COLLINGWOOD, ONT. -- Collingwood Mayor Brian Saunderson announced his candidacy for the nomination of the Progressive Conservative party in Simcoe-Grey on Wednesday.

"I feel this is the appropriate time to make that move," Saunderson said.

For more than 30 years, MPP Jim Wilson held onto the Simcoe-Grey riding for the PC party but announced he wouldn't be running in the next provincial election scheduled for April 2022.

The long-time Simcoe-Grey MPP has been sitting as an independent since Doug Ford removed him from caucus in 2018 following allegations of misconduct.

Former Conservative MP for Mississauga-South, Stella Ambler, has also thrown her hat into the local PC nomination race. Ambler recently moved to Wasaga Beach.

Three other candidates are also contesting the nomination, including Jennifer Glover from Thornbury, Oliver Vander Zaag from Alliston, and Mathew Varsava from Barrie.

Saunderson isn't fazed by the competition, saying he's grounded in the community and has decades of legal and political experience.

"I've been very involved in our community and not-for-profit organizations and sporting organizations, and I think that kind of grounding in the community is really essential as an MPP."

The PC's provincial nomination committee will decide whether each of the candidates are qualified to run. There is no date for the nomination meeting as of yet.