The 2018 Toronto Mayoral election is fully on with the entry of Jennifer Keesmaat into the race.
Toronto’s former Chief City Planner from 2012 to 2017, Keesmaat was well known for her strong voice and outspoken style, unlike other high level public servants. Most expected a quiet, dull race due to the lack of a high profile opponent, with incumbent John Tory set to comfortably win a landslide.
Keesmaat’s “City Building Vision” Agenda
Keesmaat is positioning herself on the left of the political spectrum, in opposition to Tory’s centrist and slightly right-leaning agenda. She is campaigning on an ambitious, positive, expansive ‘city building vision’ agenda with new spending and a bigger role for municipal government. Her first major announcement was a pledge to build 100,000 affordable housing units over 10 years. In response Tory argued that over 20,000 units are under construction now, and that Keesmaat’s office failed to approve a single unit of affordable housing.
Keesmaat Pledges More Affordable Housing
A Keesmaat administration would likely increase spending on affordable housing, shift property taxes up above inflation (Tory has never increased them beyond inflation), and would emphasize enhanced densification, pro-cycling policies, and public transit. Keesmaat’s emphasis on affordable housing will make real estate a crucial and dominant issue in the race, which will good for observers and the housing minded. Although Tory is expected to hold on to power, many high-profile Mayoral incumbents have recently lost re-election; Denis Coderre, former Mayor of Montreal being one of them. An interesting and passionate election is incoming.