Progress Toronto launches process for identifying Progressive Champions - and council’s worst villains

September 19, 2018
For Immediate Release

Toronto, ON - Despite the ongoing chaos Premier Doug Ford has created in Toronto, the election is little more than 30 days away and so is Toronto’s opportunity to elect Progressive Champions and unseat some of city council’s worst villains in key local races.

Today, Progress Toronto launched online surveys for candidates in the upcoming municipal election. One is for candidates for city council, and the other is for candidates for Toronto District School Board trustee. Both surveys ask questions about candidates’ commitment to tackling key issues at stake in building a progressive city.  

Responses to these questions will be a major factor in determining which candidates Progress Toronto will publicly support and work to elect. For current councillors (incumbents), past voting records will also be a factor.

Alongside the process for identifying Progressive Champions, Progress Toronto also opened up nominations for city council’s worst villains. Villains are incumbent city councillors who have a record of working with Premier Doug Ford and of voting against a more progressive, inclusive, and affordable city.

For a full list of the questions for candidates or to submit a nomination for council’s worst villain, visit https://www.progresstoronto.ca/progressive-champions-and-villain-selection. Responses are due this Saturday.

At Progress Toronto, our efforts in this election will focus on key, battleground races where we can help elect Progressive Champions, as well as unseat villains - councillors with a track record of standing in the way of progress for their communities and our city,” said Michal Hay, Executive Director at Progress Toronto. “We are asking the public to nominate city council’s worst villains. We want people to let us know who they want us to work to stop in this election. People have until Saturday to submit their nominations.”

Supporting Progressive Champions and fighting villains in these wards will happen in different ways and the tools Progress Toronto uses will depend on the local race. “We will use hundreds of volunteers to deliver flyers, knock on doors, talk to people in real life, share online content, call and text voters, and ultimately to get progressive voters to the polls on election day,” said Hamdi Jimale, an Organizer at Progress Toronto.

Progress Toronto is a not-for-profit organization focused on advocating and organizing for a more democratic, socially just, and progressive city. They are a registered third party in Toronto’s 2018 municipal election.

For more information contact:
Michal Hay michal@progresstoronto.ca