When will Torontonians head to the polls to elect a new mayor?

Toronto Mayor John Tory submitted his official formal resignation on Wednesday night following approval of his $16.2 billion budget, detailing his plan to leave the mayor’s office by end of day Friday.

So, what happens next after Tory walks out of his office for the final time? Both the City of Toronto Act and Ontario’s Municipal Elections Act contain procedures for filling vacancies on city council.

Council will have to officially declare the office of the mayor vacant during its next meeting. Currently, the next council meeting is not scheduled until March 29.

Once the office is declared vacant, the Act requires council to call for a byelection to be administered by Toronto’s city clerk. Nominations would open the next business day after council passes the bylaw authorizing the mayoral vote.

The city clerk must allow for a minimum 30-day nomination period ahead of the vote with the byelection being held 45 days after the nominations close. The closing date for nominations can be up to 60 days after the passing of the byelection bylaw.

As things stand now, a mayoral byelection would be held anywhere from 75 to 105 days following the next council meeting at the end of March.

It means Toronto residents would head to the polls to choose a new mayor in June, and possibly as late as mid-July, depending on when nominations close. The byelection date could move up if council schedules a new meeting before the end of March.

Related:

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

The outgoing mayor says he will spend his final two days in meetings with deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie and city staff to ensure an orderly transition.

Tory had announced last week he would resign after admitting to an “inappropriate relationship” with a former staffer. But his office said Monday that he would remain in the mayor’s chair to see his fiscal plan debated by council.

The budget, pushed through on Wednesday evening, was the first prepared under new “strong mayor” powers granted by the provincial government, giving Tory a veto over any changes proposed and the ability to see his fiscal plan through with only one-third council support.

With files from Nick Westoll and John Marchesan