Toronto city councillor gets Tory nomination in provincial byelection

Long-time city councillor and former school board trustee Gary Crawford will run for the Ontario PC Party when the Scarborough-Guildwood byelection is called.

thestar.com
May 24, 2023

Long-time city councillor and former school board trustee Gary Crawford will run for the Ontario PC Party when the Scarborough-Guildwood byelection is called.

The seat is vacant after Mitzie Hunter --- a long-time MPP and former education minister --- resigned, as required, to run in Toronto’s June 26 mayoral election.

While a byelection date has not been set, that announcement is expected to happen as early as Wednesday --- meaning the vote would be slated for June 22, or four days before the mayoral election.

Crawford was spotted last week at Queen’s Park, meeting with MPPs in caucus.

“I’m humbled and honoured to be chosen as the Ontario PC candidate for Scarborough-Guildwood,” Crawford said in a written statement. “I am deeply committed to serving the people of this community and ready to be their voice at the provincial level.”

Crawford is currently the city councillor for Scarborough Southwest, where he was elected for a fourth term last fall after serving as a Toronto District School Board trustee for almost two terms.

He was closely aligned with former Toronto mayor John Tory, serving as his trusted budget chief, and also with Premier Doug Ford and his late brother Rob when they were on city council.

Scarborough-Guildwood is the riding immediately east of Scarborough Southwest.

The Liberals and NDP have not yet named candidates.

Beaches-East York MP Nate Erskine-Smith said last month that he was considering it, but has since said his focus is on winning the provincial Liberal leadership and rebuilding the party.

Jason Wagar, director of communications for the Ontario NDP caucus, said there is “a lot of interest from folks interested in seeking the nomination in Scarborough-Guildwood. The party and riding association don’t have a nomination date set just yet.”

He noted that the NDP will nominate a candidate in Kitchener Centre on June 6 --- current MPP Laura Mae Lindo announced in January that she’d be stepping down in July --- and just last week nominated Melissa Coenraad for Kanata-Carleton.

That Ottawa-area seat was vacated by former minister of children, community and social services Merrilee Fullerton who resigned in March for personal reasons. Ford has yet to call that byelection.