Mike Layton looking to re-enter municipal politics, to run in University-Rosedale

Former Toronto councillor Mike Layton is looking to make a return to municipal politics and will run for a spot at City Hall in the fall election.

Layton served three terms on city council between 2010 and 2022, first being elected in 2010 to represent Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina, and then in 2018 for Ward 11 University-Rosedale. He stepped away from political life in 2022 and said at the time he wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on environmental work.

Layton filed his nomination papers at Toronto City Hall on Monday morning to run in his former ward.

“We’re at a really important point of development in our city and I think a lot of good can get done in the coming term of council. I want to bring my energy, my passion, my experience to the table to help advance some of these critical issues that we’re facing,” he told reporters after submitting his nomination.

In his announcement letter posted to X on Monday morning, Layton said he does not regret his decision to step away from council, but is looking to return to City Hall to address issues like affordable housing.

“Four years ago, I stepped away as the city councillor for University—Rosedale to spend more time with my family. I haven’t regretted it for a minute. I’ve been to every school play and dance recital. I’ve taken my girls tobogganing at Bickford Park, swimming at Christie Pits and biking to the Toronto Islands. Those are moments you don’t get back,” he stated.

Layton said while he doesn’t regret stepping away, he missed what the job entrails.

“What I do miss though is the impact that you can have in this job by really making a difference,” he told reporters at City Hall.

In his letter, Layton said his children are older now and are “asking bigger questions.”

“They want to know why their friend can’t find an affordable place to live in the neighbourhood and has to change schools. Why they can bike on some streets and not others. Why the sky is orange and tastes like campfire. I have the answers, but that’s not enough — I want to work on solutions,” he stated.

Layton said it was his children’s questions and feedback from the community that led him to this decision to run again in the ward.

“It was calls from community members, from people that do city building in Toronto that were saying, ‘You know what? You bring a certain set of skills to this job that are going to be needed in the next term of council. We really think that you should think about running.’ … And I thought, ‘You know what? This is something that I would really like to help build. This is a big moment for our city. I want to be there to help make the change happen and be part of that work.'”

Layton is the son of late federal NDP leader Jack Layton and the stepson of Mayor Olivia Chow, who is running for re-election.

Mike Layton was asked if he had any expectations from Chow should she get re-elected as mayor.

“We’ve worked on policy and politics together for more than a decade, so sometimes we’ve seen eye to eye and sometimes we haven’t, we work it out like you do at city council when you want to advance issues,” Layton replied.

“I’m ready to work with any mayor that’s there.”

Layton has played a key role in championing for bike lanes in the city; however, Ontario’s top court has cleared the way for the province to remove bike lanes in Toronto, overturning a lower-court ruling that found the plan created an unconstitutional risk to cyclist safety.

The Ford government has been mulling a decision to rip out nearly 20 kilometres of protected bike lanes that stretch across Yonge Street, Bloor Street and University Avenue.

“The three bike lanes that are being discussed are all bike lanes that I was a part of putting in. Bloor, University, Yonge Street. These are a critical part of our network of safe cycling infrastructure in our city. If we want to get people around in a safe fashion, we’re going to have to do it in a way that they feel safe,” Layton said.

“I built bike lanes with Doug Ford when he was on council. We built Richmond and Adelaide. There is some space here, I think, for us to have a dialogue, a conversation about how we can get people around in a safe and affordable way. But I also think it’s about building a coalition of support around these lanes. And I think that that’s something that we can accomplish.”

The seat for University-Rosedale is currently held by Dianne Saxe, who is seeking reelection. There are nine other candidates running as well.

All 444 municipalities in Ontario will each hold elections on Oct. 26 for mayor, councillor and school board trustee positions. The deadline to register as a candidate is Friday afternoon.

With files from Nick Westoll, CityNews