The mayors of some of Ontario’s largest cities have been re-elected, while two former Ontario party leaders carved municipal paths to political redemption Monday,
John Tory has won a third term as mayor of Toronto, Bonnie Crombie has secured another victory in Mississauga, and Patrick Brown has been re-elected as mayor of Brampton.
Brown’s main challenger, Nikki Kaur, had the backing of several experienced political players, determined to unseat him. But the man who has taken many knocks along the way in his political career prevailed.
“This is a win against the politics of negativity, of mudslinging,” he said in a victory speech.
“We ran a positive campaign. We refused to engage in the ugly side of politics and focused on what we’ve achieved for Brampton over the last four years, and what we hope to achieve in the next four.”
In Toronto, Tory said housing will be one of his key priorities.
“We’ve come so far over the past eight years, but we have unfinished business that I’m absolutely determined to see through,” he said.
“We’ve made so much progress on getting transit and housing built and growing our economy ... We’re going to get housing built, much more housing, and much more affordable and supportive housing.”
Ontario recently granted the cities of Toronto and Ottawa so-called strong mayor powers, which allow the heads of those cities to overrule council votes that conflict with building housing. Tory supported the move, but Ottawa’s new mayor did not.
Former journalist Mark Sutcliffe coasted to victory over councillor Catherine McKenney to become mayor of that city. It was an open race as Jim Watson did not run again.
“You voted for positive change,” Sutcliffe said in his victory speech. “You voted for compassion and fiscal responsibility. You voted for a safer, more reliable, more affordable city.”
Former NDP leader Andrea Horwath was elected mayor of Hamilton, where she began her political career on city council 25 years ago, while former Liberal leader Steven Del Duca was elected mayor of Vaughan, Ont. But neither had an easy ride to victory.
Horwath was neck and neck throughout the night with the former president and CEO of the city’s chamber of commerce and Del Duca eked out a victory over a longtime city councillor, winning by just 851 votes
Voter turnout in Toronto was about 29 percent with most polls reporting. It was roughly the same in Milton and Cambridge, but lower at about 27 percent in Vaughan and 24 percent in Brampton. However, Ottawa’s race saw a turnout of 44 percent.
London will get a new mayor, with Josh Morgan, a city councillor and deputy mayor, winning an open race over former London-Fanshawe MP Khalil Ramal.
In nearby Woodstock, the incumbent mayor facing six sex assault charges involving two women went down in a massive defeat. Trevor Birtch garnered just 305 votes, placing fourth — well behind winner Jerry Acchione’s 3,612 votes.
Ken Boshcoff, a former mayor of Thunder Bay, will lead that city again. In the Greater Toronto Area city of Milton, Gord Krantz, who is believed to be Canada’s longest-serving mayor, won a 14th term.
