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The two top candidates in Toronto’s mayoral race faced off in a head-to-head debate inside the CBC Broadcasting Centre.
Incumbent mayor Olivia Chow and Coun. Brad Bradford discussed key issues affecting the city with Chris Glover, host of CBC Radio’s Metro Morning, who is moderating the discussion.
The debate dug into the two front-runners’ positions on safety, transit and accountability. CBC Toronto’s city hall reporter, Isaac Callan, additionally asked each candidate pointed questions to hammer out the details of specific promises.
This was the third debate for Bradford and Chow in as many days and the competition has been heating up as the opponents make their case for why they should be Toronto’s choice for mayor.
Opponents clash over public safety
The candidates sparred over their approaches to handling public safety.
When asked what she would do to make Torontonians feel safer, Chow touted her record of hiring more police officers and first responders and adding programs to prevent youth violence.
She also said she would consult local communities on plans to meet their neighbourhood safety needs.
“The ongoing dialogue police have with the local neighbourhood folks is very important as well,” she said.
Bradford said he would start by sitting on the city’s police service board and criticized Chow for not doing the same during her term as mayor.
Oliva Chow said she doesn’t think she would raise property taxes more than one per cent more than the rate of inflation. (Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC)
“When it comes to leadership, there are some things that are just so important, you don’t delegate them away. Mayor Chow chose not to take her seat on the police board.”
Chow stood by her choice, saying she has confidence the police board is doing a good job under chair Shelley Carroll.
Bradford also highlighted his promise to hire 1,000 more police officers and have police presence on the TTC.
The debate happened at a crucial moment in the election. Advance voting is underway across the city until Sunday, and Chris Alexander officially dropped out of the mayor’s race on Tuesday.
The former MP had been polling at third place and his votes are now up for grabs.
Last week, a survey from Mainstreet Research put Chow about six points ahead of Bradford. She was polling at about 38.1 per cent support to Bradford’s 32.2 per cent. Chris Alexander was polling in third at 7.2 per cent support.
Candidates pressed over financial promises
Answering a question from CBC Toronto’s Isaac Callan — who hosted part of the debate alongside moderator Chris Glover — Chow said she doesn’t think she would raise property taxes more than 1 per cent over the rate of inflation.
Chow previously said she would keep property tax increases “at or around” the rate of inflation. She said her past increases to property taxes have filled a budget hole so she can now keep future increases low.
Chow raised taxes 2.2 per cent in 2026, down from 6.9 per cent in 2025 and 9.5 per cent in 2024. The latter was the highest increase in 25 years.
During a period of open debate, Chow said her opponent holds responsibility for sending the city into the red and creating the circumstances that drove the tax increase. She pointed to Bradford’s past role as vice chair on the budget committee under former mayor John Tory.
When Chow first took office, the city was dealing with a budget deficit of $1.8 billion post-pandemic and the city’s credit rating has improved since Chow’s election win.
Bradford has promised to do an independent line-by-line review to find efficiencies in the city’s budget. When pressed by Callan on if he would cut services if the review didn’t find savings, he skirted the question, stating that he would find them.
Bradford highlighted his promise to hire 1,000 more police officers and have police presence on the TTC. (Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC)
Throughout the campaign, Chow has been critical of Bradford’s promise to cut Torontonians’ water bills by 25 per cent — a plan Bradford says he’ll pay for by changing how the city deals with debt and increasing borrowing for capital projects.
Chow’s team has said Bradford won’t be able to deliver on that promise and has said the councillor will “say anything to get elected.”
To read more about the candidate’s platforms check out CBC Toronto’s platform tracker.