Beaches-East York Councillor Bradford announces he will be running for mayor in 2026

Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford has announced that he will be running to be Toronto’s next mayor in the 2026 municipal election.

Bradford made the announcement on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 1, while speaking on the Brandon Gonez Show, which is a Toronto online media platform.

“I’m really excited about it,” said Bradford of the upcoming campaign on the show.

He said his priorities for the campaign will be public safety and implementing practical solutions to the city’s challenges.

“My priorities are going to be very clear. It starts with safety. Safety is number one,” Bradford told Gonez. “That is what I hear everyday from people. They feel less safe than they used to feel. I think the indiscriminate nature of the violence and crime that’s been taking place all across Toronto … it’s not just one neighbourhood … in fact, that’s really alarming. It’s everywhere all the time. That’s why people don’t feel safe. They don’t feel safe riding on the TTC.”

Toronto’s next municipal election will be Oct. 26, 2026.

Bradford said he announced early in order to have ample time to have his message heard and so that his intentions are clear.

“A lot of people have been asking me about my plans for next year. Although the campaign period doesn’t start until May, I wanted to be open and direct with people about the decision that I’ve made,” Bradford told Beach Metro Community News.

“And I’m all in — my name will be on the ballot for mayor next October.”

In June of 2023, Bradford was among 102 candidates who ran in the Toronto mayoral byelection to replace John Tory who stepped down. Olivia Chow won that byelection, and Bradford was eighth.

He said he’s expecting a different result in 2026.

Bradford also stressed the differences between himself and Chow. Specifically, he said Chow has not put enough focus on the city’s core services and that is having a negative impact on the lives of residents.

“I love this city, and I believe we really need to do a better job of delivering on the basic services that people rely on so that we can make Toronto the best city in the world,” he said. “That means a sharper focus on public safety, making life more affordable, and making it easier to move around the city.”

He said listening to the concerns of residents is critical for an elected representative, be they mayor or councillor.

“Public service starts with listening and learning, and that’s what I’ve done and will continue to do with residents in our community and right across the city. I know we all believe Toronto is worth fighting for.”

Bradford was first elected as councillor for Beaches-East York in the 2018 municipal election. Though he has declared for mayor, he said he will continue to make serving residents of the ward a priority over the next year.

“Job number one is continuing to deliver for the residents of Beaches-East York. It’s a privilege to represent this amazing community and I don’t take it lightly. My team and I will continue to deliver for residents, making sure you can access the services you need and fighting for improvements to make our streets, parks and neighbourhoods even better,” he said.

Chow has not yet said if she will be running for mayor in 2026.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been changed from the one originally filed on Oct. 2 to include additional comments sent to Beach Metro Community News by Brad Bradford.