Torontonians have elected Olivia Chow as their new mayor, making her the 66th mayor of Canada’s largest city.
Chow will become the first female mayor of Toronto since amalgamation and only the third woman in the city’s history, as well as the first visible minority person to lead the city since amalgamation.
Rick Sin, a professor at York University at the social work department, spoke to OMNI News on Tuesday about Chow’s historical win.
“This demonstrates the public’s acceptance of ethnic minority backgrounds, such as being an immigrant or a woman,” Sin said.
“In the realm of political reality, it’s important to consider whether the elected individual can truly deliver on their promises. This raises the question of whether the performance of a candidate like Chow can garner recognition and support from Toronto as a city for women and minority immigrants.”
After a close call, Chow won over Ana Bailão, who was endorsed by former Toronto mayor, John Tory. Bailão was leading in early results before Chow took the lead with over 37 per cent of the vote.
Tory, who was only a few months into his third term, admitted to having an affair with a staffer and resigned shortly after, making this the second mayoral election for Toronto since October.
This year, a record-breaking 102 candidates were running to replace Tory, with roughly a half-dozen names rising to the top throughout the 12-week campaign.
You can learn more about the ward-by-ward results on CityNews.
With files from CityNews
