May 10, 2023
For Immediate Release

PROGRESS TORONTO ANNOUNCES OLIVIA CHOW IS OUR PROGRESSIVE MAYORAL CHAMPION

Chow is clear choice for progressive voters across Toronto

Toronto, ON - After considering input from thousands of voters across Toronto, reviewing the candidates’ responses to our questionnaire, assessing the strengths of the campaigns, and doing a deep-dive into their track records, Progress Toronto has selected Olivia Chow as our Progressive Mayoral Champion.

Olivia is the strongest progressive in the race and we have an opportunity to end years of conservative rule in Toronto. She has the momentum, is committed to solving our city’s biggest problems, and the track record to win.

Progress Toronto undertook an extensive selection process to reach this decision. Our public survey received thousands of responses, with Olivia Chow emerging as the candidate generating the most excitement among voters. Enthusiasm and support for Olivia across the city has only grown since she announced her candidacy. Poll after poll shows Olivia is the candidate who performs the best against the conservative insiders in this race. In fact, in the latest polls Olivia is pulling in more than double the support that other candidates are seeing, and she is strong in suburban communities—areas we need to win if we are going to bring progressive change to City Hall.

“We’re excited to be supporting Olivia Chow as our Progressive Champion in this by-election,” said Saman Tabasinejad, Acting Executive Director. “There are a number of strong candidates in the race. It’s clear Toronto is ready for change. But, no other candidate hit all the marks and had the groundswell of support we saw for Olivia.”

In every election since 2018 Progress Toronto has followed a transparent, public process to select our progressive champions. The process includes a public survey on our supporters’ priorities and key issues, a candidate questionnaire, and consideration of support from grassroot organizations and communities. We determined Olivia Chow is the candidate with the most enthusiasm, strong infrastructure to run a winning campaign, progressive policy commitments, and a track record of delivering progressive results. 

Toronto has a real opportunity to elect a progressive Mayor after over a decade of conservative rule at City Hall. We are committed to doing everything we can to make progressive change for our city.

“Progress Toronto does not simply endorse candidates,” said Tabasinejad. “Over the next 47 days, our team will organize across Toronto to identify and turn out progressive voters for Olivia Chow in this vital by-election for our city.”

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About Progress Toronto

Progress Toronto is a not-for-profit organization that advocates and organizes for a more democratic, socially just, and progressive city. We work with people, communities, organizations, and movements to advance a broad progressive vision for Toronto. We are connecting people to democratic power through mobilization and engagement in decision making at Toronto City Hall. In 2022, Progress Toronto helped elect five new progressive champions to City Council and six new progressive champions to the TDSB. Progress Toronto is a registered Third Party Advertiser in the 2023 Mayoral By-Election and will be organizing across the city to help elect our Progressive Champion. 

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Contact
Saman Tabasinejad
Acting Executive Director
saman@progresstoronto.ca

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Learn more about our support for Olivia Chow here:
https://www.progresstoronto.ca/olivia