Olivia Chow made history by becoming the first Chinese-Canadian to be voted on Monday, June 26, as mayor of Toronto, Canada's largest city. Chow campaigned on a platform of helping tenants, advocating for social concerns, and limiting the mayor's broad authority.
In her acceptance speech, Chow promised her supporters: "I would dedicate myself to work tirelessly in building a city that is more caring, affordable, and safe, where everyone belongs."
Defeating 101 Other Candidates
There were a whopping 102 contenders in Monday night's byelection, but as of 10:30 PM local time, Global News had declared Chow triumphant with more than 268,600 votes.
Former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders, current city councilors Josh Matlow and Brad Bradford, former Liberal provincial education minister Mitzie Hunter, and right-wing columnist Anthony Furey were among the other notable contenders the 66-year-old beat.
Chow's campaign relied heavily on the connections made by her late husband, former New Democratic Party (NDP) and federal opposition leader Jack Layton, and on her credentials as a former member of parliament in Ottawa and as a Toronto city councilor, making her an influential figure in the realm of progressive politics.
According to Reuters, Chow will be the city's first female mayor since Barbara Hall in 1997. In her last bid for mayor in 2014, she finished in third place.
She was elected mayor in October following the departure of John Tory, a conservative who had just won a third term as mayor. The married Tory resigned in February after admitting he had an affair with an employee.
Pledges to Canada's Largest City
Shortly after her election, Olivia Chow pledged to make affordable housing her top priority as mayor of Canada's largest city. Chow will take office in less than two weeks, as reported by CBC.
"I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve," Chow said on June 27, the Tuesday's episode of CBC Radio's Metro Morning. "I proposed to get sworn in two weeks because I want to get started."
When asked what her first order of business would be, Chow said that she aims to prioritize approving proposals for affordable housing. She hopes to collaborate with the deputy mayor and other council members to speed up the approval process.
To combat increasing leases, she has also promised to construct 25,000 rent-controlled housing within eight years.
The growing cost of living and the rise in violent assaults on public transportation have prompted requests for more police presence in Canada's financial capital. Chow will have to address that.
She had previously told CBC News that she intended for her mayoral term to be "people-centered" and to prioritize the restoration of essential services.
