---
title: "Chow and Bradford trade sharp exchanges at final mayoral debate"
description: "Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford clashed over housing, water services and the city budget at their last debate before Toronto's Oct. 26 vote."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/news/chow-bradford-cp24-debate-october-23"
last_updated: "2026-10-23T20:37:36.323Z"
---

With three days left before Toronto votes, [Olivia Chow](/on/toronto-2026/candidates/olivia-chow) and [Brad Bradford](/on/toronto-2026/candidates/brad-bradford) faced off at their final debate on Thursday night, trading disputes over housing, water and the city budget. NOW Toronto reported on the exchanges at the CP24-hosted event.

**Housing starts and development charges**

Bradford pointed to housing as the clearest gap between the two candidates. He said housing starts are at their lowest level in 30 years and criticized Chow for promising to build 65,000 purpose-built units by 2030 while delivering only 1,500 so far. At that pace, he said, it would take 115 years to fulfill the commitment.

Bradford's platform calls for eliminating the Municipal Land Transfer Tax. He said the change would save the average homebuyer $18,000.

Chow said Bradford contributed to slow housing starts by voting to increase development charges during his time as chair of the Housing and Planning Committee from 2022 to 2023. She said she has since lowered development charges and improved the approvals process by 80 per cent, citing that figure as her own account.

**Water restructuring**

Water services have become a central point of dispute in the final stretch of the campaign. Bradford's plan would restructure Toronto Water into a publicly-owned utility modelled on Toronto Hydro, which he says would cut water bills by 25 per cent and save households an average of $300 per year.

Chow, city workers' unions and environmental activist David Suzuki have raised concerns that restructuring the service would open a door to privatization and cut funding for infrastructure and repairs. Chow cited Ontario Premier Doug Ford's legislation, which she said allows the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to create public corporations to manage municipal water systems.

Bradford said the plan keeps the service publicly owned and pledged to resign his seat if water were privatized under his administration.

The debate moderator noted that provincial legislation does not currently permit privatization.

**Councillor obligations**

Chow said Bradford has not met his obligations to constituents during his mayoral campaign, pointing to conditions at a building at 500 Dawes Road. Bradford denied the claim. He said the city identified more than 170 deficiencies at that building over the past two years and that 73 prosecutions have been pursued since 2010.

**What voters can do**

Toronto's municipal election is on Monday, Oct. 26. Voters choose the mayor, a ward councillor and school board trustees. Information on polling locations is available from the City of Toronto at [/on/toronto-2026/news](/on/toronto-2026/news).

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