The Ontario Liberals are lining up some high-profile candidates for byelections that are expected to be called today.

Sources say Premier Kathleen Wynne will call votes for August first in five ridings vacated by Liberals who retired from politics.

Toronto City Councillor Peter Milczyn will run for the Liberals in Etobicoke-Lakeshore. Milczyn has been part of Mayor Rob Ford’s inner circle, and Ford’s relationship with the province has been frosty of late because the province is cutting back on its funding for the city. Milczyn says he can help Toronto’s cause at Queen’s Park.

Another Toronto riding up for grabs is Scarborough-Guildwood. The Liberal candidate in that riding will be Mitzi Hunter, the CEO of the Civic Action alliance that recently ran a campaign on reducing gridlock in the GTA.

And former secondary school teachers’ federation president Ken Coran will run for the Liberals in London. Byelections will also be held in Ottawa and Windsor.