The race to become Toronto's next mayor has one fewer contender. Former Conservative Member of Parliament Chris Alexander has dropped out, according to reports this week, stepping aside as the campaign enters its decisive final stretch with early voting now open across the city.
Alexander's exit reshuffles a race that has remained unusually fluid. His departure leaves the remaining candidates — including Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford — pitching their plans to voters on homelessness, traffic and public safety, with experts already questioning whether any of the leading platforms carry enough new funding to match the scale of the city's challenges.
Torontonians are casting advance ballots for mayor and council this week, with election-day turnout expected to settle one of the most competitive municipal contests in recent memory. Alexander's withdrawal could free up supporters in the late stages of the campaign, making endorsements and second-choice voters a new battleground in the final days.
