Who could replace Tory as mayor of Toronto? A look at the candidates

Now that Toronto Mayor John Tory has announced plans to step down from the role after admitting to having an affair with a former member of his staff, all eyes have turned to the now-looming race to replace him.

A by-election will occur within 60 days of the mayor’s office being vacant. Tory has not formally resigned from his post, but speculation is already swirling about some candidates who may vie to take his place.

Here’s a look at some known and potential contenders and others who have already taken their names out of the hunt.

Gil Penalosa

The progressive urbanist, who came a distant second to Tory in October’s municipal election, announced Saturday he would run again once a by-election is called.

Penalosa said he would run largely on the same platform he pitched last time, which focuses on improving affordability, including social services and housing.

Despite the new “strong mayor” powers given to Toronto through provincial legislation, which allows bylaws to be enacted with the support of a minority of councillors, Penalosa said he would not approve measures without at least half of council’s approval.

Michael Ford

Peter Graefe, an associate professor of political science at McMaster University, said he wouldn’t be surprised if Ontario Premier Doug Ford was speaking to his nephew, Michael, about making the jump to the mayor’s seat.

The younger Ford was elected as a member of provincial parliament last June and shortly after was appointed minister of citizenship and multiculturalism by his premier uncle, prompting allegations of nepotism.

Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Michael Ford shakes hands with Premier Doug Ford at Queen’s Park in Toronto on June 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette.

The elder Ford defended his decision at the time by saying his nephew had years of experience serving as a school trustee and on Toronto city council.

Graefe said the premier has previously shown a clear interest in how Toronto is governed, and the idea of having his nephew in the role following the recent enactment of “strong mayor” powers could be appealing.

Josh Matlow

A progressive councillor for the ward of Toronto-St. Paul’s since 2010, Matlow has been one of John Tory’s most vocal opponents at City Hall.

Matlow has not yet made any formal decision or indication that he will run, instead stating on Twitter he remains focused on “delivering an improved budget” at a special city council meeting planned for Wednesday.

“We cannot let what happened distract our focus,” he said.

“I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure that every Torontonian has a warm place to go, the TTC is truly safe and reliable, we address the roots of health and safety of our communities, repair our crumbling infrastructure and roads, and finally make the necessary investments in well-maintained parks and services residents rely on.”

We cannot let what happened distract our focus from delivering an improved budget this Wednesday. I will continue working with my colleagues to ensure that every Torontonian has a warm place to go, the TTC is truly safe and reliable, we address the roots of health and safety of…

— Josh Matlow (@JoshMatlow) February 11, 2023

Brad Bradford

He may be just months into his second tenure on council, but the man representing the ward of Beaches-East York has already made a name for himself as a reliable ally of the outgoing mayor.

Tory endorsed Bradford, who has a background in urban planning, early in his 2018 election bid. He later assigned Bradford some plum roles, including naming him to executive council and appointing him commissioner of the city’s transit system.

The state of local transit is a hot-button issue in Toronto at all times, but a recent rash of violent incidents has trained a particularly bright spotlight on the issue as Torontonians prepare to return to the polls.

Media reports say Bradford’s name is being floated in Progressive Conservative circles, whose members are keen to see a candidate in Tory’s ideological mould take the helm at City Hall.

Giorgio Mammoliti

Former long-time city councillor Giorgio Mammoliti tells CityNews he is considering contesting the vacancy for Toronto mayor.

He was unsuccessful in his campaign to be mayor of Wasaga Beach in the last municipal election. He represented Ward 7–York West from 2000 to 2018.

In 2010, Mammoliti unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Toronto. After campaigning without exceeding single digits in public opinion polls, Mammoliti announced his withdrawal from the contest on July 5, 2010, to run for re-election as a city councillor.

Former city councillor Giorgio Mammoliti tells me he is considering running for Mayor in Toronto after John Tory's resignation. He just ran unsuccessfully for Mayor in Wasaga. #topoli pic.twitter.com/qRNgqDG6Ie

— Cynthia Mulligan (@CityCynthia) February 11, 2023

Chloe Brown

Brown finished a distant third in last year’s mayoral race behind Tory and Penalosa.

She has not yet indicated firm intentions to run again but has suggested to local media that she’s considering the idea.

Her 2022 platform included using technology-driven solutions to improve government services, a plan to change the current property tax system to one based on land values, and improving conditions for the city’s renters.

Joe Cressy

Former city councillor Joe Cressy ruled out returning to municipal politics to run in a potential by-election to replace the vacancy left when Mayor John Tory abruptly resigned Friday.

Cressy resigned last April as the chair of Toronto’s Board of Health and councillor for Spadina–Fort York to become an executive at George Brown College. He served as a member of council from 2014 to 2022.

Cressy admitted that years ago, he seriously planned to run for mayor but will not be a candidate this time around.

“I couldn’t be the mayor our city deserves while being the type of parent I want to be,” he said in a tweet Sunday morning.

Jennifer Keesmaat 

Keesmaat, who served as Toronto’s Chief City Planner from 2012 to 2017, confirmed with the CBC that she wouldn’t run. The urban planner ran against Tory in the 2018 municipal election and placed second with 23.5 per cent of the vote (Tory received 63.4 per cent).

In 2017, Keesmaat stepped down from her role with the city after public disagreements with Tory on several policies. Since 2018, Keesmat has been overseeing The Keesmaat Group, an institution that works with corporate and political leaders “to advance change in cities around the world.”

With files from Lucas Casaletto of CityNews