High-level Progressive Conservatives will be meeting on Wednesday night to launch a campaign to oust John Tory as party leader, according to a report.
The Toronto Star says the move to dump Tory is the direct result of the Tories' disastrous showing in the Oct. 10 election.
About a dozen senior Conservatives are pushing for a "Yes" vote in February's leadership review, which would trigger a race for a new leader, the Star reports.
Sources told the newspaper many party members are unhappy with the election result and are demanding a change in leadership.
On election night, Tory not only lost in his bid to become premier, but he failed to capture a seat in the legislature when he lost in the Toronto riding of Don Valley West to Liberal Education Minister Kathleen Wynne.
His poor showing was blamed on his stance to publicly fund all faith-based schools. The controversial plan helped the Liberals win a second straight majority government and cost the party more than a dozen seats.
Some party members say Tory isn't "grassroots enough" for the right-wing party faithful, CTV's Paul Bliss reported.
Tory, meanwhile, has been touring the province extensively, meeting with grassroots members. His office told CTV News the leader is receiving warm support.
After meeting with the party caucus two weeks after his defeat, Tory told reporters he received "a huge amount of encouragement."
Sources told the Star they are not yet endorsing a candidate to replace Tory.
Premier Dalton McGuinty, who once weathered a leadership review himself, spoke briefly about his experience on Tuesday.
"What I had to do was to convince the party that I was worthy of their continued investment in me over the long haul," McGuinty told reporters.
With a report from CTV's Paul Bliss
