TORONTO – Olivia Chow has been elected Mayor of Toronto, becoming the first woman to lead post-amalgamation Toronto.
Chow, 66 years-old, was the favourite to win the race from the moment she entered and managed to command a decisive lead in the polls, though the race on election night ended up being a photo finish between her (269,372 votes) and Ana Bailão (235,175 votes).
The daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong, she came to the city in 1970 when she was 13.
She started in politics as a TDSB trustee in the late 80s and early nineties. She won a seat on Toronto City Council in 1992 and went on to serve 13 years, including seven after amalgamation. She held a number of roles as a councillor, including chair of the Community Services Committee and vice-chair of the TTC.
She then had eight years as an MP from 2006 to 2014, when she stepped down to launch her first mayoral bid.
This time she did it: starting from tonight, she is the new Mayor of Toronto.