Olivia Chow Wins Toronto Again as Progressive Momentum Holds
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Olivia Chow defeated Brad Bradford to secure a second term as Toronto’s mayor, while advance voting surged sharply and progressive candidates saw broader success across the city.
Olivia Chow was declared the winner of Toronto's mayoral race on Monday night, defeating challenger Brad Bradford and earning another term at the city's top office. The result was announced at her campaign headquarters on Queen Street West, where supporters greeted the outcome with celebration and relief.
"Tonight, the people of Toronto have spoken," Chow said in her victory speech, adding that voters had given her "the extraordinary honour of continuing to serve as your mayor."
Chow thanked all candidates in the race and described the election as "hard-fought," emphasizing her gratitude and humility. She pointed to key platform commitments that reflect a practical, people-first agenda, including a fare cap for the TTC, free school lunches and stronger support for renters.
Brad Bradford, speaking from his campaign headquarters at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, congratulated Chow and expressed confidence in her leadership, saying the city’s residents "love this city."
Advance voting turnout rose by nearly 72 percent compared with the 2023 byelection, with more than 222,000 ballots cast between Oct. 6 and Oct. 11, according to the city's website. The election also marked a broader win for progressive candidates across Toronto's municipal contests, underscoring the strength of a more inclusive civic direction.
Chow, who first entered municipal politics as a school board trustee in 1985 and later served as a city councillor and federal MP, becomes the first racialized person and the third woman to hold the mayoralty in the city's history.