Olivia Chow is Toronto’s next mayor. She won by more than 30,000 votes, but the race was unexpectedly tighter than many expected.
The polls closed in Toronto at 8 p.m., but it wasn’t until an hour later that news networks projected Chow would win — as the polls did for most of the campaign.
The vote didn’t begin that way, however. Anna Bilao was out of the gate with an unexpected lead. That came after she received the endorsement of former mayor John Tory earlier in the week.
Chow has been described as a progressive mayor, ending almost 13 years of right-wing rule at Toronto City Hall. She is also the first woman and the first visible minority person to head up the city since it was amalgamated.
Chow is a former city councilor and former member of parliament for the New Democratic Party.
The most important issue for voters was affordable housing. Most see the possibility of owning their own homes as an impossibility and apartment rents have skyrocketed. Combatting crime and gun violence was second, followed by traffic congestion, taxes, and making the transit system safe.
Premier Doug Ford, a conservative, had said the election of Chow would be an "unmitigated disaster for the city of Toronto." Last night he congratulated her on becoming the new mayor adding that she has "proven her desire and dedication to running the city that many of us call home."