Toronto Mayor John Tory

A big week in municipal politics is getting off to an uncertain start in Toronto today following the recent surprise resignation of the city's mayor.

The Ontario government has indicated strong mayor powers do not transfer over to the interim or acting mayor. “If the mayor chooses then not to be there for Wednesday’s budget, it would be my hope that the council would continue to treat it as the mayor’s budget,” he said. He was first elected mayor in 2014, partially on a promise to restore respectability to the office following the scandal-plagued tenure of his predecessor, Rob Ford. “We need to work together, we need to be able to send that message that this is a stable city, and we are all going to work for the good of the city.” Tory was re-elected to a third term in the mayor’s office in October, after a campaign that saw him tout his years of experience in the role. A pressing question looming over city council is whether or not Tory stays on to push through his budget, which he was responsible for preparing under the newly-granted strong mayor powers, Siemiatycki said.

Mayor John Tory announced his resignation after the Star reported he was having a consensual affair with a former staffer.

The news came as a shock for a politician who sailed to victory months ago, and comes at a crucial time for the city as it needs to pass a budget and now call a byelection to replace him. Please take five minutes to complete this [podcast survey](https://www.thestar.com/podcastsurvey) for a chance at a $100 gift card. Stay updated on episodes via our [Twitter page](https://twitter.com/StarThisMatters). If you would like to support the journalism of the Toronto Star, you can at [thestar.com/subscribingmatters](https://thestar.com/subscribingmatters). [David Rider](https://www.thestar.com/authors.rider_david.html), [Ben Spurr](https://www.thestar.com/authors.spurr_ben.html) and [Alyshah Hasham](https://www.thestar.com/authors.hasham_alyshah.html) reported Toronto Mayor John Tory had a consensual affair with a 31-year-old staffer, the mayor confirmed the inappropriate relationship and [announced his resignation](https://www.thestar.com/politics/2023/02/10/cp-newsalert-john-tory-resigns-as-toronto-mayor-over-affair-with-staff-member.html). [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-matters/id1502184498), [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/3ggP8sPGoCmRe8b5urqV30), [Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly90aGlzbWF0dGVycy5saWJzeW4uY29tL3Jzcw&ved=0CAUQrrcFahcKEwiQ-u3Ar9ToAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBg), or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

John Tory stunned political observers on Friday when he admitted to having an affair with a former member of his staff.

Municipal politics bore Torontonians. But this is a big moment. With Tory out, the mayoralty is up for grabs for the first time in a decade.

The mayoralty is up for grabs for the first time in nearly a decade. If there’s a silver lining to this, it will be a renewed focus on local politics and the chance for a fresh start, civic reset and renewal. The only exception, David Miller, actually managed to cajole then Premier Dalton McGuinty into revamping the City of Toronto Act. Her message was blunt: stay in your own lane, stick to cutting ribbons, collecting the garbage, and leave the big decisions to us. A good example came in 2017, when then Premier Kathleen Wynne summarily dismissed Tory’s request to toll the Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner Expressway. The eagerness with which he turned to the police to handle problems like homelessness marked another failure of leadership, political and moral. Without access to more than property taxes, the odd user fee, and occasional handouts from Ottawa and Queen’s Park, Toronto is being sucked into a downward spiral of diminishing revenue and rising demand. Given that Tory’s rise to the city’s most powerful office occurred in the aftermath of Rob Ford’s disastrous regime, Torontonians expected more from His Worship. To be fair, civic politicians have precious little say over the problems that keep them — and us — up at night. Most fundamentally, perhaps, Tory was undone by his need for approval and his desire to be liked. After all, he decided to run for a third term last October despite the affair, yet another “lapse of judgement.” The city would be infinitely better off with a strong council rather than a strong mayor.

Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Michael Ford shakes hands with Premier Doug Ford at Queen's Park in Toronto on June 24, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ ...

City councillor James Pasternak told reporters that Tory will attend the mid-week budget meeting before formally resigning as mayor.

John Tory will remain in his role as mayor for Wednesday's budget meeting, days after announcing he would step down following a relationship with a former ...

If Tory does veto a council change to the budget, it could add weeks to the budget process and his tenure. "I think he's going to have a tough time on the council floor keeping that package together. "After all, it is his budget," he said. But a successful challenge is significantly harder to mount with Tory in the mayor's chair, he said. "He has been a strong leader for this budget, a strong leader for this city. Tory played a major role in crafting the proposed budget.

John Tory, who recently announced his resignation as mayor, will stay in the position until after Wednesday's city budget deliberations.

As of Monday morning, the city confirmed Tory had not submitted a letter of resignation. READ MORE:

Employment lawyers say there is more to it than political considerations and public optics. There is workplace law and corporate exposure.

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) That’s one concern lawyer Gillian Hnatiw has. Politicians, of course, rarely have to resign. And is there any risk that the city may be at because of the relationship?” It is typically by choice, although usually an unwanted choice, that it is the best thing to do. He made a mistake, and we all agree it was a mistake, but he accepted responsibility. “Mayor John Tory will be attending Wednesday’s budget meeting to ensure the 2023 City of Toronto operating and capital budgets are finalized. Instead, he took his seat in the mayor’s office and started meeting with city officials, like a mayor does. Article content And he took responsibility. “The concern here is has there been an abuse of power?

John Tory's office says he will see the budget process through, and that he will announce further details about his departure following the budget meeting.

“I feel he has the moral authority, he has the legal authority,” said Mr. The budding race to replace Mr. “He has stated that he is committed to finishing the budget and the budget process,” Councillor Gary Crawford, a Tory ally who chairs the budget committee, told reporters at city hall. Burnside, who also serves as chair of the Toronto Transit Commission, said he takes issue with the disruption and financial cost that a mayoral by-election would thrust upon on the city. A council vote will be needed to start the clock ticking on a by-election race. “Nothing has changed as it relates to the budget itself,” he said. Tory called this “a serious error of judgement” and said he needed “time to reflect on my mistakes and to do the work of rebuilding the trust of my family.” He has been a strong leader for this budget, a strong leader for this city. Political scientist Myer Siemiatycki, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, called it inappropriate for Mr. Under timelines contained within the strong-mayor rules, he could need to stay in office as long as 25 days after the budget debate to ensure the fiscal plan’s passage. The fiscal plan also warns of a $1.4-billion pandemic-related shortfall, and projects a worsening capital backlog in areas such as roads, transit and parks. Tory from exercising the powers of the office.

Tory now has to submit a resignation letter to the city clerk, officially ending his two-and-a-fraction terms as mayor of Toronto, according to section 205 of ...

It’s safe to assume that Tory will probably keep a low profile for the immediate future. “The Mayor has not submitted a letter of resignation to the City Clerk at this time and remains Mayor. Tory had previously proposed a major hike to the Toronto Police’s budget by some $50 million from 2022. Tory’s resignation will not impact any city-run programming like trash collection and other day-to-operations. Pending an official letter of resignation, Tory remains in office. Tory now has to submit a resignation letter to the city clerk, officially ending his two-and-a-fraction terms as mayor of Toronto, according to section 205 of the City of Toronto Act.