Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow launches re-election bid

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow ends recent speculation after registering for re-election.

Olivia Chow says she is running for another term as Toronto’s mayor.

Chow made the official announcement Monday, though it was widely expected she would enter the race to hang on to the job.

“Today, I’m letting Torontonians know I’ve registered to keep serving our city in the future,” she said in a press release.

In her statement, she touted free meals for schoolchildren, freezing transit fares, longer library hours, and hiring more crisis workers among her accomplishments.

“There is more we can do to make Toronto more affordable, caring and safe,” Chow said.

She did not immediately release any details around her re-election platform.

Chow has been mayor since 2023, when she won a special byelection to replace John Tory, who stepped down from office after admitting to an affair with a staffer.

Nominations for this year’s municipal election opened just a few weeks ago on May 1 and there are currently 15 other people registered to run for mayor.

Chow joins Brad Bradford on the list of sitting council members who are running for the mayor’s office. Both of them ran in the special byelection in 2023, as well.

In a statement, Bradford pointed to a number of campaign-style announcements Chow recently made as mayor and accused her of using taxpayer money to run before officially declaring herself as a candidate.

“I am delighted that Mayor Chow has finally recognized that campaigning on the public dime is wrong,” Bradford said in a statement.

“For twenty-four days, since I entered this race on May 1, the Mayor has held event after event, each one costing Toronto taxpayers thousands of dollars they did not consent to spend on a campaign. That was not right then. It is not right now. And I am glad it is over,” he said.

He said his campaign is focused on crime, congestion and affordability.

“For three years, Torontonians have been told that traffic this bad, transit this unreliable, and a cost of living this punishing are just the way things are now,” Bradford wrote. “I do not accept that. And I do not believe you do either. The Mayor has made her peace with less. I have not.”

Speaking with reporters at the groundbreaking of the new Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place Monday morning, Premier Doug Ford said he will work with whoever is elected.

“Well, I really like the mayor. I get along with everyone. I don’t care what political stripe they come from. I know exactly where Olivia is coming from. She knows where I’m coming from. We get along very, very well, very well,” Ford said. “So we’ll see what happens during the election. If she wins, I’m gonna work with her, look forward to it.”

Ford said he will not be endorsing anyone in the election.

John Tory was rumored to be considering a run, but he confirmed earlier this year he wouldn’t join the race. Former Toronto Sun columnist Anthony Furey, who also ran in 2023, has confirmed he won’t be running for mayor either.

Nominations will remain open until Aug. 21.

The election will be held on Oct. 26.