Gil Penalosa has announced he will once again run for mayor of Toronto after Mayor John Tory officially resigns.
Tory is stepping down after admitting to cheating on his wife with a former office employee during a last-minute press conference on Friday evening.
In the Oct. 2022 municipal election, Penalosa finished in second place, earning about 18 per cent of the final votes. He said he believes he has a responsibility to the over 100, 000 Torontonians who entrusted him to lead the city.
“I’m convinced that together we can create a Toronto that is affordable, equitable, sustainable. I have the experience and I have the knowledge, I have worked in over 350 cities, in all continents but I want to work in Toronto,” he tweeted Saturday. “I want to work for you. I love this city. I am passionate about the possibilities of everything that we can do.”
The runner-up also emphasized that he will work to earn Toronto’s trust.
“I feel a commitment to the 100, 000 Torontonians that voted for me but I want to work for the 3 million Torontonians, with everyone. I thank you and I can assure, that I will do my very best, I will work very hard to earn your trust,” he said.
Penalosa is an urbanist born in Columbia, and founder and chairman of the non-profit 8 80 Cities. His platform included expanding rapid bus transit, housing zone reform, creating the largest urban trail network in North America and tearing down the Gardiner Expressway East to build housing.
Tory has not formally resigned as Toronto’s mayor, but in the meantime, and until the by-election is held, Deputy Mayor and Scarborough-Rouge Park Councillor Jennifer McKelvie will be the acting mayor.
