Olivia Chow gets elected as Toronto’s new mayor
Toronto/IBNS: Former city councillor and member of parliament Olivia Chow was declared the winner of the mayoral election in Toronto on Monday night after dominating in the polls.
Chow will be Toronto's first progressive mayor since David Miller, the third woman and first racialized person to serve as mayor in the city's history.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for July 19.
Promises made by Chow during the election campaign signifies policy shift from including pledging to reverse TTC cuts put in place by previous administration and freezing fares to help increase ridership, create a public builder to help get shovels in the ground on more affordable housing, and tear down the eastern leg of the Gardiner Expressway and create a boulevard between it and the Don Valley Parkway.
To compensate for expensive plans at a time the city is facing a budget shortfall of at least $1 billion, Chow would reportedly introduce a "modest" property tax increase and many voters reportedly trusted her on that.
Chow has also promised to not use the "strong mayor" powers granted by Ford's government meaning any tax hike will need council support.
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
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