Toronto on the Ballot

Short answer: it depends on your most important concerns, as there are a lot of people running. 53 candidates have been certified for the 2026 Toronto mayoral race, including current Mayor Olivia Chow, Councillor for Ward 19 Brad Bradford and former federal cabinet minister Chris Alexander.

Start with reviewing the City's official candidate list. It tells you who is actually on the ballot and links to websites and social media provided by the candidates.

Then look beyond initial campaign Instagram posts and catchy slogans. What are candidates actually proposing? Do they have a plan for such proposals with stakeholders and costing identified? Does the idea fall within the powers the mayor actually holds? Do you see this candidate working for you and your city, or their own interests?

Now while the mayor gets most of the attention, Toronto's municipal election isn't a one-name decision. You'll also be voting for your city councillor, who represents your ward at City Hall. That person can have a huge influence on what happens in your neighbourhood - from development and local roads to parks, transit and community services. Your school board trustee is on the ballot too.

The MyVote Toronto tool is probably the easiest place to figure out exactly who (and what) you'll be voting for. Enter your address and you can find your ward, voting location, candidates and a sample ballot.

Focus on 3-4 issues you actually care about. Maybe it's rent and housing. Maybe it's transit. Maybe it's climate, public safety, nightlife, cycling or the future of your neighbourhood. Then compare what the candidates say about those things.

Build Canada's Toronto election guide is a great resource that collects candidate responses to the same questions, making comparisons easier. From there, move to local news coverage of candidate profiles. Watch debates. Check the numbers behind big claims. If someone promises to build thousands of homes, for example, ask how, where and on what timeline.

Social media can be useful for finding out what candidates are talking about - but it's probably not the place to do all your fact-checking.

Toronto's municipal election is Monday, October 26, 2026, with advance voting taking place now, between October 6-11. Check out the City of Toronto's Fact Sheet for all dates and vote eligibility information.