No plans to hold mayoral byelection before June: Toronto deputy mayor

Thestar.com
Feb. 23, 2023

Toronto’s deputy mayor says she has no plans to call an early meeting of city council to fast-track the path to a mayoral byelection to replace John Tory.

Jennifer McKelvie told a local radio show Wednesday morning she wants a byelection “done as soon as possible” since residents are “anxious to meet the new mayor”, but city staff need time to prepare for what she says will be the largest byelection held in Canada.

McKelvie assumed some of the mayor’s powers when Tory resigned last week after admitting to having an “inappropriate relationship” with someone who used to work in his office.

But McKelvie says she has no plans to use the power to convene city council before its scheduled meeting on March 29, the next chance for councillors to start the countdown to a mayoral byelection.

If councillors pass a bylaw at that meeting to kickstart the process, a byelection could take place in June or July.

McKelvie says she will listen to the city clerk’s advice on when to hold the vote, while recognizing some of her council colleagues are wary a summer byelection could curtail voter turnout.