Toronto mayoral election front-runner Olivia Chow made her last pitch Thursday night as her campaign hosted the last rally before election day next week.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Concert Hall at Church and Yonge Streets, rallying for the former NDP MP and Toronto city councillor as she continued to boost support from voters.
The rally comes days after former mayor John Tory endorsed Ana Bailão and Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he would vote for Mark Saunders, the two other leading candidates in the race.
The front-runner in the Toronto mayoral election, Olivia Chow, held a rally in The Concert Hall at Church and Yonge in Toronto on Thursday night, June 23, 2023. Photo credit: John Wong
“If Olivia Chow gets in, it’ll be an unmitigated disaster,” Ford said during an announcement in Burlington Wednesday. “Businesses are going to be fleeing Toronto as far as I’m concerned.”
Tory endorsed Bailão on Wednesday through a pre-recorded video released by the campaign, saying his former deputy mayor is a “leader who can deliver on the promise of Toronto.
“That candidate is the best choice to lead this city forward and to bring it together every day as I tried so hard to do, her name is Ana Bailão,” Tory said.
Chow responded saying the two men don’t decide who’s mayor in this by-election, forced after the resignation by Tory after admitting to a tryst with a staffer.
“Already we are seeing powerful people speaking up loudly to protect the status quo,” Chow said. “John Tory and Doug Ford, they don’t get to decide this election.”
Chow said Torontonians have been waiting long enough for a change.
“Your friends, your family, your neighbours have all been told to wait,” she said. “We’ve all been waiting for city hall to put people first. I just couldn’t wait anymore.”
The latest poll shows Chow continuing to be the leading candidate in Monday’s mayoral race which has a ballot of 102 candidates.
The poll surveyed by Mainstreet Research showed support for Chow from decided voters dropped six points to 30 per cent, while former deputy mayor Bailão’s support rose nine points to 22 per cent.
Toronto mayoral candidate Ana Bailão endorsed by former mayor John Tory on Wednesday. She was participating in a debate in Toronto on May 25, 2023. Photo credit: John Wong
The poll also showed Toronto Sun columnist Anthony Furey polled third with 13 per cent, while former police chief Mark Saunders polled fourth with 12 per cent.
Current city councillor Josh Matlow polled fifth with nine per cent, followed by Mitzie Hunter with five per cent support.
The Mainstreet poll surveyed on Thursday among a sample of 1,481 adults who are living in Toronto. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 per cent.