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Ontario Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter has confirmed to Global News she will officially be tossing her name in for Toronto’s mayoral race. She also said she does not plan on using “strong mayor powers.”
Hunter has represented Scarborough-Guildwood as an MPP since 2013 and was a former education minister.
“I know Toronto needs a champion and I want to be that and I’ve announced today that I am confirming I am running to be the next mayor of Toronto,” Hunter said on Global News Morning on Thursday.
“I bring certainly a lot of experience to bear as a former cabinet minister, having provincial responsibility,” she continued. “I certainly worked at the city scale as well as chief administrative officer for Toronto Community Housing so I know every corner of our city.”
She also said one of her focuses and priorities is making the city affordable “so young people can imagine themselves renting a place, having a place of their own and having a good job here.” She also said TTC safety is on her list of priorities.
Hunter also said if elected she would not use the “strong mayor powers.”
“I believe that local democracy is important,” Hunter said. “Those that are elected to represent their wards need to have a voice in the priorities of our city. Building consensus is important to me so I would not use those strong mayor powers.”
Strong mayor powers were given to Toronto through legislation by the Ford government recently. They give a mayor veto power over bylaws that conflict with provincial priorities such as housing. However, a council could override the mayor’s veto with a two-thirds majority vote.
Hunter would have to resign her provincial seat in order to run municipally.
LISTEN: Mitzie Hunter joins Toronto Today Host Greg Brady on 640 Toronto
She joins a long list of high-profile candidates, such as former police chief Mark Saunders, city councillors Josh Matlow and Brad Bradford, and former city councillors Ana Bailao, Rob Davis and Giorgio Mammoliti.
The official process for filing nomination papers opens April 3.
The byelection for Toronto mayor is set for Monday, June 26.
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