Ontario municipal elections: seven cities head to the polls amid housing stress, infrastructure gaps and tight mayoral races
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Ontario voters are casting ballots Monday for more than 6,600 candidates across mayoral and local races, with contests in Toronto, Ottawa and other cities shaped by affordability pressures, homelessness and strained public services.
Monday marks municipal election day across Ontario, with polling stations open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and voting-location information posted on each municipality’s website. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario says more than 11.8 million residents are eligible to vote, and about 6,663 candidates are competing for 2,800 seats, including mayor, city councillor and school board trustee positions.
In Toronto, the mayoral contest pits incumbent Olivia Chow, elected in 2023, against city councillor Brad Bradford. A Liaison Strategies poll released last week showed Bradford ahead with 49% support and Chow at 47% among decided and leaning voters, within a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points.
Ottawa’s race is close as well, with incumbent Mark Sutcliffe holding a single-digit lead over three-term councillor Jeff Leiper. A Quorus Consulting Group survey gave Sutcliffe 28% support and Leiper 24%, with an estimated margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points.
Thunder Bay voters will choose from ten mayoral candidates to replace outgoing Mayor Ken Boshcoff, who is not seeking re-election. The city faces a $30.6 million annual infrastructure deficit, and an informal CBC survey identified homelessness and public safety as top resident concerns.
In Oshawa, nine candidates, including three sitting councillors, are seeking to succeed Mayor Dan Carter, who is also stepping down. Homelessness has emerged as a major campaign issue, reflecting the city’s status as having the highest homeless population in the Durham Region.
Mississauga’s mayoral field includes incumbent Carolyn Parrish, former mayor Bonnie Crombie and city councillors Alvin Tedjo and Dipika Damerla. A recent poll placed Crombie in the lead with 35% support, followed by Tedjo at 31% and Parrish at 28%.
Hamilton’s incumbent Andrea Horwath is running for re-election against 12 challengers, among them community organizers, city councillor Rob Cooper and former Hamilton Chamber of Commerce president Keanin Loomis.
Cambridge voters will decide among six candidates, including incumbent Jan Liggett and councillor Scott Hamilton, for the city’s top post.
Advance voting has been strong in several municipalities, with Mississauga reporting a 57% increase in early ballots compared with 2022, and Hamilton surpassing its previous year’s advance-vote total.