The race to elect Toronto’s mayor is officially underway.
Candidate nominations opened at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning. Those looking to throw their hat in the ring have until Aug. 21 to do so.
One of the most prominent voices to make his mayoral ambitions known is Coun. Brad Bradford. The Beaches-East York councillor, who has served the ward since 2018, previously ran against Mayor Olivia Chow in the crowded 2023 by-election, but finished eighth.
Chow has not said whether she’ll seek re-election when Toronto voters go to the polls on Oct. 26, but Bradford says it’s time for a fresh start.
“What I’ve seen over the course of her administration is she is managing Torontonians’ expectations down. She’s asking them to accept less, a lower standard, and pay more for it,” Bradford told CP24 Friday morning, before he heads to City Hall to file his paperwork with the municipal clerk.
Outside of the mayoral race, elections will also be held in October for Toronto city council and trustee positions at school boards in the city. Elections for all of those roles are also happening across Ontario on Oct. 26.
What do candidates need to do to register?
To get their name on the ballot, candidates for mayor must pay a $200 filing fee and provide a minimum of 25 endorsements from eligible Toronto voters.
Nominations must be filed in person at the Toronto Elections City Hall office.
Those running for city council or school board trustee don’t need the aforementioned endorsements, but do need to pay a $100 filing fee.