Olivia Chow wins re-election in Toronto with 54% of vote

Olivia Chow has won her second term as mayor of Toronto.

CP24 and CTV News declared her victory at 9:59 p.m. on Monday with 99.2 percent of polls reporting. Chow received 54.2 percent of the vote, while challenger Brad Bradford garnered 41.1 percent. The margin of victory stood at approximately 127,627 votes.

Chow campaigned on affordability, promising to freeze TTC fares and make transit free after ten paid rides per week. She also pledged to expand the school nutrition program to include lunch and estimated that families would save $880 at the grocery store under her plan. On the campaign trail, she frequently referenced a dedicated task force to address bad landlords and kept property tax increases near the rate of inflation.

Bradford criticized Chow for raising property taxes by a combined 18.6 percent during her first three years in office. He proposed freezing property taxes in 2027 and argued that Chow’s earlier promises of modest increases amounted to a bait and switch. Bradford also suggested making Toronto Water a publicly owned utility, a move Chow warned could lead to privatization.

Polling data from Nanos Research showed the race tightening in October. An early survey indicated a double-digit lead for Chow, but a poll released on Oct. 20 showed a three-point gap, placing the candidates within the margin of error. In the final week, Chow accused Bradford of planning to cut services, while Bradford stated he would resign if Toronto Water were privatized under his leadership.

Speaking at her headquarters on Monday night, Chow addressed voters who did not cast ballots, including renters and new residents. She stated that she would immediately convene city council to map out her agenda. Chow previously served as mayor in a 2023 byelection and now secures a full four-year term. Bradford called his rival to congratulate her and acknowledged her mandate.

Chow’s victory prevents her from becoming the first post-amalgamation mayor to lose in their first re-election attempt. She will begin her new term with the goal of setting a collaborative tone with the 25 other council members.