World

Olivia Chow Wins Toronto Mayoral Election with 13‑Point Margin

By Leyland Cecco

The mayor of Toronto, Olivia Chow, secured a decisive second term after winning 54% of the vote to her opponent Brad Bradford’s 41%, a 13‑percentage‑point margin. The election, marked by record turnout, saw Chow’s progressive platform—promising more rental housing, free school lunches, and reduced transit fares for frequent riders—gain widespread support. Chow, 69, has long been involved in city politics, having served as a school board trustee, city councillor, and federal member of parliament. She received more than 532,000 votes, nearly double her 2023 total. Bradford, a former city councillor and urban planner, campaigned on addressing crime and cost‑of‑living concerns, pledging to cut taxes and city spending. He criticized Chow’s handling of rising living costs and crime, and highlighted his own stance on police presence and support for Toronto’s Jewish community. In contrast, Chow expanded the police department’s hate‑crimes unit and introduced a bylaw creating a 50‑meter “bubble zone” around places of worship, schools, and childcare centers. After the results were announced, Bradford conceded, expressing a desire for Chow’s success and acknowledging the city’s shared love for Toronto. Chow’s victory also reflects the strength of progressive candidates on the new council, including Diana McNally Chan, a well‑known advocate for unhoused people, who will be the first renter elected to city council. The election outcome underscores the city’s ongoing challenges with affordability and the political dynamics between the mayor’s office and the Ontario government led by Premier Doug Ford.}