TORONTO - Leading candidates in Toronto's mayoral race are looking to make an impression on voters in a high-profile debate that's now underway today.
The hour-and-a-half event hosted by CBC comes with advance voting set to run from June 8 to 13, before election day on June 26.
Taking part in the debate today are former NDP parliamentarian Olivia Chow, city councillor Josh Matlow, ex-police chief Mark Saunders, former deputy mayor Ana Bailão, and former Liberal provincial education minister Mitzie Hunter.
Coun. Brad Bradford did not attend after welcoming the birth of his second daughter Monday afternoon.
Previous debates have seen the candidates take aim at frontrunner Chow, who the latest Forum Research poll indicates continues to grow her lead with support from around 38 per cent of decided voters.
The poll suggests Saunders and Matlow are in the second and third spot, while Bailão and Hunter trail with support in the upper single digits.
The CBC says it determined which of the 102 candidates would be included in the debate based on available polling data and criteria such as whether they have a robust platform addressing key issues and community involvement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2023.
