The six leading candidates for Toronto mayor faced off Thursday as they tried to address affordability, economy, and local safety in another debate.
And it got heated at some moments, including when five by-election candidates turned their ire on former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders.
The debate, organized by the Toronto Region Board of Trade and TVO Today Live, was held at the University of Toronto St. George, where candidates also discussed their plans for affordable housing and economic prospects for the city.
The debate featured leading mayoral candidates, including Olivia Chow, Ana Bailão, Josh Matlow, Mitzie Hunter, Brad Bradford and Saunders.
This was the fourth debate the mayoral candidates had within two days.
The atmosphere got heated during the debate as candidates tried to fire shots at each other on their plans to resolve various issues facing the city.
Candidates criticized Saunders for his performance as Toronto’s police chief from 2015 to 2020 and his close friendships with Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
“It’s funny being schooled about policing by anybody on this podium,” Saunders said.
He fired back by defending his plan to deploy more special constables on the TTC.
“It will be able to execute quick, making sure they are visible,” Saunders said. “I can’t take (the other candidates) seriously when they talk about community safety.”
Brad Bradford, however, said Saunders had lost support among the rank-and-file when he was chief.
“I can’t take Mark Saunders seriously when 86 per cent of frontline police officers voted non-confidence in his track record as a failed police chief,” he said, responding to Saunders’s “best plan” to ensure transit safety.
On the left, Toronto mayoral candidate Mark Saunders speaks in the debate held at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto on May 25, 2023. Photo credit: John Wong
Bailão also fired shots at Saunders, saying she believes Toronto Police need to be strengthened in training and financially supported.
“I believe we don’t need police officers with machine guns in our subways,” Bailão said. “I believe in a well-funded and well-trained police force that is available to deal with crime.”
Bradford also turned on Chow and Matlow for their plans to flatten the eastern part of Gardiner Expressway to release lands for housing supply rather than of rebuilding it as the city council approved seven years ago.
“The project will be more costly five years from now,” Bradford said. “You would also take an elevated expressway, and slam it through the middle of the neighbourhood. That’s not the right thing to do.”
Matlow said his “real-costed, deliverable” housing plan by taking down the expressway to release lands could ensure supply while the city faced significant budget pressures.
Bailão said increasing affordable housing needs to bring different sectors, and levels of government together to build supply and touted her records on achieving these goals.
“You can’t tax your way out of housing,” Bailão said. “You need the private sector, the non-profit sector, the three (levels) of government to build the supply of affordable and supported housing.”
Chow, the leading candidate in the polls, was also criticized for her plan to increase property taxes on expensive homes to gain funds for increasing affordable house supply, transit and school programs.
“You are in the seat, it’s all about taxes, we already know that,” Saunders said. “But you won’t talk about that, because we all know where you gonna go.”
Hunter also put forth a plan to build affordable rental units for families, reversing TTC fare hikes and cuts, and creating a new transit system through a six per cent increase on property tax.
“The city can be the builder, the city can be the owner, and we can make sure people have access to those units,” Hunter said.
The mayoral by-election will be on June 26, 2023, with only a month left for the candidates to campaign before Torontonians cast their ballot for the next mayor.