In a tight race against former deputy mayor, Ana Bailão, Olivia Chow secured 37.2 per cent of yesterday’s votes to become Toronto’s new mayor. Chow, 66, will be the first woman to serve as mayor since Barbara Hall in 1997, and the first Chinese Canadian to lead Canada’s financial capital and largest city.
Throughout her successful campaign, Chow was the frontrunner of the 102 candidates, vowing to support renters and make affordable housing a priority. She has pledged to build 25,000 rent-controlled homes over eight years to help tackle the soaring rents that have long impacted Torontonians.
“I would dedicate myself to work tirelessly in building a city that is more caring, affordable, and safe, where everyone belongs,” she told supporters during her victory speech.
Although Ontario Premier Doug Ford had publicly endorsed former Toronto Chief of Police Mark Saunders, he congratulated Chow on her victory, stating he was “willing to work with anyone” ready to work with the Ontario government to better the city and the province.
Chow’s City Homes Plan
According to Matthew Thornton, CEO of Real North Strategies, the centre piece of Chow’s housing policy is her City Homes Plan, which commits Toronto to “act as a developer” to build 25,000 rent-controlled homes over eight years with a minimum 7,500 affordable units, including 2,500 rent-geared to income units on land the City already owns.
“What’s not clear is how Chow’s commitment to build 25,000 rent-controlled homes will work alongside the City’s existing commitment to build 40,000 affordable rental homes by 2030 – much of it using city land,” he said.
Chow will help pay for her affordable housing pledge by increasing the City’s Building Levy by 0.33 per cent and tapping into the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund.
“More Help for Renters”
Support for renters was a major focus of the Chow campaign and her platform featured several key planks intended to help tenants, including:
• Increasing the reach of Toronto’s Rent Bank & Eviction Prevention programs;
• Creating a $100 million Secure Affordable Homes fund to stop renovictions by purchasing affordable units and transferring them to not-for-profit providers;
• Establishing a Renters Action Committee to create a strong anti-renovictions by-law and advocating for new rent control measures.
Learn more about the official election results here: City of Toronto Elections Result
