Former Toronto mayor John Tory announces he won’t run in upcoming election

Tory made the announcement on Tuesday. The 71-year-old resigned as mayor in Feb. 2023, months after winning a third term, after admitting to having an affair wi

Former Toronto mayor John Tory’s name won’t be on the ballot in the fall municipal election.

Tory announced on Tuesday that he will not run for mayor of Toronto, ending months of speculation.

In a lengthy statement, Tory said serving as mayor of Toronto was “the honour of a lifetime.”

“The office of the mayor is a vitally important institution bigger than any one person. I’ve always believed that its occupant must safeguard the integrity of the office. Together with protecting my family and those close to me, it is why I made the difficult decision to step away several years ago, despite the urgings of many to stay,” Tory said.

The 71-year-old resigned as mayor in Feb. 2023, months after winning a third term, after admitting to having an affair with a staffer.

While he seriously considered another run after being approached by business and community leaders and residents, the former mayor said he decided not to “because I feel I cannot put my family and the people I care about through the inevitable attacks on me and my personal life.”

“I’m not asking for you to feel sorry for me. I did hold myself to account by stepping down and I know that politics is a tough business — at times, brutal. What I’m asking for is your understanding," Tory said.

In an interview with Newstalk 1010, Tory said his family played a role in his decision.

“What happened along the way was that I sat down and had the ultimate discussion with my family and the people close to me. And they believed that the potential for them to get, you know, re-embroiled in the aspects of my personal life that led me to step down,” Tory said.

“They felt that the likelihood of that coming back in a way that would cause more harm was very real. I think they were actually right, and I needed them, perhaps, to tell me that, to be perfectly honest.”

Tory pointed out that there had been advertisements running about his personal life even though he hadn’t announced his plan.

“You just have to say to yourself that that maybe is a message that sort of says you have to sort of get your priorities straight and decide that you’re going to just leave this one aside,” he said.

Tory has been considered a possible contender for mayor, with one poll suggesting that he and Mayor Olivia Chow would be in a tight race if they both ran.

Chow has not announced if she will seek re-election. During an event at Rebel nightclub to mark 100 days until the start of FIFA World Cup in Toronto, the mayor was asked about her intentions.

“Right now, I am working hard to make life affordable for Torontonians and really getting the FIFA World Cup ready,” Chow told reporters.

When asked about Tory’s announcement, Chow thanked her predecessor for his many years in public service.

“He loved this city. And of course, it’s his own decision. I think we’re very grateful for his service,” she said.

Coun. Brad Bradford has previously declared that he will run again for mayor after his failed bid in the 2023 mayoral byelection.

Bradford, in a statement, said he has a lot of respect for Tory’s decision.

“John Tory has given years of service to this city. I will always be grateful for the support he gave me when I first decided to run,” the councillor said. “The personal sacrifice that comes with public office is immense and it is often overlooked. It is a massive challenge for the people closest to you, and they have to come first.”

Tory noted that he is not endorsing anyone at the moment.

“I want to wait and see if the field produces someone who can do those deals with Premier (Doug) Ford and who can get the economy of the city in sync with all the other things that are going on here and sort of fix some of the basics that are broken,” the former mayor said.

The former mayor is currently the municipal affairs expert for Newstalk 1010 and CTV News, a role he says he will continue to do.

“And I would urge those who feel they can contribute meaningfully to improving the city to put their names forward — whether it be for mayor or for council," Tory said.

In his statement, the former politician expressed that the next mayor should make Toronto a place where businesses thrive and where the most talented people want to stay, as the city is in a “pivotal moment” in its life.

“To do that we need a safe city where regardless of statistics, people actually feel safe; a city where open-air drug use on our streets and encampments in our parks are not normalized and just accepted; where the transit system is reliable, efficient and safe; and where the city government makes an effort every single year — not just in election years — to keep taxes and fees low, and the business climate competitive. We’ve been that place in the past. We can be that place again," Tory said.

“If I were running, this would be my focus.”

In 2023, Toronto’s then integrity commissioner Jonathan Batty found that Tory violated council’s code of conduct in his relationship with the staffer as he “did not follow appropriate human resources policies and practices” and “was in a conflict of interest when he voted on two matters” that he “objectively had to have known would have direct bearing” on the individual’s subsequent employment with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.

Batty, however, did not recommend any penalty as sanctions issued under to code of conduct are intended for people holding office.

The municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 26.