What to know
- A new Mainstreet Research poll puts Bradford at 48.9 per cent and Chow at 47.5 per cent among decided voters.
- Affordability ranks as the top issue motivating voters, followed by transit and traffic congestion, and crime and safety.
- Bradford proposes eliminating subway slow zones and publishing monthly reports on delays and repairs.
- Chow reiterates plans for a Bad Landlords Task Force to target troubled buildings and enforce repairs.
With less than a week until voters head to the polls, a new poll suggests Brad Bradford holds a narrow lead over Olivia Chow, as the mayoral candidates make their final pitches on transit, and housing.
A new Mainstreet Research poll puts Bradford at 48.9 per cent among decided voters, compared with Chow at 47.5 per cent. Meanwhile, 13 per cent of voters remain undecided, according to the report.
When respondents were asked who they had already voted for or planned to vote for, 42.4 per cent chose Bradford, compared with 41.1 per cent who chose Chow.
Affordability ranked as the top issue motivating voters, at 38.3 per cent, followed by getting around the city, including traffic congestion and public transit, at 22.4 per cent. Crime and safety ranked third at 16.4 per cent.
Based on the latest numbers, Mainstreet Research describes the race as “too close to call.”
The poll comes five days before election day, with Bradford and Chow remaining neck-and-neck in a mayoral race dominated by debates over transit, affordability, public safety and employment.
Both candidates have spent the campaign outlining plans to address these issues as they make their final appeals to voters.
Bradford promises to speed up Toronto’s subways
As the campaign enters its final stretch, Bradford has unveiled a plan to eliminate slow zones across Toronto’s subway system.
The proposal would require the TTC board to adopt a zero-slow-zone standard within Bradford’s first 100 days in office. Under the plan, every slow order would have a publicly available explanation and repair date.
Bradford also proposes publishing monthly reports detailing the number of slow zones, how long each has been in place and the total hours of travel time lost by riders on each line.
“Your time is the one thing City Hall can’t give back to you,” Bradford said.
“Right now the subway crawls at 15 kilometres an hour between Eglinton and Davisville, between Bloor and Rosedale, between Royal York and Islington.”
“Imagine if the speed limit on our roads was changed to 15 km/hr because we didn’t maintain them properly? Allowing this to happen is disrespectful to transit riders.”
Bradford says the plan would be funded through the separation of the TTC’s operating and capital budgets, a commitment he made earlier this month.
The campaign says the approach would allow long-term infrastructure projects, such as subway track repairs, to be financed over their useful life rather than paid for upfront through the current year’s property taxes.
Chow takes her campaign to East York apartment building
Meanwhile, Chow brought her campaign to 500 Dawes Rd., a 14-storey apartment building in East York where tenants have reported years of problems with mold, pests and deteriorating infrastructure.
The building is located in Beaches-East York, where Bradford has served as councillor for the past eight years.
Throughout the campaign, Chow has criticized Bradford over his handling of tenant concerns, arguing that residents have been left without adequate support.
“For years they asked for help… and the councillor was absent,” Chow said. “And that same councillor is asking to lead our whole city. If you want to stand up for Toronto you should start by standing up for the people in your own ward.”
During her visit, Chow reiterated her plan to establish a Bad Landlords Task Force made up of enforcement officers and lawyers. The team would target the worst buildings and landlords and pursue court orders requiring repairs.
Her proposal also includes expanding the city’s use of “remedial action.” When landlords repeatedly refuse to carry out court-ordered repairs, the city can complete the work and bill the landlord.
