Brad Bradford unveiled a plan to visit all 25 of Toronto’s municipal wards as the final week of the mayoral campaign got underway on Monday while Olivia Chow campaigned in Scarborough, telling reporters that voters faced a “simple choice” to “make life more affordable” or risk going “backwards.”
Both Bradford and Chow had campaign appearances on Monday, morning though both largely reiterated previously announced promises.
Bradford spoke about public safety, congestion and affordability while Chow focused her message around issues that she said directly impact Scarborough voters.
“For too long Scarborough was told to wait, to wait for better transit, to wait for investment, to wait for your turn. Well not anymore. Scarborough’s turn is right now,” Chow said.
Here is everything they said:
Bradford says that if elected on Oct. 26 his first meeting as mayor-elect would be with Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw.
"I haven't told him that yet but that would be the first meeting I would have on Oct. 27 and we are going to talk about how we can work together to make the city safer, what resources are needed for Toronto police to be able to do that," he says.
"I haven't told him that yet but that would be the first meeting I would have on Oct. 27 and we are going to talk about how we can work together to make the city safer, what resources are needed for Toronto police to be able to do that," he says.
Bradford says that he believes this election is about "crime, congestion and cost," calling it the "three C's."
"Those are the things that are going to motivate people to the ballot box and those are the different buckets that we put our policy proposals through," he says.
"Those are the things that are going to motivate people to the ballot box and those are the different buckets that we put our policy proposals through," he says.
Bradford is slamming mayoral opponent Olivia Chow, accusing her of "putting nothing forward in this campaign."
"No ambition, no vision, no plan behind it. She may as well stand in front of a banner that says mission accomplished," he says.
"No ambition, no vision, no plan behind it. She may as well stand in front of a banner that says mission accomplished," he says.
Bradford is highlighting a number of previous campaign announcements geared towards improving public safety, including a plan to hire 1,000 more frontline officers and to personally sit on the Toronto Police Services Board.
"Right now people in Toronto don't feel safe," he says. "They are not imagining it either, the data doesn't lie."
"Right now people in Toronto don't feel safe," he says. "They are not imagining it either, the data doesn't lie."
Bradford says he will be visiting all 25 wards in Toronto over the final week of the campaign.
"Every ward, every corner of this city. From Etobicoke, to Scarborough, from the waterfront all the way up to Steeles (Avenue) because this comeback belongs to everybody in every neighbourhood, not just the ones that can walk to city hall," Bradford says.
"Every ward, every corner of this city. From Etobicoke, to Scarborough, from the waterfront all the way up to Steeles (Avenue) because this comeback belongs to everybody in every neighbourhood, not just the ones that can walk to city hall," Bradford says.
Brad Bradford is making an announcement at Riverdale Park East on Monday as he continues his campaign. Bradford says he wants to spend the final seven days of the campaign "talking about Toronto's comeback."
"The campaign was never about the past three-and-a-half years, it is about the next four, it is about the next decade, the next chapter, it is about the future of this city," he says.
"The campaign was never about the past three-and-a-half years, it is about the next four, it is about the next decade, the next chapter, it is about the future of this city," he says.
Chow says her strategy for the final week of the campaign is to "talk about how we have worked together to make life more affordable" in Toronto.
"It is talking about the forward momentum we have and saying no to the era or the time where TTC services were cut - it was not that long ago, it was only 2023 where the services were cut and the fares were raised and that is not what Torontonians want. They want to make life more affordable," she says.
"It is talking about the forward momentum we have and saying no to the era or the time where TTC services were cut - it was not that long ago, it was only 2023 where the services were cut and the fares were raised and that is not what Torontonians want. They want to make life more affordable," she says.
Chow says that “it is time” to invest in Scarborough but “talk is cheap.”
She says that she believes she has “delivered for Scarborough” as mayor by helping to see through the construction of the recently completed Scarborough busway.
“I have delivered and I will continue to deliver for Scarborough,” she says.
Chow says that the Oct. 26 election is a “simple choice.”
“Do we choose to move forward together? To make life more affordable for our city or do we go backwards? Backwards with cuts to the TTC and libraries. Do we put our progress at risk and stop moving forward? I don’t want that and I don’t believe Scarborough wants that either,” Chow says.
Chow is continuing to highlight a number of previously announced campaign promises during her Scarborough appearance, including a weekly cap that would see TTC fares waived after 10 paid rides each week.
Chow says that $24 million in design work is already underway on the Scarborough East LRT and $400 million has been put aside for the project, which remains unfunded by the provincial and federal governments.
“We are ready to build it,” Chow says.
Olivia Chow is making an announcement in Scarborough this morning. Chow says that Scarborough is “the engine of our city” but the issues impacting the quality of life in the borough were neglected by past mayors.
“For too long Scarborough was told to wait, to wait for better transit, to wait for investment, to wait for your turn. Well not anymore. Scarborough’s turn is right now,” Chow says.
