Brad Bradford

Candidate for Mayor

In their own words

bradford26.ca — Brad Bradford’s campaign website, opens in a new tab

Where they stand

Every candidate in this race is shown against the same 16 issues, in the same order, whether or not we’ve found something for each one. Why we do it this way.

Housing

Will I be able to afford to live here?

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

Brad Bradford says Toronto's parks have become tent cities unsafe for children and pets.

Bradford calls cleanliness 'the most visible proof of whether a city works.'
He says parks 'have become tent cities, unsafe for children and pets.'

“Parks that have become tent cities, unsafe for children and pets.”

(one sentence)

Source: Brad Bradford campaign website · October 17, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford: housing starts are the lowest in 30 years; City Hall's job is to create the conditions to build.

At the Oct 22 CP24 final mayoral debate, Bradford argued housing starts are at a 30-year low.
He said City Hall's job is to 'create the conditions to build' rather than add charges on residents.
BROWSER-PASS: re-sourced from aggregator mirror to the canonical CP24 article; both quotes verified verbatim on the original

“Unfortunately, housing starts have cratered. We have the lowest amount of housing starts in the past 30 years, we know what works. City Hall's job is to create the conditions to build.”

(reported remarks)

Source: CP24: '5 key moments from the CP24 mayoral debate' (Joshua Freeman) · October 22, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford: only 1,500 of Chow's promised 65,000 rental units delivered; at that pace it would take 115 years.

At the Oct 22 CP24 final mayoral debate, Bradford attacked Chow's pace on her promise of 65,000 purpose-built rental units by 2030.
He claimed only 1,500 have been delivered - 'a mere two per cent' of her target.
BROWSER-PASS: re-sourced from aggregator mirror to the canonical CP24 article; both quotes verified verbatim on the original

“Today, only 1,500 have been delivered. That is a mere two per cent of her target of her commitment to Torontonians. And if we were to continue at that pace, it would take 115 years for the mayor to deliver on her commitment,”

(reported remarks)

Source: CP24: '5 key moments from the CP24 mayoral debate' (Joshua Freeman) · October 22, 2026

Confidence:High

Think we’ve got this wrong?

Taxes & spending

What happens to my tax bill, and where does the money go?

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

Brad Bradford promised to freeze property taxes for his first year and conduct a line-by-line budget review.

At the first mayoral debate, Bradford promised to freeze property taxes for his first year if elected.
He said he would do a line-by-line review of the city budget in that first year to pay for his promises.
His priced promises include adding 1,000 more police officers and adding platform edge doors to the TTC.

“Families need relief. They can't afford more of Olivia Chow's tax increases.”

(reported remarks)

Source: CityNews — Bradford, Chow go back-and-forth on property tax increases during Toronto mayoral debate · September 23, 2026

Confidence:High

Brad Bradford says families and small businesses are asked to pay more for a city that delivers less.

Bradford says families and small businesses 'are being asked to pay more for a city that delivers less.'
He cites 'property taxes that climb every year' and 'user fees that rise without explanation.'
He says the daily cost of living has outpaced wages: 'The math has stopped working.'

“Families and small businesses are being asked to pay more for a city that delivers less. Property taxes that climb every year. User fees that rise without explanation.”

(a few sentences)

Source: Brad Bradford campaign website · October 17, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford: Chow's 20% tax hike would be followed by another 20% if re-elected; city 'stuck paying more, getting less'

Delivered at an Etobicoke rally on Saturday, Oct 24, as part of a 'this city is stuck' pitch covering traffic, late buses, safety and waitlists
Chow's side of the tax argument (property taxes near inflation if re-elected) appears only as reporter paraphrase in this article and is not rowed

“We're stuck with NDP mayor Olivia Chow's 20 per cent tax increase, and if she's re-elected she'll hike it by another 20 per cent.”

(reported remarks)

Source: Bradford, Chow trade jabs in final stretch of Toronto mayoral campaign (CityNews/CP report via EuropeSays) · October 24, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford would eliminate Toronto's land transfer tax on the value of a home below $1.1 million.

Toronto is the only Canadian city charging its own land transfer tax on top of the province's
Elimination applies to the value of a home below $1.1 million

“Toronto is the only city in Canada that charges its own land transfer tax on top of the province's, collected in cash on closing day. I'll eliminate it on the value of a home below $1.1 million.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: Parent Life Network — 5 questions from Toronto parents for the mayoral candidates (PRE-WINDOW) · October 24, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford: a $19B budget has savings to find - he cited $11M in unused Microsoft licences and $5M in recycling stickers.

At the Oct 22 CP24 final mayoral debate, Bradford argued Toronto's $19-billion budget has savings available and called for a line-by-line review by an outside perspective.
He cited $11M in Microsoft Office licences for retired staff and $5M in recycling-bin stickers as examples of waste.
BROWSER-PASS: re-sourced from aggregator mirror to the canonical CP24 article; both quotes verified verbatim on the original

“Look, our own auditor general found that the city spent $11 million on Microsoft Office licenses for people who had retired. It spent $5 million to put stickers on recycling bins to tell you we don't pick up the recycling. You handed a contract, half a million dollars, to your friends at Progress Toronto. So there's lots of things that we can save.”

(reported remarks)

Source: CP24: '5 key moments from the CP24 mayoral debate' (Joshua Freeman) · October 22, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford would freeze property taxes in year one while running the first full independent line-by-line spending review since 2011.

Property tax freeze for homes and businesses in year one
First full, independent, line-by-line review of city spending since 2011
Budget modernization so residents can see what the city spends to run itself vs build

“Property taxes are frozen for homes and businesses in my first year while the first full, independent, line by line review of city spending since 2011 runs.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: Parent Life Network — 5 questions from Toronto parents for the mayoral candidates (PRE-WINDOW) · October 24, 2026

Confidence:High

Think we’ve got this wrong?

Emergency services

When I call for help, will it come fast enough?

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

Brad Bradford's campaign centers public safety, saying Torontonians should feel safe walking home, on transit and in parks.

Bradford's campaign centers public safety: 'Torontonians should feel safe in their own city.'
Safe walking home, safe on the bus and subway platform, safe in parks where children play — confidence his campaign says has been eroded.
His campaign is focused on 'the three things Torontonians struggle with every day: Crime, Congestion, and Cost.'

“Torontonians should feel safe in their own city. Safe walking home. Safe on the bus and on the subway platform. Safe in the parks where their children play.”

(a few sentences)

Source: Brad Bradford campaign website · October 17, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford would hire 1,000 net new front-line officers by end of term and post officers at every subway station.

Meet the Chief of Police in his first days as mayor
1,000 net new front-line officers by end of first term
Officers at every subway station; keep pressing Queen's Park and Ottawa on bail reform

“In my first days as mayor I'll meet with the Chief of Police. I'll work with the Police Service and the province to start hiring 1,000 net new front line officers by the end of my first term, and we'll have officers at every subway station, including the one your kids use.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: Parent Life Network — 5 questions from Toronto parents for the mayoral candidates (PRE-WINDOW) · October 24, 2026

Confidence:High

Think we’ve got this wrong?

Transit

Can I get where I need to go without driving?

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

Bradford would put one person in charge of construction, guarantee 15-minute transit service, and build the Scarborough LRT.

One person in charge of construction citywide, with published timelines and real consequences
15-minute service guarantee on transit
Scarborough LRT built; subway slow zones eliminated

“As mayor, I'll put one person in charge of construction across the city, with published timelines and real consequences, so the road to your kids' school doesn't sit half-closed for 2 years with nobody working on it. A 15-minute service guarantee on transit, so the TTC is a real option for your family and not a gamble. The Scarborough LRT built, so Scarborough families get the transit they were promised. And we'll get rid of the subway slow zones City Hall promised to fix for the World Cup and never did.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: Parent Life Network — 5 questions from Toronto parents for the mayoral candidates (PRE-WINDOW) · October 24, 2026

Confidence:High

Brad Bradford frames congestion as a 'time tax,' blaming transit that does not run on time and daily delays.

Bradford frames congestion as a 'time tax' City Hall levies on Torontonians.
He blames 'transit that does not run on time' and daily delays for hours lost with family and friends.

“Time is the one thing we cannot get back, and the time tax City Hall levies on Torontonians climbs higher every year.”

(a few sentences)

Source: Brad Bradford campaign website · October 17, 2026

Confidence:High

Brad Bradford pledged to make the Eglinton East LRT his top transit priority with construction by 2030.

Bradford said he would make the Eglinton East LRT his top transit priority if elected, accusing Chow of failing to advance the project.
He would personally advocate for the project at Queen's Park and Ottawa within his first 100 days, aiming for construction by 2030.
He reiterated plans to remove 12 kilometres of red bus lanes in Scarborough and 'guarantee 15-minute service on key bus routes.'

“Scarborough has been asked to accept less for so long that it started to feel normal. It isn't normal.”

(reported remarks)

Source: CP24 — Chow, Bradford target affordability, youth unemployment · October 15, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford pledges 6 a.m. subway openings for major events like the Toronto Marathon, plus signal priority to speed up streetcars.

Speaking during Toronto Waterfront Marathon weekend (Sun Oct 18), Bradford noted the subway did not start operating until 8 a.m. on marathon morning, leaving participants to find other ways downtown.
He pledged subways will be open and running at 6 a.m. for the Toronto Marathon when he is mayor.
He also proposed having the TTC and Metrolinx publish work schedules 30 days out, and investing in smart signal-priority technology so streetcars actually move and run on time.

“They will be open and running at 6 a.m. when I’m the mayor for the Toronto Marathon.”

(reported remarks)

Source: Brad Bradford pledges to ease Toronto traffic gridlock, especially during major events · October 18, 2026

Confidence:High

Bradford pledges to eliminate TTC slow zones: a target of zero, published reasons and repair dates, and an independent track audit.

On Tuesday Oct 20, Bradford made transit and congestion his focus, promising to get rid of TTC reduced-speed (slow) zones if elected mayor.
Any slow zone would have to be justified with a published reason and a published repair date; he would also implement an independent track condition audit and a track renewal program for the subway.
TTC slow zones cap trains at reduced speeds (sometimes 15 km/h) while track maintenance is completed; the TTC currently caps them at 12.

“As mayor, I'm going to set the target at zero. I am going to raise our standards and I am going to hold the city and the TTC to account.”

(reported remarks)

Source: Chow and Bradford neck-and-neck with days left in Toronto mayoral election campaign (Global News) · October 20, 2026

Confidence:High

Think we’ve got this wrong?

Government

Will decisions be made in the open, and will anyone answer for them?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Roads & infrastructure

Will the things I use every day actually get fixed?

Brad Bradford chose 'Introduce a levy or other recurring source reserved for maintenance'.

Answer: Introduce a levy or other recurring source reserved for maintenance.
Toronto should look at all fiscal and financing levers within its control to build and maintain infrastructure, without defaulting to the easy solution of increasing taxes.

Show their words & source (a few sentences)

“Toronto should look at all fiscal and financing levers within its control to build and maintain infrastructure, without defaulting to the easy solution of increasing taxes.”

Source: Build Canada Toronto Election Hub — mayoral questionnaire · October 14, 2026

Confidence:High

Economy

Will our main streets and local jobs thrive?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Environment

Is the candidate protecting the nature we live in?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Healthcare

Will there be a doctor and a hospital when we need one?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Growth & development

How fast should we grow, and who decides what gets built where?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Social & community services

Who looks after the most vulnerable residents?

Bradford would approve child care centres faster, build them where access is worst, and keep them cool in summer.

Approve new child care centres faster
Build them where access is worst
Keep existing centres cool in summer so kids aren't sent home on heat days
School food program stays

Show their words & source (several paragraphs)

“I'll approve new child care centres faster, build them where access is worst, and make sure the ones we have are kept cool in the summer so your kids aren't sent home on a heat day.”

Source: Parent Life Network — 5 questions from Toronto parents for the mayoral candidates (PRE-WINDOW) · October 24, 2026

Confidence:High

Active transportation

Can I walk and bike safely around town?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Arts & culture

Does the candidate value what makes this place feel alive?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Data centres

Should energy-hungry data centres be welcomed here?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Water & waste

Is our drinking water safe and our waste handled?

Bradford would cut water bills 25% — about $300 a year for the average household — with savings passed on to renters.

25% water bill cut, about $300 a year for the average household
Savings passed on to renters

Show their words & source (several paragraphs)

“Water bills come down 25%, about $300 a year for the average household, with those savings passed on to renters.”

Source: Parent Life Network — 5 questions from Toronto parents for the mayoral candidates (PRE-WINDOW) · October 24, 2026

Confidence:High

Bylaw enforcement

Are the rules fair, and are they actually enforced?

Not reviewed yet. Know something?

Think we got something wrong?

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