View source for Politics of Toronto

{{Short description|Politics of Canadian city}}
{{Politics of Toronto}}
The '''politics of Toronto''', [[Ontario]], Canada involve the election of representatives to the [[Politics of Canada|federal]], [[Politics of Ontario|provincial]], and [[municipal government|municipal]] levels of government. A total of 25 [[42nd Canadian Parliament|Members of Parliament]] (MPs) representing Toronto sit in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] in [[Ottawa]] (the federal capital), and another 25 [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Members of Ontario's Provincial Parliament]] (MPPs) sit in the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] at [[Queen's Park (Toronto)|Queen's Park]], in Toronto. Being Ontario's capital, many provincial offices are located in the city.

==Overview==
In terms of electoral politics, Toronto had been an important source of support for the federal [[Liberal Party of Canada]] and the provincial [[Ontario Liberal Party]] although the downtown area tends to support the [[New Democratic Party]] (NDP). The federal [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]] and the provincial [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative Party]] have historically been weaker in the city, but some right-leaning Liberals come from Toronto ridings.

In the past, the Liberals usually dominated the inner portions of the city federally, and the outer portions were split between the Liberals and [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservatives]]. However, the Liberals swept every seat in Toronto from [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993]] to [[2004 Canadian federal election|2004]], when former city councillor and NDP leader [[Jack Layton]] won a downtown riding. The NDP won two more seats in 2006 but lost one in 2008. In the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 federal election]], Toronto sent nine Conservative MPs to Ottawa, eight NDP MPs, and six Liberal MPs, the first time that a centre-right party had won seats in Toronto since 1988. However, in [[2015 Canadian federal election|2015]], the Liberals swept every seat in Toronto.

Large parts of Toronto, mainly its outer portions, supported the right-wing government of [[Mike Harris]] during the [[1995 Ontario general election|1995]] and [[1999 Ontario general election|1999 Ontario elections]]. However, largely as a result of amalgamating Metro Toronto municipalities against the wishes of three quarters of voters in a municipal plebiscite, as well as of the downloading of responsibility for costly services onto the city, the Conservatives were shut of Toronto in provincial elections from 2003 to 2013, when they won a byelection.

The businessman and politician [[Mel Lastman]] was the first mayor of the newly-amalgamated City of Toronto and the 62nd mayor of Toronto after he won the [[1997 Toronto municipal election|1997]] and was re-elected in [[2000 Toronto municipal election|2000]].<ref>Biography - Mel Lastman http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=3f274df130113410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=2ad8dddc97703410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD</ref>  The centre-leftist [[David Miller (Canadian politician)|David Miller]] was elected as Toronto's 63rd mayor in December 2003 and was re-elected in November 2006 with nearly 60% of the popular vote with a mandate to make Toronto a city of prosperity, livability, and opportunity for all.<ref>Biography - David Miller http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=1a764df130113410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextfmt=default&vgnextchannel=2ad8dddc97703410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD</ref> Miller declined to run in the following election and a conservative ally, [[Rob Ford]], won the [[2010 Toronto municipal election|2010 election]] handily. Three years later, however, Ford's tumultuous reign and admission to smoking crack, as well as other indiscretions that attracted unwanted international media attention, led City Council to remove many of his powers and much of his office's budget. In the following election, Ford was forced to drop out because of treatment for [[pleomorphic liposarcoma]], a rare form of cancer.<ref>{{cite news|first=Lauren|last=Pelley|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/09/17/rob_fords_diagnosis_what_is_a_pleomorphic_liposarcoma.html|title=Rob Ford's diagnosis: What is a pleomorphic liposarcoma?|date=September 17, 2014|work=Toronto Star|publisher=thestar.com|access-date=March 18, 2016}}</ref> The mayoral election was won by [[John Tory]], a lawyer and a former a talk show host, businessman, Member of Provincial Parliament, and Leader of the Official Opposition at Queen's Park. Among Tory's top priorities are tackling transit and traffic congestion.<ref>Mayor's biography http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=947332d0b6d1e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322143026/https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=947332d0b6d1e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD |date=2016-03-22}}</ref>

The [[City of Toronto Act|Stronger City of Toronto for a Stronger Ontario Act, 2006]] (Bill 53) was enacted by the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]] on June 12, 2006.{{R|"Toronto1"}} The provincial law changed the city's legal powers and responsibilities.{{R|"Toronto2"}}

==Members of Parliament==
Toronto is represented by 25 MPs.

===Members by riding===

{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:100%; width:100%;"
|- valign=bottom

! width="3px" |
! width="180px" | Riding
! width="50px" |Pic
! width="150px" | Name
! width="120px" | Party
! width="342px" | Prior Experience
! width="252px" | Education
! width="50px" | Assumed Office
! width="50px" | Born In

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Beaches—East York (federal electoral district)|Beaches—East York]] ||||[[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith]] || [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] || Lawyer||[[Queen's University at Kingston|Queen's University]] (BA; JD)
[[University of Oxford]] (BCL)
|2015||1984

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Davenport (federal electoral district)|Davenport]] ||||[[Julie Dzerowicz]]
|Liberal ||Director of Strategic Planning and Communications at the [[Bank of Montreal]]
|[[McGill University]] (B.Comm.)
[[University of British Columbia]] (MBA)

[[London Business School]]
|2015||

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Don Valley East (federal electoral district)|Don Valley East]] ||   || [[Michael Coteau]]|| Liberal || Educator & Businessman
| [[Carleton University]]||2021||1972

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Don Valley West (federal electoral district)|Don Valley West]] |||| [[Rob Oliphant]] || Liberal
|[[United Church of Canada|United Church]] minister
CEO of the [[Asthma Society of Canada]]
|[[University of Toronto]] (B.Comm) <br /> [[Vancouver School of Theology]] (M.Div.) <br /> [[Chicago Theological Seminary]] (D.Min.)
|| 2015||1956

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Don Valley North (federal electoral district)|Don Valley North]] || || [[Han Dong (politician)]]|| Liberal || Businessman|| ||2019 ||1977

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Eglinton—Lawrence  (federal electoral district)|Eglinton—Lawrence]] ||||[[Marco Mendicino]] || Liberal ||Lawyer

Adjunct Professor at [[Osgoode Hall Law School]]
|[[Carleton University]] (BA)

[[University of Windsor]] (LL.B.)
|2015||1973

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Etobicoke Centre (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke Centre]] || || [[Yvan Baker]]|| Liberal ||  Management Consultant|| [[Schulich School of Business]] (BBA)

[[Tuck School of Business]] (MBA)

||2019 ||1977

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Etobicoke—Lakeshore (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke—Lakeshore]] ||  || {{sortname|James |Maloney |James Maloney (Canadian politician)}} || Liberal || Lawyer ||[[Bishop's University]] (BA)

[[University of Windsor]] (LL.B.)

[[University of Wales]] (BCL)
| 2015 ||

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Etobicoke North (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke North]] || [[File:Kirsty Duncan in 2019 (cropped).jpg|75px]]  || {{sortname|Kirsty|Duncan}} || Liberal || [[Ontario Medical Association]] || [[University of Edinburgh]] (PhD) ||2008||1966

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Humber River—Black Creek (federal electoral district)|Humber River—Black Creek]] || [[File:Judy Sgro.jpg|75px]]  || {{sortname|Judy|Sgro}} || Liberal || North York City Council <br /> [[Toronto City Council]] <br /> [[Toronto Police Services Board]] || [[University of Toronto]] (BA, JD) ||1999||1944

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Parkdale—High Park (federal electoral district)|Parkdale—High Park]] ||   || {{sortname|Arif|Virani}} || Liberal || Lawyer || [[McGill University]] (BA) || 2015 || 1971

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Scarborough—Agincourt (federal electoral district)|Scarborough—Agincourt]] || || {{sortname|Jean|Yip}} || Liberal || || ||2017||

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Scarborough Centre (federal electoral district)|Scarborough Centre]] ||   || {{sortname|Salma | Zahid}} || Liberal ||  || [[University of London]] (Masters of Educational Management and Administration)
[[Quaid-i-Azam University]] (MBA)
|2011||1966

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Scarborough—Guildwood (federal electoral district)|Scarborough-Guildwood]] || [[File:Hon. John McKay MP.jpg|75px]]  || {{sortname|John|McKay|John McKay (Ontario politician, born 1948)}} || Liberal || [[Canadian Bar Association]] || [[University of Toronto]] (BA) ||1997||1948

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Scarborough North (federal electoral district)|Scarborough North]] ||  || {{sortname|Shaun |Chen |Shaun Chen (politician)}} || Liberal ||  ||  || 2015 || 1980

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Scarborough—Rouge Park (federal electoral district)|Scarborough—Rouge Park]] ||  || {{sortname|Gary | Anandasangaree}} || Liberal || Real Estate Broker and Lawyer || [[Carleton University]] (BA) and Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.B.) || 2015 ||

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Scarborough Southwest (federal electoral district)|Scarborough Southwest]] || || {{sortname|Bill|Blair|Bill Blair (politician)}} || Liberal || Toronto Police Chief || [[University of Toronto]] || 2015 || 1954

|-
| style="background-color:" | || [[Spadina—Fort York (federal electoral district)|Spadina—Fort York]] ||   || [[Kevin Vuong]]||Independent ||
|  ||2021||

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Toronto Centre (federal electoral district)|Toronto Centre]] ||  || {{sortname|Marci|Ien}} || Liberal || Media Personality || [[Ryerson University]] (BA) ||2021||1968

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Toronto—Danforth (federal electoral district)|Toronto—Danforth]] ||  || {{sortname|Julie |Dabrusin}} || Liberal || Lawyer ||  ||2015 ||1971

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}" | || [[Toronto—St. Paul's (federal electoral district)|Toronto—St. Paul's]] || || {{sortname|Don|Stewart|Don Stewart (Ontario politician)}} || [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]] ||Financial Professional|| [[Queen's University at Kingston|Queen's University]] (MBA) ||2024 || Unknown

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[University—Rosedale (federal electoral district)|University—Rosedale]] ||  || {{sortname|Chrystia |Freeland}} || Liberal || [[Ontario Medical Association]] || [[Harvard University]] || 2015 || 1968

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Willowdale (federal electoral district)|Willowdale]] ||   || {{sortname|Ali|Ehsassi}} || Liberal || Lawyer, International Law <br /> Executive of the Ontario Bar Association || [[University of Toronto]] (BA) <br /> [[London School of Economics]] (M.Sc) <br /> [[Osgoode Hall Law School]] (LL.B) <br /> [[Georgetown University]] (LL.M) ||2015||1970

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[York Centre (federal electoral district)|York Centre]] ||   || [[Ya'ara Saks]]|| Liberal ||  former director of Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities|| [[McGill University]]<br>[[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]]||2020||1973

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[York South—Weston (federal electoral district)|York South—Weston]] ||  || {{sortname|Ahmed | Hussen}} || Liberal || National President of the [[Canadian Somali Congress]] || [[York University]]<br />[[University of Ottawa]] ||2015 ||1976

|-
|}

==Members of Provincial Parliament==
Toronto is represented by 25 MPPs.

===Members by riding===

{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:100%; width:100%;"
|- valign=bottom

! width="3px" |
! width="180px" | Riding
! width="50px" |
! width="150px" | Name
! width="120px" | Party
! width="342px" | Prior Experience
! width="252px" | Education
! width="50px" | Assumed Office
! width="50px" | Born In

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Beaches—East York (provincial electoral district)|Beaches—East York]] ||   || {{sortname|Mary-Margaret|McMahon|}} || Liberal ||
Community Animator

Toronto City Councillor
for Ward 32 Beaches-East York
| [[Carleton University]] (BA)||2025||1966
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}" | || [[Davenport (provincial electoral district)|Davenport]] ||   || {{sortname|Marit|Stiles}} || NDP ||Non-profit director

Trustee for the [[Toronto District School Board]]

President of the federal [[New Democratic Party]]
|  ||2018||1969
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Don Valley East (provincial electoral district)|Don Valley East]] |||| {{sortname|Adil|Shamji}} || [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal]] || Emergency Physician || [[University of Western Ontario]] (BMSc)
[[University of Toronto]] (MD)

[[University of Oxford]] (MPP)
||2022||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Don Valley West (provincial electoral district)|Don Valley West]] ||  || {{sortname|Stephanie|Bowman}} || Liberal || Accountant
Bank executive 

Member of the board of the Bank of Canada

Senior executive at Scotiabank

Partner at Ernst & Young
| [[University of Western Ontario]] (BA)||2022||

|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Don Valley North (provincial electoral district)|Don Valley North]] ||  || {{sortname|Jonathan|Tsao}} || Liberal ||Senior political advisor in the Government of Ontario

Director of the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care

Toronto City Councillor for Ward 33 Don Valley East

Member of the board of management for the Toronto Zoo
| 	[[University of Toronto]] (MS)
[[London School of Economics]] (MSc) 
|2025 || 1987
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[Eglinton—Lawrence (provincial electoral district)|Eglinton—Lawrence]] ||   || [[Michelle Cooper (politician)|Michelle Cooper]] || Progressive Conservative ||Executive director of the PC Ontario Fund
|[[York University]] (BA) (MA)
|2025||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[Etobicoke Centre (provincial electoral district)|Etobicoke Centre]] ||   || {{sortname|Kinga|Surma}} || Progressive Conservative || [[Toronto City Council]] ||  ||2018||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Etobicoke—Lakeshore (provincial electoral district)|Etobicoke—Lakeshore]] ||   || {{sortname|Lee|Fairclough}} || Liberal ||President of St. Mary's General Hospital, Kitchener

Senior vice-president of clinical care at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health 

|University of Toronto
|2025||1973
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[Etobicoke North (provincial electoral district)|Etobicoke North]] || [[File:Doug Ford in Toronto - 2018 (41065995960) (cropped).jpg|75px]] || {{sortname|Doug|Ford}} || Progressive Conservative ||  Toronto City Council || ||2018||1964
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}" | || [[Humber River—Black Creek (provincial electoral district)|Humber River—Black Creek]] ||   || {{sortname|Tom|Rakocevic|}} || NDP ||Executive Assistant to [[Anthony Perruzza]]
|  ||2018||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}" | || [[Parkdale—High Park (provincial electoral district)|Parkdale—High Park]] ||  || {{sortname|Alexa|Gilmour}} || NDP ||Minister at Windermere United Church
|University of Toronto
|2025||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[Scarborough—Agincourt (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough—Agincourt]] ||   || {{sortname|Aris|Babikian}} || Progressive Conservative ||Citizenship Judge
|  ||2018||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[Scarborough Centre (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough Centre]] ||  || [[David Smith (Toronto politician)|David Smith]]|| Progressive Conservative || Toronto Public School Trustee for Ward 19/17 Scarborough Centre||  ||2022||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Scarborough—Guildwood (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough—Guildwood]] ||   || [[Andrea Hazell]] || Liberal ||Founder of Winspire National Women’s Network Foundation
President and chair of the Scarborough Business Association

Chair of the Caribbean Philanthropic Council
|[[Seneca Polytechnic]]
|2023||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[Scarborough North (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough North]] ||   || {{sortname|Raymond|Cho|Raymond Cho (politician)}} || Progressive Conservative || Social Worker
Toronto City Council

Chairman of the [[Toronto Zoo]]
|[[University of Toronto]] (MSW, PhD)
|2016||1936
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[Scarborough—Rouge Park (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough—Rouge Park]] ||   || {{sortname|Vijay|Thanigasalam}} || Progressive Conservative ||Financial Advisor
|  ||2018||1989
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}" | || [[Scarborough Southwest (provincial electoral district)|Scarborough Southwest]] ||   || {{sortname|Doly|Begum|}} || NDP ||Co-Chair of the [[Scarborough and Rouge Hospital|Scarborough Health Coalition]]

Vice-Chair of [[Community centre|Warden Woods Community Centre]]

Research Analyst
|[[University of Toronto]] (BA)

[[University College London]] (Master of Development, Administration & Planning)
|2018||1989
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}" | || [[Spadina—Fort York (provincial electoral district)|Spadina—Fort York]] ||   || {{sortname|Chris|Glover|}} || NDP ||Adjunct Professor at [[York University]]
|  ||2018||1961
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}" | || [[Toronto Centre (provincial electoral district)|Toronto Centre]] ||   || {{sortname| Kristyn|Wong-Tam|}} || NDP || Toronto City Councillor for Ward 27 Toronto Centre-Rosedale

Toronto City Councillor for Ward 13 Toronto Centre
|
|2022||1971
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}" | || [[Toronto—Danforth (provincial electoral district)|Toronto—Danforth]] ||  [[File:Peter Tabuns.jpg|75px]] || {{sortname|Peter|Tabuns|}} || NDP || Toronto City Council ||  [[York University]] (BA) ||2006||1951
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal}}" | || [[Toronto—St. Paul's (provincial electoral district)|Toronto—St. Paul's]] ||   || {{sortname|Stephanie|Smyth}} || Liberal ||Broadcast journalist

Communications consultant
|  ||2025||1964
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP}}" | || [[University—Rosedale (provincial electoral district)|University—Rosedale]] ||   ||[[Jessica Bell (politician)|Jessica Bell]]|| NDP ||Community Organizer

Lecturer at [[Ryerson University]]

Director of the [[California|California Food & Justice Coalition]]

Activist

Executive Director of [[TTCriders]]
|  ||2018||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[Willowdale (provincial electoral district)|Willowdale]] ||   || {{sortname|Stan|Cho}} || Progressive Conservative ||Real Estate broker

Auditor
|  ||2018||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[York Centre (provincial electoral district)|York Centre]] ||  || {{sortname|Michael|Kerzner}} || Progressive Conservative || Bioscience and technology entrepreneur
|[[York University]] (BA)
|2022||
|-
| style="background-color:{{Canadian party colour|ON|PC}}" | || [[York South—Weston (provincial electoral district)|York South—Weston]] ||   || {{sortname|Mohamed|Firin}} || Progressive Conservative ||Community opportunities advocate

Special Advisor to the Premier of Ontario
|  ||2025||
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[Common Sense Revolution#Bill 103|Bill 103]]
* [[Metro Toronto]]

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Toronto1">[http://www.toronto.ca/committees/pdf/torontoact.pdf Text of the act]</ref>

<ref name="Toronto2">[http://www.toronto.ca/david_miller/summaryact.htm Background on the City of Toronto Act]</ref>
}}

{{Toronto Government}}
{{Toronto}}
{{Metro Toronto Government}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics Of Toronto}}
[[Category:Politics of Toronto| ]]