Mayor Olivia Chow recently hinted at uncertainty surrounding her potential run for re-election next year, a prospect that many believe could be a turning point for Toronto. While publicly expressing dedication to her current work – finalizing the budget and accelerating housing construction – a closer look at her policies reveals a concerning trajectory for the city.
A central concern lies in Chow’s ambition to transform the city bureaucracy into a major housing developer. The cautionary tale of Toronto Community Housing serves as a stark warning against such an approach. Expanding the city’s direct involvement in housing development, ownership, and operation carries significant risks and a history of challenges.
The financial burden on Toronto residents has also steadily increased under Chow’s leadership. Her first budget implemented a 9.5% tax hike, following a 6.9% increase the previous year. Over the last four budgets, municipal taxes have cumulatively risen by a staggering 29.5%.
Despite this substantial tax increase, many residents haven’t witnessed a corresponding improvement in essential city services. Streets remain poorly maintained, concerns about transit safety are escalating, and visible signs of urban decay – including public drug use – are increasingly prevalent in parks and public spaces.
The situation in city parks has become particularly alarming, with over 355 homeless encampments established across Toronto. Despite a significant increase in shelter beds – now exceeding 10,000 – the encampments persist, creating unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
A recent motion proposed by Councillor Brad Bradford aimed to address this crisis by mandating the clearing of encampments within 200 metres of playgrounds, schools, and daycares within 48 hours. However, through political maneuvering, Chow and her allies reduced the safety zone to just 50 metres, drastically limiting the scope of the initiative.
This revised motion will only address a mere 5% of the existing encampments near vulnerable locations. The reality within these encampments is deeply troubling, with open drug use and discarded needles posing a direct threat to children, families, and pets. Many residents have been forced to alter their routines to avoid these dangerous areas.
Adding to these concerns, Chow recently moved to dissolve the board of the Toronto Parking Authority, the city’s most profitable and efficiently run agency. This move raises suspicions that she intends to access its revenue and assets, potentially through borrowing against parking lots, under the guise of finding efficiencies.
Her explanation rings hollow, particularly given her reluctance to consider similar restructuring of other successful agencies like the TTC. Despite publicly questioning her own re-election prospects, evidence suggests a well-organized campaign is already underway, orchestrated by her chief of staff and campaign manager.
The preparations indicate a clear intention to seek another term. As October 2026 approaches, Toronto needs a strong, viable candidate prepared to challenge Chow’s policies and steer the city towards a more sustainable and prosperous future. The current path is simply unsustainable.
