NEWS

Chow running for mayor again to make Toronto a ‘great city for everyone’

A poll released Friday showed Olivia Chow in third-place among contenders in the byelection for mayor — in a near-tie with the leaders. And that was when it wasn’t even certain she was going to be in the race.

Now we’ll see how well the longtime Toronto politician does when she’s actually a candidate.

This morning Chow made the announcement her supporters have been waiting for. She is once again running for mayor of Toronto.

This time she is hoping to succeed Mayor John Tory, whereas in 2014 she was running against Tory, who ended up winning.

‘A city that cares”

She made the announcement on the rooftop of the Sky Dragon restaurant on Spadina Avenue at Dundas Street West.

“We urgently need to build a city that cares. We have to make a city that is more affordable,” she told reporters. “It is still a great city, this wonderful Toronto, but it needs to be a great city for everyone.”

If elected, she will not use the “strong mayor” powers given to Toronto by the Doug Ford provincial government and accepted by Tory, letting the mayor override council’s decisions on certain issues, Chow said.

Media confirmed Chow had filed papers with the city to register as a candidate.

She is now the 47th official candidate for mayor in this extremely crowded race. She’s up against some other prominent contenders, including councillors Josh Matlow and Brad Bradford, former councillor Ana Bailao, MPP Mitzie Hunter, and former police chief Mark Saunders.

Chow was raised as a teenager in St. James Town.

She served six years as a school trustee, 13 years as a downtown councillor, and eight years as MP for Trinity-Spadina riding (which no longer exists).