The 2014 Toronto mayoral election took place on October 27, 2014. Incumbent MayorRob Ford initially ran for re-election, but dropped out after being diagnosed with a tumour - instead running for city council in Ward 2. Registration of candidates began on January 2, 2014, and ended September 12, 2014, at 2 pm.[1]
At the close of nominations on September 12, 2014, 67 candidates were registered as per the City of Toronto website.[6] Eighteen candidates had withdrawn including incumbent mayor Rob Ford. Two of the candidates who withdrew ended up re-registering and subsequently withdrawing again.
Baskin is a high-school student. She says she thinks she can win by bringing a new voice to municipal politics and vowing to end the divisive politics she says has plagued the city for far too long.[9][10]
Jeff Billard
January 3
Jonathan Bliguin
March 26
Frank Burgess
May 29
Selina Chan
April 28
Chan would like to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana and prostitution in cooperation with provincial and federal authorities, to reduce taxes elsewhere.[11]
Chow was the New Democratic Member of Parliament for Trinity—Spadina from 2006 until March 2014 when she resigned to enter the mayoral race. She had been a Metro Toronto Councillor and then a Toronto City Councillor from 1991 to 2005.
Mark Cidade
January 2
Cidade registered for the 2010 campaign, but withdrew due to undisclosed health reasons.[12]
Campaigned for the Toronto District School Board in 2000 and for Mayor of Toronto in 2003, 2006 and 2010. He moved to Canada from India in 1983 due to what he describes as "political issues". He trained as a lawyer, later worked as a security officer, and was studying to be an investment adviser in 2003. Hossain's first mayoral campaign was highlighted by a promise to provide food and housing for Toronto's unemployed to bring them into the workforce.[15][16] In 2006, he described himself as the "Dealienation Advocate" and said that he would rescue people from "traps" like psychologists and laboratory experimentation.[17]
Charles Huang
January 2
Chinh Huynh
January 2
Robb Johannes
January 6
Johannes is a Toronto-based musician and founding member of the band Paint.[18][19]
Chai Kalevar
August 8
Jon Karsemeyer
February 14
Klim Khomenko
May 1
Steven Lam
June 23
Dewitt Lee
January 6
Diana-De Maxted
January 2
Ran for mayor in 2000 and 2006. The founder of the Society Community Association Network (SCAN), which assists low income people and victims of crime and abuse.[17] She campaigned for mayor in 2000, and for Toronto's 31st council ward in a 2001 by-election. When Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino organized a "meet and greet" for Toronto's gay community in 2001, Maxted presented him with a pair of earrings.[20] She wore a queen's gown, tiara and fairy wings to an all-candidates debate in 2006.[21] Her platform will include advocacy for seniors and disability issues.[22]
Veerayya Kembhavimath
September 12
Gary McBean
July 25
Dave McKay
March 25
Under the stage name Sketchy the Clown, Dave McKay has satirized incumbent mayor Rob Ford.[23]
Matt Mernagh
January 2
Mernagh is an author, medical marijuana user and activist.[24]
Ram Narula
August 15
Michael Nicula
April 2
43-year-old Toronto businessman, founder and leader of the federally registered Party for Accountability, Competency and Transparency. Wants to bring his party's three values to City Hall.[25]
Mohammad Okhovat
September 11
Oweka-Arac Ongwen
August 28
Radu Popescu
January 6
Josh Rachlis
June 9
D!ONNE Renée
August 15
North York resident, describes herself as an entrepreneur. Kicked out of three mayoral debates that she was not invited to.[26]
Carlie Ritch
March 20
Also known as 'Mizz Barbie Bitch' Ritch is a dominatrix who wants to "whip Toronto into shape."[27]
Pat Roberge
September 5
Lee Romanov
June 14
Jim Ruel
July 23
Ashok Sajnani
March 26
A 70-year-old physician, Sajnani was born in India and is a resident of Rosedale, Toronto.[citation needed]
Russell Saunders
March 21
Wally Schwauss
September 8
Withdrew on May 22; re-registered on July 4; withdrew again on August 19, and re-registered again on September 8.
Donovan Searchwell
August 1
Jamie Shannon
June 25
Erwin Sniedzins
April 9
Tibor Steinberger
April 10
Steinberger ran for mayor in 2010, receiving 733 votes.[28]
Sam Surendran
February 19
Himy Syed
July 25
Syed was also a mayoral candidate in 2010. He was the founding editor of Torontowiki.org, former executive director of the Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association and described himself as an "Islamic banker".[29] In 2010, Syed advocated "citizen's rights" as part of his platform.[30]
Rob Ford – the incumbent mayor withdrew on September 12 after being hospitalized with an abdominal tumour and registered to run for city councillor in Ward 2. He endorsed his brother Doug Ford for mayor.[35]
James French – withdrew on September 11
Norm Gardner – former city councillor and Toronto Police Services chair, withdrew on September 4
Happy Happy – withdrew on April 16; re-registered on June 12 and then withdrew again on September 12
Greg Isaacs – withdrew on February 13
Robin Lawrance – withdrew on June 30
Jim McMillan – withdrew on June 30
Waldemar (Wally) Schwauss – withdrew on May 22; re-registered on July 4; withdrew again on August 19, and re-registered again on September 8.
Brent Smyth – withdrew on September 9
David Soknacki – withdrew September 10, saying that his support wasn't growing fast enough and it wouldn't be fair to continue asking volunteers to run an unsuccessful campaign[36]
Karen Stintz – Ward 16 city councillor and former TTC chair withdrew on August 21 without endorsing another candidate.[37]
Richard Underhill – withdrew on September 12 and endorsed Olivia Chow
Declined to runedit
Margaret Atwood, a Canadian author. Member of the Green Party. Got into an altercation with Rob Ford in 2011–2012 over closings of several libraries. Stated she's "not running for mayor yet" and later said she would not run.[39]
Nikki Benz, adult film performer raised in Etobicoke. Announced that she intended to register on National Masturbation Day, May 28, however her expired Ontario driver's licence was not accepted as proof of address and her registration could not be processed.[40]
Shelley Carroll – Councillor for Ward 33 Don Valley East (2003–present), former Chair of the Budget Committee (2006–2010) and former Toronto District School Boardtrustee (2000–2003).[41] Carroll registered her candidacy for re-election as Councillor for Ward 33 on February 21, 2014.
Angela Kennedy, Toronto Catholic School Board Trustee for Ward 11 (2000–present), and former chair of the Board (2009–2010). Stated that she will not run for mayor, as she instead will be seeking the provincial seat of Don Valley East.[42]
Sheldon Levy, President and Vice Chancellor of Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) since 2005, who sparked interest from many when announcing that he was stepping down from that position, after 10 years, in 2015. He consistently denied the rumour that he was running for mayor.[43] Toronto Life magazine calls Levy "The Best Mayor Toronto Never Had".[44]
Denzil Minnan-Wong – Councillor for Ward 34 Don Valley East; first elected to Toronto City Council in 1997. Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, a member of the Executive Committee and a supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Was rumoured[45] to be considering running for mayor; registered to run for his council position on April 24, 2014.[46]
George Smitherman, former MPP for Toronto Centre (1999–2010), Deputy Premier of Ontario (2007–2010), and 2010 mayoral candidate. Endorsed Olivia Chow.[48]
According to Nanos Research opinion poll conducted in July 2014 during the election campaign, the main issues concerning the voters were: public transit, high property taxes, jobs and the local economy and traffic.[50]
Public transitedit
Chow's transit strategy focused on buses under the slogan of "Better bus service. Now." Some of the details included "more comfort and dignity" to bus commuters and adding 10% capacity during peak periods.[51] Rob Ford's plan revolved around subway expansion, building 32 km of subway at an estimated cost of $9 billion.[52] Doug Ford's policy mirrors mayor's pro-subway agenda.[53] Tory presented his SmartTrack plan for transit – a 53-kilometre, 22-stop network that would run on existing commuter rail tracks.[54]
Property taxesedit
Chow proposed a 1% hike on the levy charged to properties sold for over $2 million.[55] Rob Ford promised to keep property taxes "well below" the rate of inflation.[56] Tory pledged to keep property-tax increases within the rate of inflation.[57]
Jobs and economyedit
Chow plans to boost economic opportunities by making Toronto the main trading hub for the Chinese currency in North America and Tory considers the mayor's job to "be the principal sales person and ambassador for the city".[58]
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External linksedit
City of Toronto Elections website
2014 poll-by-poll results for Mayor
2014 Toronto Mayoral Collection – Web archive created by University of Toronto Libraries