Toronto mayoral byelection to be held on June 26
A byelection to replace former mayor John Tory has been tentatively set for June 26.
Toronto City Clerk John D. Elvidge announced the date in a news release issued on Thursday afternoon.
The byelection date is still subject to city council declaring the office vacant and passing a bylaw requiring a byelection at its next meeting on March 29.
In the release, city officials acknowledged the clerk “would not ordinarily fix or announce dates” in advance of council meeting to pass a bylaw.
But they said the clerk considered it to “be in the best interests of the city, candidates and electors to announce the applicable by-election dates as early as possible.”
Tory stepped down on Feb. 17, one week after disclosing he had been involved in a relationship with a staff member.
“Making the dates public now also allows the city clerk to start making preparations including hiring election staff and booking voting locations,” the release notes.
There had been some speculation that a special meeting could have been convened to move up the vote but Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie said earlier this week that while she wanted an election "done as soon as possible,” city staff need “time and preparation” to prepare for what will likely be the biggest byelection in Canadian history.
The estimated budget for the mayoral byelection is roughly $13 million, the city said.
October’s municipal election carried a $14.5 million cost as a point of comparison.
“I don’t think we can underestimate the work the city clerk has to put into this,” McKelvie told CP24.
Elvidge said that nominations would open on April 3 at 8:30 a.m. and close on May 12 at 2 p.m.
Advance voting is expected to take place from June 8 to June 13.
At this point in remains unclear who will run in the byelection, though city councillors Josh Matlow and Brad Bradford have both said they are exploring a potential run, as has Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter and former police chief Mark Saunders. Gil Penalosa, who finished a distant second to Tory in October's election, has also said that he intends to run again.
Tory's former deputy mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong had floated the possibility of a run but said earlier on Thursday that he had decided against it.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
DEVELOPING Israel says Hamas deal is 'far' from meeting its demands as Rafah offensive looms
Israel said the terms of a ceasefire deal Hamas accepted on Monday remained 'far from' meeting its demands and warned its military operations in Rafah would continue, even as it sent negotiators to talk to mediators.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion's biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.
Concern over speeding in Fredericton neighbourhood grows after 2 teens, young adult killed in crash
Three people – including two teens – are dead, and two others are injured after a crash that has left a greater Fredericton community shaken.