Ian Arthur

Arthur was born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, on December 20, 1984. Moving with his parents at age two to Lyndhurst, Ontario, Arthur grew up on a small organic market garden and farm. He attended Sydenham High School before studying International Development and Political Studies at Trent University. While completing his undergraduate degree, Arthur studied abroad at the University of Accra in Accra, Ghana and interned with the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana. Arthur was the former head chef of the Chez Piggy restaurant in Kingston. Arthur is a former member of the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington Food Policy Council. He is a member of the Kingston Action Group for a Basic Income Guarantee and sits on the board of directors for Switch Kingston, a Kingston-based not-for-profit association that promotes job creation and investment in sustainable energy.

Arthur secured the Ontario NDP nomination on March 1, 2018.[3] He defeated Georgina Riel and Rob Matheson in the first round of voting to secure the nomination. In the 2018 Ontario general election, Arthur was elected in Kingston and the Islands, defeating Ontario Liberal candidate Sophie Kiwala by 6,385 votes. This is the first time Kingston and the Islands elected a New Democrat since Gary Wilson won the riding in the 1990 Ontario general election.

Since being elected, Arthur has been appointed as Official Critic for Environment and Sustainability. As an advocate for fighting climate change, Arthur has highlighted in his speeches in Legislature numerous environmental and ecological issues with several Progressive Conservative bills. He was named to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. In 2019 Arthur was appointed to the Executive of the Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference by Speaker Ted Arnot.