‘Strong mayor of action’: Brad Bradford to run for Toronto’s top job

Toronto city councillor Brad Bradford says he will be running for mayor in the upcoming June byelection to replace John Tory, adding “it’s time for less talk and more action.”

Bradford, the councillor for Beaches-East York, told Breakfast Television on Wednesday morning that he is no longer just considering running but will be registering to run once the nomination process opens.

“I’m running to be a strong mayor of action for Toronto – delivering results to make the city safer, make life more affordable, and make it easier to get around,” he said in a tweet.

His decision to run comes on the day city council meets for the first time since the resignation of the former mayor last month.

Later in the day, during a scrum with reporters in council’s media gallery, Bradford said community safety is a top priority, as well as the rising cost of living.

“We spend so much time here at the city in endless debate and discussion, deferral, delays, we don’t see enough action moving things forward. It’s about time for less talk and more action,” he said.

Bradford’s candidacy caused an awkward moment in chambers when Coun. Gord Perks stopped the council meeting to complain that Bradford was holding a campaign event in the media gallery.

“Councillor Bradford, I’m sorry, but during council meetings we can’t have political comments made,” Speaker Frances Nunziata said, addressing the councillor.

However, Coun. Stephen Holyday pointed out that since the mayor’s seat hasn’t technically been declared vacant yet, the rules regarding candidates using city resources for campaign purposes does not technically apply.

One of the item’s on the council meeting agenda will be to declare the mayor’s office vacant, and once the office is officially vacated a bylaw will be passed requiring a byelection. If approved, nominations for candidates would open on April 3.

The mayoral byelection is set for June 26 with advanced voting to begin on June 8.

A number of high-profile candidates have already declared their intention to run for mayor, including Coun. Josh Matlow, former councillors Ana Bailão and Georgio Mammoliti, Ontario Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter, former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders, and urbanist Gil Penalosa.

Bradford recently put together an advisory committee, including a number of political strategists, as he considered a run in the mayoral byelection.

His initial message to voters last month was that he’ll continue with the former mayor’s agenda but to do more, and faster. However, that message was not resonating with everyone.

Bradford was elected to a second term as councillor in the 2022 municipal election. Before being elected to council, he worked as an urban planner with the City of Toronto from 2015 to 2018.

“I’m very passionate about this city, I love this city,” he said on Wednesday, adding that he saw the same challenges as an urban planner.

“I saw the bureaucratic silos, I saw how long it took to get things done. Four years on council, it didn’t take me that long to diagnose the problem that there’s a lot of talk in this chamber, there is a lot of hot air, but there’s not enough action.”

With files from Mark McAllister, Momin Qureshi and Michael Ranger of CityNews