Municipal elections were held on October 27, 2014, to elect a mayor and 44 city councillors in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In addition, school trustees were elected to the Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest and Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud. The election was held in conjunction with those held in other municipalities in the province of Ontario. Candidate registration opened on January 2, 2014, and closed on September 12, 2014, at 2pm EST.
City council City councillors were elected to represent Toronto's 44 wards at Toronto City Council. 36 out of 37 incumbent councillors were re-elected to their previous seat.
Incumbents 2010-2014 WardCouncillorOther roles1 Etobicoke NorthVincent CrisantiChair of Etobicoke and York Community Council2 Etobicoke NorthDoug Ford Vice-chair of Budget Committee3 Etobicoke CentrePeter Leon4 Etobicoke CentreGloria Lindsay LubyActing chair of Toronto Police Services Board (June–November, 2013)5 Etobicoke-LakeshoreJames Maloney6 Etobicoke-LakeshoreMark Grimes7 York WestGiorgio MammolitiChair of Community Development and Recreation8 York WestAnthony Perruzza9 York CentreMaria Augimeri Chair of Toronto Transit Commission and North York Community Council10 York CentreJames Pasternak11 York South-WestonFrances NunziataToronto City Council Speaker12 York South-WestonFrank Di GiorgioBudget Chief13 Parkdale-High ParkSarah DoucetteVice-chair of Toronto Board of Health14 Parkdale-High ParkGord PerksChair of Central Toronto and East York Community Council15 Eglinton-LawrenceJosh Colle16 Eglinton-LawrenceKaren StintzFormer chair, TTC17 Davenport Cesar PalacioChair of Licensing and Standards Committee18 DavenportAna Bailão 19 Trinity-SpadinaMike Layton20 Trinity-SpadinaCeta Ramkhalawansingh21 St. Paul'sJoe MihevcVice-chair of Toronto Board of Health22 St. Paul'sJosh Matlow23 WillowdaleJohn FilionChair of Toronto Board of Health24 WillowdaleDavid Shiner25 Don Valley WestJaye Robinson26 Don Valley WestJohn ParkerDeputy Speaker of Toronto City Council27 Toronto Centre-RosedaleKristyn Wong-Tam28 Toronto Centre-RosedalePam McConnell29 Toronto-DanforthMary Fragedakis30 Toronto-DanforthPaula Fletcher 31 Beaches-East YorkJanet Davis32 Beaches-East YorkMary-Margaret McMahon33 Don Valley EastShelley Carroll34 Don Valley EastDenzil Minnan-Wong Chair of the Board of Public Works35 Scarborough SouthwestMichelle BerardinettiChair of Scarborough Community Council36 Scarborough SouthwestGary Crawford37 Scarborough CentreMichael Thompson38 Scarborough CentreGlenn De Baeremaeker39 Scarborough AgincourtMike Del Grande40 Scarborough AgincourtNorm KellyDeputy mayor, chair of Parks and Environment Committee.41 Scarborough-Rouge RiverChin LeeVice-chair of Toronto Police Services Board, chair of Toronto Zoo.42 Scarborough-Rouge RiverRaymond Cho43 Scarborough EastPaul AinslieChair of Toronto Library Board, vice-chair of Toronto Zoo44 Scarborough EastRon Moeser
School boards School trustees were elected to the: Toronto District School Board Toronto Catholic District School Board Conseil scolaire Viamonde Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud
Issues
Transit In the Greater Toronto Area, the average time spent commuting to and from work is 80 minutes, making it the worst among 19 large urban areas in North America.Toronto commuting times worst of 19 major cities, study says Transit was a major issue because of several controversial projects in the city, such as the use of subway versus light rail transit technology to replace the Scarborough RT, congested TTC streetcars, construction disruption from the Eglinton Crosstown, and the electrification of the Union Pearson Express. Proposals by Metrolinx to impose revenue tools to fund transit were also a source of controversy.What’s on the minds of Toronto voters? Transit The Toronto Region Board of Trade and TTC CEO Andy Byford stated that transit must be a critical issue that voters consider in the election.Toronto ‘tired of the frustrations’ at city hall, board of trade president saysTTC’s Andy Byford says transit visionaries are needed at city hall
Rob Ford Much attention was given to allegations against Rob Ford during the 2014 election, and his admission on November 5, 2013, to smoking crack cocaine.Toronto election to be a referendum on Rob Ford
Ranked ballots and voting rights for permanent residents On June 11, 2013, Toronto City Council passed a motion asking the Government of Ontario to give permanent residents the right to participate in municipal elections and to allow the city to adopt Ranked choice balloting (single-winner Instant-runoff voting), which would give voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference. Twenty-six councillors supported the motion and fifteen were against it.Toronto city council backs radical change to ranked ballots and letting non-citizens participateCouncillors vote to seek end of ‘first past the post’ system in city elections Following the council move, the Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto sent a petition with over eight thousand signatures to the provincial government, endorsing the council motion and requesting swift action on electoral reform. The Liberal MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood, Mitzie Hunter, then introduced the Toronto Ranked Ballots Election Act in March 2014. The bill was passed on the second reading but died prematurely when the Ontario election was called.
Other In the wake of substance abuse allegations against Rob Ford, the possibility of reversing the 1998 amalgamation of Toronto was raised.
Results Ward 1 - Etobicoke North Candidate Name Number of votes % of votes Nomination Date Biography and policies Vincent Crisanti 7,427 46.3127-Jan-14Incumbent of Toronto City Council since 2010. Candidate in the 2003 and 2000 elections, beaten by incumbent Suzan Hall. Campaign issues included transport infrastructure and lowering taxes. Etobicoke resident for 31 years. Endorsed by Rob Ford. Avtar Minhas 3,118 19.4404-Feb-14Small business owner and resident of Etobicoke North for over 14 years. Campaign issues included reducing traffic congestion, improving programs for youth and seniors, and access to affordable housing. Jeff Corbett 1,699 10.5912-Sep-14 Patricia Crooks 942 5.8724-Mar-14Etobicoke North resident of 20 years, works at the Unity Village Family Services Centre. Campaign issues included a pledge to freeze seniors' Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) fares and increasing subsidised childcare options. Idil Burale 878 5.4702-Jan-14Queen's Park political staffer and Toronto resident of more than 25 years. Involved with community organizations, including working with Somali youth through Positive Change Toronto. Campaign issues included support of the proposed Finch Light Rail Transit system. Endorsed by the Toronto Star, Torontoist, Now Magazine and the Toronto & York Region Labour Council. Arsalan Baig 721 4.5002-Jan-14Real estate agent and mortgage broker, resident of 19 years. Campaign issues included upgrading the public transit system and introducing new programs for youth and seniors. Khaliq Mahmood 304 1.9009-Sep-14 Gurinder Patri 269 1.6808-Jan-14Web writer. Campaign issues included supporting a property tax cap, educating business owners about competing in a global market, and incentivising research and development. Akhtar Ayub 196 1.2210-Jul-14Engineer. Campaign issues included lobbying for waiving TTC fares for seniors and improving the reputation of the ward in order to counteract the falling numbers of new businesses and rising insurance prices. Charan Hundal 173 1.0814-Mar-14Realtor, living in Ward 1 since 2010. Campaign issues included transit, jobs, infrastructure and skill development within the community. Christopher Noor 172 1.0719-Feb-14 Dino Caltsoudas 140 0.8728-Aug-14Total 16,039 100
Ward 2 - Etobicoke North Incumbent mayor Rob Ford, ran in Ward 2 after withdrawing from the mayoral election for health reasons. His nephew, Michael Ford, withdrew from the councillor election and was elected as TDSB trustee (and later elected as Ward 2 councillor in a by-election after Rob Ford's death).
Candidate Name Number of votes % of votes Nomination Date Biography and policies Rob Ford 11,629 58.7512-Sep-14Son of former Progressive Conservative MPP Doug Ford Senior, brother of incumbent councillor and mayoral candidate Doug Ford Junior. Incumbent mayor of Toronto (2010–2014), former Toronto city councillor (2000–2010). Campaign issues extended from his mayoral policies and included reducing taxes and "building better communities". Rob Ford died on March 22, 2016, after an 18-month battle with cancer. Luke LaRocque 2,158 10.9014-Apr-14Community activist, organizer, lifelong resident of Etobicoke. Campaign issues included investing in road maintenance and repair, increasing job opportunities with local businesses and creating safer, cleaner public parks. Andray Domise 1,620 8.1822-Apr-14Financial planner, writer and manager. Campaign issues included transit, education and business growth. Endorsed by the Toronto Star, Torontoist, Now Magazine and Toronto & York Region Labour Council. Munira Abukar 1,209 6.1111-Jul-14Born and raised in Etobicoke. Elected to the board of Toronto Community Housing Corporation in 2010. Campaign issues included increasing bus services, building bridges between local youth and police, and pushing Ottawa to invest in a national housing strategy. David Caravaggio 768 3.8802-Jan-14Born and raised in Toronto. Industrial property manager. Campaign issues included fair taxes, job growth and an efficient public transit. Ranjeet Chahal 460 2.3210-Sep-14 Gary Paterson 439 2.2207-Mar-14Etobicoke resident of 50 years. Electrician. Campaign issues included upgrading transport infrastructure, seniors' services, repairing and maintaining existing roads, and replacing streetcars with a subway system. Ataul Malick 316 1.6029-Aug-14 Theo Lagakos 300 1.5201-May-14Campaign issues included upgrading school and community facilities, and developing both long-term and short-term plans for the development of public transit systems. Doug Cronkite 269 1.3611-Sep-14Teacher. Campaign issues included increasing bus services in high-use areas, restoring late-night TTC services, attracting information technology companies to Toronto and building a convention centre at Woodbine to take advantage of its closeness to Pearson Airport. Michelle Garcia 254 1.2829-May-14 Benn Adeoba 171 0.8602-Jan-14Immigrated to Toronto in 1998. Real estate broker. Campaign issues included affordable housing, upgrading transit infrastructure, increasing bus services, youth employment, and lowering taxes. At a candidate debate on October 15, 2014, stated that Etobicoke North residents want a fenced dog park and a constituency office. George Singh 142 0.7222-Jul-14Etobicoke North resident of over 20 years. Campaign issues included privatisation of some TTC maintenance, proposing solar energy as a revenue stream for the city, and increasing investment and events in Ward 2. Edmund Bueno-Bradley 58 0.2922-Jul-14Campaign issues included investing in a technologically integrated city hall, maintaining the current size of Toronto City Council, reducing the land transfer tax and decreasing commute times by upgrading transit infrastructure. Total 19,793 100
Ward 3 - Etobicoke Centre Incumbent Peter Leon did not run (Leon was appointed to replace Doug Holyday in 2014).