They may still in the future!
In the meantime, you can learn more about them on their website.
Biography
As an advocate, school board trustee, Toronto City Councillor, member of the City’s budget committee, and local Member of Parliament, she has taken on some of our city’s biggest challenges and delivered solutions that make people’s lives better – even when people said it couldn’t be done.
Olivia knows people are feeling frustrated by the state of our city - we’re all tired of feeling stuck. Stuck in traffic, stuck waiting for the bus, stuck not being able to afford a home, or stuck on waiting lists for child care or other basic services. That’s not acceptable in a city with so much potential.
Olivia is running to be Toronto’s next mayor and to make the city more caring, affordable, and safer for everyone. A city where everyone belongs.
Throughout her life and career, Olivia has been motivated by one thing: making life better for the people in her community. That’s what drives her.
Born in Hong Kong, Olivia moved to Toronto with her parents when she was thirteen. She lived in St. James Town, and her mother’s income as a maid supported her family. Times were difficult.
Winning her first election in 1985, she served on the Toronto Board of Education for six years. In 1991, Olivia became the first Asian-born woman elected as a Metro Toronto Councillor.
Olivia used her office to create lasting programs that help hundreds of thousands of families in Toronto each year. Programs like free dental care for children in poverty and the school breakfast and lunch program that helps kids focus on their teachers, not their hunger.
In 2006, Olivia took her fight to Ottawa as a Member of Parliament. Recognizing the needs of the constituents in her Toronto riding, she introduced legislation for universal child care and improving public transit.
Olivia married Jack Layton in 1988, and they forged one of Canada's most remarkable political partnerships. Together they inspired millions of Canadians to fight for progress and hope for the future.
Since 2016, Olivia has been focused on training the next generation of progressive leaders to make change in their communities. As founder and executive director of the Institute for Change Leaders, she has personally helped thousands of people channel their passion and ideas into action.
Reason for running
Like so many people, my family chose to immigrate to Toronto. I was 13 and we lived in an apartment in St. James Town.
It was a different time. Toronto was a city of hope. It was much more affordable. Even though my dad struggled to hold down a job, my mother could pay the rent and feed our family by working as a hotel maid. It wasn’t easy, but with a single income, we got by.
We would not have survived today. Right now, people across Toronto feel stuck. Stuck waiting for housing. Stuck in traffic. Stuck waiting for buses, a childcare space, and recreation programs. And even stuck on hold when they call 911. For many of us, life in our city is getting harder, and we urgently need to build a city that cares.
I know what it feels like to worry about having enough money for rent and food. That’s why I’ve never been able to just stand by. I have spent my life building bridges between communities, leaders, and politicians on all sides to get things done. That’s who I am.
It has been my life’s work to empower communities, and together we’ve delivered results. We’ve built programs that feed thousands of kids in schools across the city. We made sure 911 was available in hundreds of languages so everyone could get help in an emergency, and we brought access to dental care for families in need.
Right now, Toronto has a choice.
We can give in to fear and pessimism and do nothing. Or we can choose to channel our frustration into hope. We can open up city hall and work together to build a more caring, affordable, and safer city.
I’ve made my choice. I’m running for mayor. Choose me, and together we will make Toronto a city that cares - a city where everyone belongs.
oliviachow.ca www.oliviachow.ca