Ana Bailao confirms she's running for mayor of Toronto
CTV
The race for Toronto's top job is heating up as former councillor Ana Bailao has officially announced she is running for mayor.
The race for Toronto's top job is heating up as former councillor Ana Bailao has officially announced she is running for mayor.
Bailao confirmed her run to CP24 Friday.
Since the mayor's office came up for grabs following the resignation of John Tory, Bailao had been speculated to be one of the possible contenders for the job. Two weeks ago, she told CP24 she was eyeing a possible run for mayor.
Her candidacy marks her return to politics. She left city hall last year after deciding not to seek re-election. Bailao had represented the residents of Davenport since she was first elected in 2010.
During her 12-year tenure, Bailao was the city's housing advocate and served as deputy mayor. She was a key ally of Tory during his time in office.
Bailao is the latest notable challenger to throw her name in the hat. Her former fellow councillor Giorgio Mammoliti also announced on Wednesday that he would vie for the mayor's seat. Urbanist Gil Penalosa, who finished second behind Tory last fall election, has also said he will run again.
Meanwhile, other high-profile names who have said they are exploring the possibility of becoming the head of city council include Scarborough MPP Mitzie Hunter, former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders and current councillors Brad Bradford and Josh Matlow.
