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An official tasked with organizing the municipal election in Toronto says the city is ready for advanced voting next week despite the recent uncertainty over the electoral map.

City clerk Ulli Watkiss says she and her team prepared for both outcomes of either a 25– or 47-ward system while the city and the province fought it out in court.

Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative government pushed through a bill that saw Toronto’s city council shrink to 25 wards from 47.

The city took the province to court and a judge found the bill violated the freedom of expression rights for candidates and voters.

Ford and the government won a stay on appeal just two weeks ago so the election will go ahead with 25 wards.

Watkiss says the process has been exhausting, but that the city has been working without a break to be prepared for the Oct. 22 election.

At the first debate of the 2018 municipal election, the Toronto mayoral candidates discussed arts funding. After the debate both Jennifer Keesmaat and John Tory insisted they would increase funding for the arts.

The Globe and Mail

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