Toronto Mayoral Election - vote on June 26!

Posted on
June 16, 2023

A crucial election is upon us in the City of Toronto. Please make sure to read up on the candidates' platforms before you vote! Do they support the arts, affordability, and other policies that affect Toronto's working class of musicians, artists and culture workers? More importantly, if they are or were city councillors, did they vote in favour of policies that support the arts, or did they vote in favour of developers and corporate interests?

Here's a rundown of some key platform points, but we also suggest you check out some of the following links to help inform your vote!

Find out where you can vote: https://vote.progresstoronto.ca/
City Hall's Least Wanted: https://www.progresstoronto.ca/city-halls-least-wa...
Progress Toronto: https://www.progresstoronto.ca/

PLATFORM POINTS

Darren Atkinson 

  • Affordable apartment plan using existing dwellings to create affordable housing with micro loans 
  • Preserve existing affordable housing through conditional demolition and building permit control 
  • Restore traffic movement by redefining the TTC footprint on roads 
  • Revive live music in Toronto and make this city a music capital as Nashville is to the US https://damayor.ca/9-for-the-6ix-platform

Chloe Brown 

  • Create a new municipal housing authority to improve low-income residents’ housing conditions, build affordable units, and a landlord-tenant database 
  • Improving safety on TTC – mobile crisis professionals and paramedics to TTC stations and more accessible mental health services 
  • Food security – addressing rising cost of food by fostering urban farming and food entrepreneurship https://chloebrown.ca/

Celina Caesar-Chavannes 

  • Transit plan- community driven mental health supports, investment in TTC staffing, cell service on subway, fare equity for transit-poor communities https://www.celinaformayorto.com/

Olivia Chow 

  • Make Toronto more affordable 
  • Renter-focused housing affordability plan including an annual $100 million investment in buying rental apartment buildings and transferring ownership to non-profit owners; build more rent-controlled units; create 1,000 new rent supplements to help people secure housing https://www.oliviachow.ca/

Mitzie Hunter 

  • TTC Safety plan – social workers to support people in crisis, improved subway safety with platform screen doors 
  • Reduce homelessness with 400 new shelters and 2,000 supportive housing units https://www.mitzieformayor.ca/

Josh Matlow 

  • Will invest in Toronto’s thriving arts and culture sector with his Culture, Creativity + Community Plan. This includes: • advocating for a federal basic income guarantee for gig workers 
  • Increase the city’s per capita spending by 2% annually on arts and culture 
  • Remove unreasonable restrictions on street performers and musicians to support local artists and create more vibrant, fun, and engaging public spaces https://www.votematlow.ca/arts-and-culture

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