Toronto mayoral candidate nominations now open

The Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square is shown at city hall in Toronto on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler

The race to elect Toronto’s mayor is officially underway.

Candidate nominations opened at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning. Those looking to throw their hat in the ring have until Aug. 21 to do so.

One of the most prominent voices to make his mayoral ambitions known is Coun. Brad Bradford. The Beaches-East York councillor, who has served the ward since 2018, previously ran against Mayor Olivia Chow in the crowded 2023 by-election, but finished eighth.

Chow has not said whether she’ll seek re-election when Toronto voters go to the polls on Oct. 26, but Bradford says it’s time for a fresh start.

“What I’ve seen over the course of her administration is she is managing Torontonians expectations down. She’s asking them to accept less, a lower standard, and pay more for it,” Bradford told CP24 Friday morning, before he heads to City Hall to file his paperwork with the municipal clerk.

Outside of the mayoral race, elections will also be held in October for Toronto city council and trustee positions at school boards in the city. Elections for all of those roles are also happening across Ontario on Oct. 26.