Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam to run for NDP in June provincial election

Toronto City Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam is leaving City Hall to run in the upcoming June election for the provincial New Democrats.

In a letter posted to her website, Wong-Tam says after a “great deal of consideration and conversations” she will not be seeking re-election in Ward 13 in this October’s municipal election, opting instead to seek the NDP nomination in Toronto Centre.

MPP Suze Morrison announced earlier this week she would not seek re-election in the downtown Toronto riding.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath is expected to confirm Wong-Tam’s nomination at 10:15 a.m. Friday.

Wong-Tam says her last day at City Hall will be May 4.

Kristyn Wong-Tam to run as NDP MPP

Toronto City Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam has announced she will not be seeking a next term as councillor but instead will be running as the next NDP MPP for Toronto Centre. Her last day on council will be May 4.

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First elected in 2010, Wong-Tam called her time as the representative of Ward 13 “a life-transforming experience.”

“I will continue to support the local and city-wide projects we started together and I remain committed to seeing their successful completion, hopefully in my new role as an MPP,” she writes while recalling the deep roots she has in the community dating back to 1975.

“I was able to build my life in this community because of a robust network of social services, affordable housing and a lot of hard work,” said Wong-Tam. “I entered politics because, despite my individual success, I kept seeing the hardworking members of my community fall through the cracks of a system that didn’t see or value them. I wanted to help create a city that believed inclusion means more than just telling people they are welcome here.”

Wong-Tam will be vying for the provincial seat against Liberal candidate David Morris, Jess Goddard for the Progressive Conservatives and Green Party candidate Nicki Ward.

Toronto Centre is the second downtown ward with a vacancy in this fall’s municipal election. Councillor Joe Cressy previously announced he is stepping down from the riding of Spadina-Fort York.