Toronto mayoralty incumbent Olivia Chow’s political career has taken her from the school board to Parliament and then to Toronto’s top job. Now, in the final days of her re-election campaign, she is in a race that grows ever closer with challenger Brad Bradford
Bradford had 48.9 per cent support compared with Chow's 47.5 per cent, according to a Mainstreet Research poll reported by Patricia D'Cunha in CityNews on Oct. 20. The poll surveyed 1,000 Toronto adults from Oct. 16 to 18 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the 95 per cent confidence level.
Zack Taylor, an associate professor in Western University's Department of Political Science who is cross-appointed to its Department of Geography and Environment, said Chow may face challenges maintaining support across Toronto as she seeks another term.
"My basic argument about Chow would be that while she broke through into parts of Scarborough in 2023, delivering victory, her support outside her home base in the core seems to be eroding," Taylor wrote in an email.
Taylor said he expects Chow to continue doing well in the former City of Toronto and parts of East York. He believes she may be losing support in Scarborough, particularly in Chinese neighbourhoods where she performed well in 2023.
Toronto initially had 53 registered candidates running for mayor. The leading candidates included Chow, Bradford and Chris Alexander, who withdrew from the race on Oct. 6. Bradford represents Ward 19, Beaches-East York, on city council and has a background in urban planning. Alexander is a former Conservative member of Parliament for Ajax-Pickering and served as federal minister of citizenship and immigration. He also served as Canada's ambassador to Afghanistan. Alexander's withdrawal left Chow and Bradford as the central contenders in the race. Previous polling had placed Alexander well behind the two leading candidates.
With election day set for Monday, Oct. 26, housing, the cost of living and public transit remain key issues in the campaign.
At an Oct. 6 mayoral debate hosted by United Way Greater Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University, Bradford questioned Chow's progress toward her goal of building 65,000 purpose-built rental homes by 2030. He said only 1,500 had been built.
Chow criticized Bradford's voting record on development charges, accusing him of helping create the problems he was now campaigning to solve. The exchange was reported by Denio Lourenco and Joseph Ryan in CityNews in a report published at 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 6.
Chow has also made inclusion a part of her political record. At an Oct. 13 mayoral forum on 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion at Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, she spoke about her history of supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
"People should be who they are. Love who they want. Married who they want. And live how they want to live," Chow said.
She described how her work began when she was a school trustee and worked on efforts to address homophobia in schools. She said she continued that work through municipal and federal politics and into her time as mayor.
"Every candidate can say they support inclusion. It's the record of what has been done, and what's the history that matters," Chow said.
Chow also discussed the city's Access Plan for Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary youth. According to the City of Toronto, the 2024-to-2027 plan includes 56 commitments to address barriers in areas such as housing, employment and support services.
Isaac Aron, a 26-year-old media communications student at Humber Polytechnic's North Campus, moved to Toronto from Brazil in August. He said Chow's transit policies have affected him as an international student.
"I really liked the Presto and TTC fare capping that she introduced, 'cause it affects me as an international student as well," Aron said.
Aron also praised the city's public libraries opening on weekends, saying he enjoys reading and appreciates being able to visit them.
Although Aron said he had not personally seen Chow's work on LGBTQ+ issues, he said he supports her efforts in that area.
"To be honest, I haven't, but I strongly appreciate that initiative of hers, and I think she should continue with those policies as well," he said.
Aron said he hopes Toronto continues to be welcoming to immigrants and supportive of LGBTQ+ residents. He said he has not lived in the city long enough to judge Chow's overall performance as mayor.
The TTC's monthly fare cap took effect in September. Riders using the same payment method can travel free for the rest of the month after 47 paid trips. In her re-election platform, Chow promises to introduce a weekly fare cap that would make rides free after 10 paid trips in a week if she is re-elected. She has also promised to freeze TTC fares for a fourth consecutive year.
Chow's political career began in Toronto's city government. Born in Hong Kong in 1957, she moved to Toronto with her parents at 13 and grew up in St. James Town. Before entering politics, she worked as a sculptor, English-as-a-second-language teacher and newcomer counsellor.
She was elected school trustee in 1985 and became a Metro Toronto councillor in 1991. She served as the federal MP for Trinity-Spadina from 2006 to 2014.
Chow was married to Jack Layton, the former Toronto city councillor and federal New Democratic Party leader, from 1988 until his death in 2011. The two served in the House of Commons at the same time, with Layton representing Toronto-Danforth and Chow representing Trinity-Spadina.
After leaving federal politics, Chow founded the Institute for Change Leaders in 2016, which provides training in community organizing and leadership. She won Toronto's 2023 mayoral by-election, becoming the city's 66th mayor. She was the first woman of Asian descent elected to the position and the first woman to serve as mayor since Toronto's amalgamation in 1998, according to her official biography.
Josiah Ashley, a University of Toronto graduate who worked in Toronto for several years before moving to Hamilton, said he sees value in Chow's approach to transparency and believes other cities could learn from it.
"Transparency is a tool that helps to bring trust back to communities while also allowing for good dialogue," Ashley wrote in an Instagram direct message.
Ashley also spoke positively about Chow's transit and housing policies, while acknowledging that property tax increases can frustrate residents.
The reporter contacted Chow's office and re-election team by email and phone to request an interview but did not receive a response.
After four decades in politics, Chow faces another test as Toronto approaches election day on Oct. 26. The result will decide whether she remains mayor or Toronto begins a new chapter under a different leader.
