Olivia Chow narrowly wins Toronto mayoral election: Updates

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9:56 p.m.

Chow gives victory speech to a loud crowd of supporters

Olivia Chow addresses a loud crowd of supporters, pledging change as the city’s next mayor. She is flanked by her family, including stepson and former Toronto city councillor Mike Layton.

Ms. Chow vows to improve public services and make the city more affordable by “chipping in a little more.”

Marcus Gee: Olivia Chow’s mayoral win in Toronto is the culmination of a long and often trying odyssey

She said she knows that affordability challenges are making it difficult for people to get by, but tells residents not to give up.

Ms. Chow said she had a phone conversation with Premier Doug Ford and Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark this evening and they shared a desire to work together.

– Dustin Cook

9:52 p.m.

Voter turnout higher than October municipal election

Turnout in Monday’s by-election is on track to be significantly higher than the general election last year, when just 29 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots – the lowest since Toronto amalgamated 25 years ago.

While the City of Toronto has yet to release a turnout estimate, there were about 722,000 votes counted as of 9:30 p.m. with 95 per cent of polls reporting. That is 30 per cent higher than the 552,000 who voted last October.

– Globe staff

9:40 p.m.

Olivia Chow’s next challenge will be to project a sense of optimism for Toronto

Olivia Chow has her work cut out when she becomes mayor of Toronto. The city finds itself in a serious funk. A series of incidents of random violence on the streets and on public transit have shaken the city’s sense of security. The high cost of housing, both bought and rented, is making young people wonder whether they can ever afford a place to live. The city’s biggest new transit project is way over budget and overdue, with no end in sight. The homelessness problem is more starkly visible than ever. The city is staring at a big budget hole after all its pandemic spending. Ms Chow’s challenge will be to project a sense of optimism, which she captured with her slogan Together We Can. As a veteran of local politics who has had a challenging life herself, she is well placed to do so. Toronto is still one of North America’s most dynamic cities. She just needs to put a bounce back in its step.

– Columnist Marcus Gee

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9:35 p.m.

Bailão congratulates Chow on election victory

In her concession speech to an adoring crowd chanting “Ana, Ana, Ana,” Ana Bailão addressed a room packed with supporters. She congratulated Ms. Chow on her victory, acknowledged labour unions for their support, and thanked her “bumblebee” volunteers (named for their yellow and black T-shirts) for breaking records on door-knocking and phone calls.

”Thank you to John Tory for encouraging me to one day, some day, run for mayor, not something that someone like me is often raised to think about,” she said in a nod to Toronto’s previous mayor. Her speech switched to Portuguese at points, highlighting and celebrating her immigrant roots. “I don’t think my parents could have ever imagined when they arrived in this city that I would one day run for mayor.” The crowd shouted “three more years” throughout the speech. Ms. Bailão did not comment on her next steps. “Whatever I do next, I will make sure that I give back to this city the way it has given to me.”

“She would have been an amazing mayor,” said Ms. Bailão’s campaign manager Tom Allison in an interview. “She may still be. I can’t predict the future.”

– Kate Helmore

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9:34 p.m.

Saunders delivers concession speech

The crowd yelled “Mark! Mark! Mark!” and clapped in excitement as he walked up to the stage to deliver the concession speech. He thanked his fellow candidates and Olivia Chow. “She fought a tough fight, and at the end of the day, she came out victorious.”

“This is the start of moving forward in the city of Toronto. And it’s important that each and every one of us takes part in that,” he said. “The next three years, we all have to work together to make a safe, healthy and strong environment. I spoke on public safety, I spoke on affordability. And I spoke on traffic congestion and a whole bunch of other things. And I’m willing to help to see what needs to be done to move that forward.”

While addressing members of the media, Mr. Saunders said he wants “to see what tomorrow brings” regarding his future in politics.

– Ana Pereira

9:17 p.m.

Bailão thanks supporters following election loss

As the screens behind the bar, broadcasting CP24, call it for Ms. Chow, the crowd at Bailão headquarters erupts in boos. Ms. Bailão immediately takes the stage to thank her supporters.

– Kate Helmore

9:13 p.m.

Ford congratulates Chow on election victory

Premier Doug Ford issued a statement congratulating Ms. Chow and pledging to work with her to make Toronto better.

“Throughout Olivia’s life, she has proven her desire and dedication to serving the city that many of us call home,” the statement said. “While we’re not always going to agree on everything, what we can agree on is our shared commitment to making Toronto a place where businesses, families, and workers can thrive.”

Mr. Ford pledged to stay out of the mayoral race but nonetheless waded in several times, including endorsing former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders this past week and recording robo-calls for his campaign.

The Premier had previously urged Toronto voters not to support a “left mayor” and predicted that Ms. Chow would be an “unmitigated disaster” for the city.

– Globe Staff

9:07 p.m.

Saunders’s campaign disappointed by election loss

Laryssa Waler, co-manager of Mark Saunders’s campaign, says that while she is disappointed he did not win tonight, “what’s exciting is that Toronto will be led by a woman and will be led by an immigrant.”

“Mark had a very clear and focused platform. And it didn’t take, that’s just how that happened for us tonight.”

Regarding John Tory’s endorsement of Ms. Bailão, she said, “her campaign benefited from Tory’s endorsement, but also benefited from the John Tory machine. They’re very good at electioneering. They’re very good at getting out their vote. They’re very good at what they do. And I think that Ana Bailão, very much benefited from that.”

– Ana Pereira

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9:00 p.m.

Olivia Chow narrowly wins Toronto mayoral by-election

Olivia Chow will become Toronto’s next mayor, winning a by-election that will see her lead a city facing a housing affordability crisis, concerns about public safety and troubled finances.

The 1990s-era city councillor and later NDP MP has fended off a late-campaign surge from Ana Bailão, a former deputy mayor for housing under John Tory, and will become the first racialized leader of Canada’s most diverse city.

Ms. Chow will have barely three years to enact her agenda. She has pledged to work on affordability issues, build housing and seek more money from higher levels of government.

She is ready to raise Toronto’s property tax, which is the lowest in the region. She has not been more specific other than to say that any increase will be “modest,” arguing that the city must determine its needs before setting the tax rate. She also promised to increase the vacant home tax and raise the land transfer tax on homes priced above $3-million.

Ms. Chow came to Canada from Hong Kong as a young teen. Her childhood was difficult as her parents performed low-income jobs and she witnessed her father beat her mother. At age 28 she secured a role as school trustee, embarking on a lifetime of elected office.

With husband Jack Layton, she sat on Toronto city council through the 1990s and into the 2000s, before both switched to federal politics. She was widowed in 2011 and ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Toronto in 2014, coming third behind Doug Ford and winner John Tory.

– Oliver Moore

8:52 p.m.

Chow’s lead increases

It’s a party atmosphere at Olivia Chow’s headquarters as her lead has increased to more than three percentage points over Ana Bailão with just over 100 polls left to report. Pop music hits are playing loudly as the results roll in on the screen. There are loud cheers from the crowd every time the city-wide results come across the screen.

- Dustin Cook

8:51 p.m.

A surprisingly tense election night for Chow

It has been a surprisingly tense night for supporters of Olivia Chow. She has been the front-runner for weeks, with most polls giving her a solid lead. But early returns showed that, shock of shocks, her rival Ana Bailão had a narrow edge. Now, though, Ms Chow is pulling ahead and her crowd at The Great Hall is letting loose.

– Columnist Marcus Gee

8:45 p.m.

Chow leads over Bailão with 90% of polls reporting

With about 90 per cent of 1,451 polls reporting, Ms. Chow was ahead, having won the downtown core. As Ms. Bailão’s lead slipped away, the atmosphere at her election night event was less boisterous, with fewer fist bumps and chants.But there is still energy in the room and supporters are glued to the screens.

“It’s not over till it’s over,” said David Morris, former Ontario Liberal candidate for Toronto Centre from Ms. Bailão’s headquarters.

– Kate Helmore

8:35 p.m.

Chow takes the lead

Olivia Chow took the lead just after 8:30 p.m. to loud cheers at her election night party and chants of “Olivia!” There are screams from the crowd every time the results flash across the screen.

– Dustin Cook

8:34 p.m.

Scenes from Bailão’s campaign headquarters

“I’m cool, calm and collected because I know exactly what’s going to happen,” says an excited Sasho Kostovski from Bailão’s campaign headquarters “It’s about time we bring sanity back to the city.” He stands at the door, handing out drink tickets while peering over the crowd of approximately 200 who have gathered around the bar to stare intently at the screen.

– Kate Helmore

8:32 p.m.

Bailão, Chow in tight race

According to the City of Toronto’s unofficial results, Ms. Chow has 36.21 per cent of the vote to Ana Bailão’s 34.66 per cent with just over 88 of polls reporting.

8:30 p.m.

Scenes from Saunders’s campaign headquarters

As votes get counted, the chatter grows quieter at Bistro on Avenue as Mr. Saunders’s fans have their eyes glued on the TVs. Mr. Saunders is currently far behind Ms. Bailão and Ms. Chow at around 39,400 votes.

– Ana Pereira

8:22 p.m.

Cheers at Bailão’s venue as results start to come in

Cheers, air fist bumps and chanting “Ana! Ana! Ana!” erupt as the TV behind the bar records a number of wins for Ms. Bailão, with rumbling “boos” in areas where Chow has pulled ahead. The most thunderous applause is for Scarborough results.

– Kate Helmore

8:15 p.m.

Supporters arrive to Chow’s election night party

Olivia Chow’s election night party fills up with supporters just as results start coming in at 8:15 p.m. Results aren’t yet being shown on the screens but attendees are mingling and eating the buffet spread. Current Councillor Ausma Malik, who endorsed Ms. Chow, is in attendance as well as Ms. Chow’s stepson, former councillor Mike Layton.

– Dustin Cook

8:00 p.m.

Most polls have closed in Toronto’s 2023 mayoral by-election

The majority of polls have closed in Toronto’s mayoral by-election, where residents had a record 102 candidates to choose from as they selected the city’s next leader.

The hotly contested race was triggered by the resignation of former mayor John Tory, who stepped down only a few months into his third term after admitting to an affair with a staffer.

Roughly half a dozen candidates emerged as the key contenders in the crowded field during the 12-week campaign.

Whoever is elected will inherit a city budget with a nearly $1-billion pandemic-related shortfall, driven partly by reduced transit revenue and increased shelter costs.

The next mayor will also inherit largely untested “strong mayor” powers, allowing them to pass budgets with just one-third council support, veto bylaws and unilaterally shape the city’s top-level administration. Several leading candidates have vowed not to use those powers to overrule council.

– The Canadian Press

7:58 p.m.

Scenes from Mark Saunders’s election night venue

Mark Saunders supporters are meeting at Bistro on Avenue at 1988 Avenue Rd. Sharan Kaur, co-campaign manager, says Mr. Saunders and his family are together in separate quarters upstairs as they wait for the polls to close. A few dozen people have gathered, many among the 500 volunteers who were knocking on doors and making calls to get voters today. The mood is lively, despite Mr. Saunders’s polling numbers making election unlikely. Loud laughter and chatter can be heard from the bar area as people gather around platters of bar food, including chicken wings and chips.

– Ana Pereira

7:57 p.m.

Scenes from Olivia Chow’s election night venue

Dozens of supporters of Olivia Chow, sporting purple shirts to match her campaign colours, started flocking into The Great Hall in west Toronto just after 7:30 p.m. They were handed purple signs with the words “hope” and “together” as they entered into the event space. The campaign slogan “Together we can” is projected on a screen behind the stage where Ms. Chow is expected to address the crowd after the results come in.

– Dustin Cook

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7:55 p.m.

Scenes from Ana Bailão’s election night venue

Ana Bailão’s party at Revival Events Venue is filling up with excited volunteers all wearing the campaign’s signature zesty yellow. Top 40 music blasts over excited chatter. Volunteers have knocked on 150,000 doors this week alone, and made two million calls across the campaign, with some volunteers clocking more than 39,000 steps in one day.

“There’s momentum,” said Tom Allison, who was co-chair of former Toronto mayor John Tory’s winning 2018 bid. “We’ll find out tonight if it arrived soon enough.” Mr. Allison, who has worked in more than 100 campaigns, says this one feels different. “I don’t know which way it’s going to go,” he said. “I usually have a better idea at this point.”

- Kate Helmore

6:10 p.m.

Election results expected to be delayed

Results for Toronto’s by-election for mayor will be slower than expected after the city announced that voting would be extended at four locations.

In a release, the city said unspecified “earlier interruptions” were forcing polls at West Hill Apartments, on Lawrence Avenue East, Sacred Heart Catholic School, the St. Thomas Aquinas church on Glenholme Avenue and The Briton House on Mount Pleasant to stay open between 15 and 60 minutes past the usual 8 p.m. closing time. And anyone in line when these polls are due to close will be allowed to vote.

”As a result of this extension, the release of by-election results will be delayed by 15 to 20 minutes,” the city said.

– Oliver Moore

5:00 p.m.

Polls are open until 8 p.m. across Toronto

Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 1,445 voting locations across the city.

Advance polls held earlier this month saw 129,745 people cast a ballot, an increase of 14,000 over early voting in the October election.

That election saw a record low 30 per cent voter turnout in a race where John Tory cruised to a third term against a field absent of any contenders with high-profile name recognition and experience in elected office.

With a number of established candidates contesting this election, city hall watchers have speculated the winner could be elected with the lowest share of the popular vote since amalgamation. Tory’s 2014 win stands at the low watermark, when he captured 40 per cent of the vote.

– The Canadian Press

4:00 p.m.

Voters in Toronto to elect a new mayor today

Voters in Toronto will elect a new mayor Monday to replace John Tory, who resigned suddenly in February just four months into his third term following an affair with a staffer.

It’s been a spirited by-election campaign focused on tackling major issues facing the city, including housing, affordability, congestion and public safety. The new mayor will also be facing a $1.5-billion hole in the city’s budget related to last year and this year. Over the next decade, the city expects to be short nearly $50-billion for its operating and capital expenses.

“Strong mayor” powers will be available to the next mayor, including the ability to pass certain bylaws with only one-third support, veto select council decisions, hire and fire top city staff as well as introduce a budget.

A record 102 candidates are vying for the city’s top job, including several high-profile names who have served on Toronto council or other levels of government. Several councillors, who didn’t have to resign their seat to run for mayor, jumped into the race, including Josh Matlow, Brad Bradford and Anthony Perruzza.

Ana Bailão, former councillor and deputy mayor to Mr. Tory, entered the race early, as did former Toronto police chief and provincial Progressive Conservative candidate Mark Saunders. Mitzie Hunter, a long-time Scarborough Liberal MPP and former cabinet minister, resigned her seat in the Ontario Legislature to run.

Former NDP MP and city councillor Olivia Chow was one of the last high-profile candidates to enter the race and she has been polling as the front-runner throughout the race. The final days of the campaign have seen support for opponents of Ms. Chow from key political figures in the city. Mr. Tory endorsed Ms. Bailão for mayor and Premier Doug Ford said he would be voting for Mr. Saunders.

Six days of advance voting took place earlier this month with residents able to vote at any of 50 stations across the city. There were 129,745 votes cast in the advance polls, an 11.9 per cent increase from the October 2022 election.

Voting is open until 8 p.m. at your designated polling station. Details on how to vote can be found on the city’s website.

– Dustin Cook