John Tory supports byelection for Rob Ford's vacant council seat
Decision on holding byelection or appointing replacement up to council
A byelection will be held for the late Rob Ford's Toronto city council seat this summer, if Mayor John Tory gets his way.
Speaking to reporters at an unrelated event on Thursday, Tory said he wants Ford's replacement chosen by the voters in Ward 2 rather than by a council appointment
- Doug Ford doesn't rule out run by family member for Toronto's Ward 2
- Options for filling Rob Ford's council seat: byelection or appointment
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Under provincial law, council must declare Ford's seat vacant at the next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday next week. Councillors then have 60 days to decide whether to appoint someone to the seat, or call a byelection.
"I'll be strongly supportive of a byelection, and of proceeding with it as quickly as possible," Tory said.
The decision between a byelection or appointment is not Tory's alone, but council's.
If council opts for a byelection, the city estimates the cost at $150,000 to $200,000. After council passes a bylaw calling a byelection. the city clerk is required to set a nomination date within 60 days. Voting day must be 45 days after nomination day.
"I would anticipate[the byelection]would take place in the early summer," said Tory.
If council decides to fill the vacancy by appointment, it establishes its own rules on how to do so, since there are no procedures laid out in either the City of Toronto Act or the Municipal Elections Act.
In 2014, council filled vacant seats in Wards 5 and 20 by appointment. Applicants had the opportunity to address council for five minutes. Each councillor was allowed to ask one question, then council voted to determine the winner.