Councillor Stephen Holyday says he’s considering running for mayor of Toronto

Thestar.com
March 8, 2023

City Councillor Stephen Holyday has joined what is shaping up to be a crowded field of people considering a run for mayor to replace John Tory.

Holyday, the Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre councillor first elected in 2014 and likely the most fiscally conservative member of council, said he has heard from “many people” expressing support for a run since Tory’s shock Feb. 17 resignation.

“I am worried that there are no candidates that offer the kind of leadership and resolve we need to improve our City’s deteriorating conditions, who are prepared to make the tough and common sense decisions to make it happen, and who will be outspoken when special interest groups work against achieving it …,” Holyday said in a statement released last Tuesday night.

“I am considering a run for mayor because everyone notices the problems worsening throughout our city and I want to do something about it.”

He cited, as reasons spurring him to consider registering his candidacy for the June 26 byelection, colleagues questioning a reduction in cleaning services for city buildings less full due to people working from home and increased enforcement against fare evasion on the TTC.

City council last month passed a 2023 city budget that, combined with a shortfall from last year’s budget, has spending outpacing pandemic-ravaged revenues by more than $1 billion.

Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie on Monday wrote to the federal and provincial governments repeating past pleas for budget bailouts that have not yet materialized.

Holyday said that if he runs, his platform would include: prioritizing good repair and maintenance of roads, parks and facilities “before we move on to building new things”; holding accountable firms contracting to provide city services including snow clearing; stopping the “squandering of scare resources and public confidence on frills” such as the planned renaming of Dundas Street; and “law and order in our city (that) starts by funding the police, bylaw and transit enforcement.”

Holyday is the son of Doug Holyday, who was a longtime city councillor and pre-amalgamation mayor of Etobicoke.

He joins a field of potential mayoral candidates that includes council colleagues Brad Bradford (Beaches-East York) and Josh Matlow (Toronto-St. Paul’s), former councillor Ana Bailão, former police chief Mark Saunders, Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter, NDP MPP Bhutila Karpoche, urbanist Gil Penalosa and policy analyst Chloe Brown.

In an interview Holyday said he doesn’t have a time frame to decide if he will throw his hat in the ring after registrations open April 3.

“I look forward to more conversations and see the extent to which my message resonates and see if people are interested in joining me -- all of that goes into gauging how successful a campaign would be,” Holyday said.