Olivia Chow has managed to hang on to the top job on council, fending off a challenge from Brad Bradford to keep her job. Here’s everything Chow has said she would do in her second term. Affordability While taxes went up 18.5 per cent in her first term, Chow has vowed to keep future property tax increases at or around the rate of inflation. Another key part of her platform is expanding a school nutrition program to include free lunches for kids across the city, a program Chow has suggested could save families as much as $1,800. She also vowed to ban surveillance pricing and to give property tax breaks to community grocers in order to keep food more affordable. Transit When it comes to transit, Chow has vowed to cap fares after 10 rides per week. That means any further trips in a week would be free after the first 10. She also vowed to freeze TTC fares for a fourth year if re-elected. Building the Scarborough East LRT would also be a priority for her. The 18.6-kilometre light rail line would run from Kennedy Station to Kingston Road, eventually turning north and heading west on Sheppard Avenue. It would include stops at U of T Scarborough, Malvern Town Centre and a future subway stop at McCowan Road. Safety Chow has proposed a four-year, $28-million plan to fund youth safety programs. The program would build on previous spending to curb youth violence. Chow also promised in the campaign to reopen 54 Division. The East York police station was closed in 2018, but will reopen in a new $120-million facility in 2030. Housing Chow is promising 10,000 new rental home starts in 2027, with affordable homes making up at least 20 per cent of that total. For renters, Chow promised to create a “bad landlords taskforce” to go after “slumlords” by conducting proactive inspections. Chow also promised at least 5,000 seniors will be able to access Toronto’s free homemaking services. Other More free programming for kids will be added to libraries on weekends. Chow has also said she would expand the city’s Museum and Attractions Pass to offer 1,000 additional families access to attractions such as the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario. With files from Phil Tskouras
