TORONTO — Former Conservative cabinet minister Chris Alexander registered Wednesday as a candidate for Toronto mayor, injecting new uncertainty into an already crowded race that had been shaping up as a two-way contest between incumbent Olivia Chow and Councillor Brad Bradford.Alexander, who served as federal immigration minister under Stephen Harper from 2013 to 2015 and as Canada’s first resident ambassador to Afghanistan, filed his nomination papers at City Hall for the Oct. 26 election. The 57-year-old, who represented Ajax-Pickering as a Member of Parliament from 2011 to 2015, confirmed his candidacy late Tuesday and launched a campaign website shortly afterward.“I’m running because Toronto has been standing still for three years,” Alexander said in a statement on his website. “A city with this much talent, strength and potential should not be under-performing. We need to work together to make Toronto better — the best it can be.”.He told reporters after registering that the city is “slightly adrift” and needs leadership that brings an outside perspective. Alexander, who moved back to Toronto in 2022 and lives near Summerhill with his wife and three children, emphasized he is past partisan politics and positioned himself as a centrist focused on results rather than ideology.His early priorities include tighter budgeting, reducing congestion, reforming zoning, making public transit more reliable and faster, improving access to rental housing for young people and newcomers, and enhancing walkability. Detailed, costed proposals are expected in the coming weeks.Alexander’s entry comes as early polling showed Chow leading Bradford among decided voters. A Liaison Strategies survey conducted July 24-26 found Chow at 49% and Bradford at 41% among decided and leaning voters, with the rest of the field at 10 per cent. More than 30 candidates have registered so far, with nominations closing Aug. 21.
