral office has emphasized public safety, infrastructure, recreation, and business development.

Key facts

Brown was elected mayor of Brampton in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
He led the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party from 2015 until his resignation in 2018.
He represented Barrie in the House of Commons as a Conservative MP from 2006 to 2015.
He began elected office at the municipal level, serving on Barrie City Council.
His provincial leadership ended after sexual misconduct allegations, which he denied.
He later returned to municipal politics after leaving provincial leadership.

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Canadian context

Brown is relevant to Canadian politics at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels, with a career that has included the House of Commons, the Ontario legislature, and municipal government in Ontario.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Patrick Brown?

Patrick Brown is a Canadian politician and lawyer who has served as mayor of Brampton since 2018. He previously led Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party and served as MP for Barrie.

What party did Patrick Brown belong to?

He was a member of the Conservative Party of Canada federally and the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario provincially. He is identified as independent in his municipal role.

When was Patrick Brown born?

He was born on May 26, 1978.

What offices has Patrick Brown held?

He has served as a Barrie city councillor, Member of Parliament for Barrie, leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, Leader of the Official Opposition in Ontario, and mayor of Brampton.

Why did Patrick Brown resign as Ontario PC leader?

He resigned in 2018 after sexual misconduct allegations were reported. He denied the allegations.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Brown_(Canadian_politician)
Supports: Basic biography, offices held, party leadership, and mayoralty.
Parliament of Canada — https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/patrick-brown(30979)
Supports: Former MP for Barrie and federal political affiliation.
City of Brampton — https://www.brampton.ca/EN/City-Hall/Mayor-Office/pages/biography.aspx
Supports: Mayor of Brampton, election history, education, and municipal background.
CTV News — https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/who-is-patrick-brown-a-look-at-the-former-ontario-pc-leader-1.3775728
Supports: Resignation as Ontario PC leader amid sexual misconduct allegations.
CBC News — https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/patrick-brown-ontario-pc-profile-1.4097249
Supports: Leadership of the Ontario PC Party and prior federal service.