Toronto to hold an election for Mayor and city council

Toronto will conduct a mayoral and municipal council election. On October 24, Toronto's municipal election is open to new Canadian citizens. This year's municipal election in Toronto will take place on October 24.

The municipal (city) government is responsible for items like real estate taxes, public transportation, open areas like parks, and rubbish collection. The level of governance closest to ordinary life is this one.

The results of this election will determine the mayor and the city council representatives for each ward (neighborhood). There are 31 people vying to be mayor.

John Tory, the incumbent mayor, has been in office for eight years and is running for a third. Gil Penalosa, the most famous rival campaigning against him, is a former city planner who arrived in Canada 23 years from Columbia.

Canada's largest city, Toronto, has the highest percentage of immigrants in the nation. In fact, more than half of Toronto's population is non-Canadian, and they have formed thriving communities all around the city and its environs.

There are various ongoing discussions that may have a big impact on the lives of all Torontonians as well as recent immigrants to Canada, even if the major contenders haven't officially mentioned immigrants and immigration as part of their platforms.

Public transportation and affordable housing are major problems. Public transportation, affordable housing, supporting small businesses, and the current labor shortage are the election's top priorities.

In Toronto, a house costs over $1 million on average. Some Toronto residents are forced to relocate since there isn't enough cheap housing in the city, making it impossible for them to rent or buy a property there.

Public transportation efficiency and affordability have also emerged as prominent concerns, with several candidates advocating for free or significantly reduced fares for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).

There is also a great deal of opposition to many of the present proposals to expand the subway system. Some people support an underground subway system, while others prefer above-ground light rail in underserved areas of the city that frequently have large immigrant populations. 

Implementation of any plan is frequently delayed because a transit plan for a metropolis the size of Toronto also needs funds from the provincial and federal governments.

Newcomer Approach

Toronto is experiencing a labor shortage, just like the rest of Canada, as the baby boomer population approaches retirement age and the birthrate remains low. Toronto's economy primarily depends on the many immigrants who choose to reside there. 

The number of new permanent residents who were able to settle in Toronto decreased significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, there were 117,700 new permanent residents who arrived in 2019. It was 61,045 in 2020, virtually a 50% decline.

To that end, the city unveiled an updated Immigrants Settlement Strategy in May 2021 with the intention of assisting newcomers, irrespective of immigration status, in integrating and settling in Toronto.

The original policy was adopted in 2013, but in the eight years since then, a significant influx of refugees as well as the COVID-19 pandemic have made it clear that it is time for reform.

Toronto Newcomer Day, the Newcomer Services Kiosk Program, the Refugee Resettlement Program, and the Access to City Services for Undocumented Torontonians were all made possible under the 2013 plan (Access T.O.). Anyone using a city service in Toronto will not be required to provide identification as part of Access TO. This includes any medical services, childcare, emergency services, or food banks the city offers.

The updated strategy aims to put more of an emphasis on employee retraining, raise awareness of Access TO, and work with stakeholders to address systemic problems with Canada's immigration system that have an effect on immigrants in Toronto.

Are you able to eligible to vote?

In order to cast your ballot in the election, you must be:

- a citizen of Canada; and

- minimum age of 18; and

- someone who resides in Toronto; or

- if you're not a Toronto resident but you or your spouse buy or rent the property there;

- not be barred from voting by any legal provisions.

- Explicit expectations for voting

- You must bring your voter card and a form of identification bearing your name and address on election day. 

All votes are anonymous, but verifying your identity and address, makes sure you're casting your one and only ballot in the area where you live. Step behind a cardboard screen, complete your ballot according to the directions, and hand it to an election official.

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