By Jordan Omstead and Allison Jones in Toronto
Ontario Premier Doug Ford may have previously predicted Olivia Chow would be an "unmitigated disaster" as Toronto's next mayor, but he said Tuesday that he will find common ground and work with her.
Chow eked out a win in the mayoral byelection against 101 other candidates vying to replace scandal-departed John Tory, with former deputy mayor Ana Bailão coming in a close second.
Ford had stumped for former police chief Mark Saunders, who placed a distant third, and had warned that under a Chow mayoralty taxes would go up 25 to 30 per cent and businesses would flee the city.
But a day after the election he softened his tune, congratulating Chow and vowing to work together.
"I had a great talk with her last night and, you know, she's been in politics long enough and during the election you throw some mud back and forth but I'll tell you one thing, people expect us to work together and that's exactly what we're going to do," Ford said after an unrelated announcement in southwestern Ontario.
"We're going to find common ground when we sit down because she’s actually quite a nice person."
Housing is a likely area in which Ford and Chow will find common ground, with both promising to build vast amounts, though their methods and specifics may differ.
But Chow has also come out strongly opposed to the province's plan to move the Ontario Science Centre from its east Toronto location to Ontario Place, as well as being against Ford's plan to see a spa built at the downtown attraction. She has said she would not give up a parcel of city-owned land on the provincial site, but Ford suggested Tuesday the project is plowing ahead regardless.
"This is moving down the tracks pretty quickly right now," Ford said.
"I respect that the host city is Toronto and we’ve been working hand in hand with the previous mayor … but this is a provincial site and we’re going to do what’s right for the province."
The results of the election, which saw Chow capture 37 per cent of the vote, are set to be certified by the city clerk by Wednesday.
City clerk John Elvidge said Tuesday that Chow has requested to take office and officially begin her tenure as the city's next mayor on July 12. He said Chow’s request is “subject to the certification of the official results.”
One immediate challenge for Chow will be tackling a nearly $1-billion pandemic-related budget shortfall, partly driven by reduced transit revenue and increased shelter costs.
The former NDP parliamentarian and past city councillor will also have to tackle issues of housing unaffordability and public safety concerns.
The 66-year-old veteran politician and first person of colour to be elected as Toronto's mayor will be at city hall for meetings Tuesday afternoon.
Chow has vowed to work with other big city mayors across the country to renegotiate a new deal with the provincial and federal governments on municipal finances.
But city hall watchers say with no indication the other levels of government plan to bail out this year's city budget, Chow will be quickly faced with tough decisions.
"You look at the period of John Tory as mayor, you know, he bent over backwards to avoid any kind of residential property tax increase," said Zack Taylor, political science professor at Western University.
"And now we're at the point where instead of a bunch of incremental rises, it's probably going to have to be a pretty substantial increase."
Chow ran on a platform to have the city build new social housing and invest millions in a program to acquire and preserve affordable units as part of a larger suite of renter protections.
She has also vowed to reverse cuts to transit service and to extend mental health crisis response teams citywide in an effort to reduce 911 wait times and divert calls from police.
Her campaign also pledged to expand rent supplements to 1,000 homes and boost the number of 24-7 respite homeless shelters, promises to be funded by an expanded tax on homes purchased for $3 million and above.
Toronto's mayoral byelection was triggered after Tory resigned in February, just months into his third term, following his admission of an affair with a staffer.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2023.
Banner image via The Canadian Press
