Doug Ford has made a public apology to Toronto police Chief Bill Blair less than 48 hours after the councillor was slapped with a defamation notice for accusing the chief of leaking information to the media.

“There was an apparent leak. There were only three or four people who knew about this and in saying that, I’m going to take the high road on this. So I want to make a public apology to the chief for any comments the chief feels have impugned his reputation," Ford told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

“I am going to fully retract my comments.”

At the beginning of August, The Toronto Star reported that a subpoena would be issued to the mayor in relation to the trial of Alexander “Sandro” Lisi, the mayor's former friend who is accused of threatening two alleged gang members in an attempt to retrieve the mayor's infamous crack video.

Doug Ford claimed the information on the subpoena was leaked to the media from within the police force as “payback” and said the incident was proof that the city needs a "change at the top."

Ford told reporters Wednesday that the decision to apologize was “not about money.”

“Our lawyers have told me very clearly this is going to be going nowhere and with minimal, minimal damages,” he said. “I want to move forward with the business of the city.”

Toronto police spokesperson Mark Pugash said Ford was told to send the apology to Blair in writing for his lawyers to review before going to the public with it. That, according to Pugash, has not yet happened.

Ford said that his lawyers are currently drafting that statement, which will be sent to Blair's lawyers.

"I want to put this behind us. I called the chief personally. I apologized to the chief personally," Ford told CP24's Stephen LeDrew. 

When asked if he would have apologized without the threat of a lawsuit, Ford referenced a previous interview with a Toronto newspaper.

"I think I did kind of half and half with the Toronto Sun," he said.

"In my opinion it wasn’t worth the battle... That is the reason I am apologizing." 

Ford said it is now up to the police chief to decide whether to go forward with the defamation suit.