Toronto Elects Olivia Chow as Mayor on Affordable Housing Pledge

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(Bloomberg) — Former federal politician Olivia Chow will be Toronto’s next mayor after earning a narrow victory in Monday’s municipal election.

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Chow was leading with about 37% of the vote shortly before 9 p.m. Toronto time, according to Canadian Broadcasting Corp., holding off a late surge from former deputy mayor Ana Bailao. A prominent voice in progressive politics, Chow’s victory marks a shift for Canada’s financial capital after eight years of rule by John Tory, a conservative-leaning mayor who resigned in February over an extramarital affair with a former staffer. 

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Chow is the first person of color to be elected mayor of Toronto, and the first woman to win the role since six municipalities were merged into one in 1997 to form the modern-day version of the city.  

The rising cost of housing, in a city where rents are soaring and home prices have rebounded to near-record levels, was a key talking point in Chow’s platform. She plans to build 25,000 rent-controlled homes over eight years, create a fund to transfer other dwellings to affordable housing providers, and increase taxes on luxury homes and vacant properties. 

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A former city councilor and member of parliament for the left-leaning New Democratic Party from 2006 to 2014, Chow is the widow of former NDP leader Jack Layton. She ran for mayor in 2014 but finished third behind Tory and Doug Ford.

The city has over 3 million residents and its mayor presides over a C$16.2 billion ($12.3 billion) operating budget. 

The special election attracted a diverse pool of 102 candidates, including one running on behalf of his dog, in a race that cost just C$200 to enter.

Read More: Over 100 Contenders, Including a Dog, Vie in Toronto Mayor Race

—With assistance from Stephen Wicary.