Chow and Bradford clash on transit, budget and safety at Scarborough debate
Mayoral candidates Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford debated transit, the city budget and public safety in Scarborough on October 7, 2026.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on toronto.citynews.ca.
Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford held their second debate in two nights on October 7, 2026, this time hosted by the Scarborough Community Renewal Organization and moderated by CityNews' Cynthia Mulligan, according to CityNews Toronto. The candidates clashed on the city budget, transit safety and policing.
Brad Bradford opened the budget discussion by calling for a line-by-line review of city spending carried out by outside municipal experts. He said the last such review happened in 2011, and accused Olivia Chow of delivering a 20 per cent property tax increase over three years after promising voters a modest hike. "That's how we got a 20 per cent tax hike after promising people a modest tax hike," Bradford said, according to CityNews.
Chow responded that the city's budget committee had already gone line by line and found $700 million in savings, and that she began her term carrying a $1.8 billion deficit, according to CityNews. Bradford disputed her account of how those savings were found, saying he wanted outside experts rather than city staff to conduct the review.
Transit
Transit was one of the main topics of the debate, with Chow and Bradford offering different accounts of the TTC's recent record. Chow said her administration hired 400 frontline staff, including police officers and mental health crisis workers, for the transit system. Bradford said transit remains unsafe and ridership has fallen under Chow's leadership, according to CityNews. The two disputed who was responsible for a past fare increase, with Chow saying Bradford raised fares and cut services during his time on council. Bradford replied: "I was not on TTC in 2023."
Both candidates said they opposed allowing electric bikes in bike lanes when asked in a rapid-fire round, according to CityNews. Both also said they would increase affordable housing requirements for developers.
Public safety
Bradford proposed hiring 1,000 additional front-line police officers and questioned Chow's decision not to sit on the Police Services Board. "Some things when it comes to leadership are just so important, you don't delegate those responsibilities away," he said, according to CityNews.
Chow said gun violence in the city is down 40 per cent, 911 calls are also down, and car thefts and break-ins have fallen, according to CityNews. She pledged to invest $28 million in programs, jobs and mentorship for young people: "This is the way to go and prevent crime."
What this means for voters
Advance polling is open until October 11, 2026. Election day in Toronto is October 26, 2026. Candidate profiles for both Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford are on this site at /on/toronto-2026/candidates.
Questions this story answers
When did the Scarborough debate happen?
The debate took place on October 7, 2026. It was the second mayoral debate in two nights, following one on October 6. The Scarborough Community Renewal Organization hosted it and CityNews' Cynthia Mulligan moderated. Scarborough now has six wards and over 620,000 residents, according to CityNews.
Who organized the Scarborough debate?
The Scarborough Community Renewal Organization hosted the October 7 debate, and CityNews Toronto's Cynthia Mulligan moderated it. The debate covered transit, affordability, the city budget, and public safety. Only the two remaining major candidates, Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford, took part.
What did Brad Bradford say about the city budget?
Bradford called for a line-by-line review of the city budget by outside municipal experts, saying the last such review was done in 2011. He accused Chow's administration of delivering a 20 per cent property tax increase over three years after promising a modest hike, according to CityNews' report of the debate.
What did Olivia Chow say about the city budget?
Chow said the city's budget committee already conducted a line-by-line review and found $700 million in savings. She said she began her term with a $1.8 billion deficit, according to CityNews' report of the debate. Bradford disputed her account of the savings process.
What did Bradford propose for public safety?
Bradford said he would hire 1,000 additional front-line police officers to work in neighbourhoods, on transit, and on investigations. He also questioned Chow's decision not to sit on the Police Services Board, saying the mayor should not delegate that responsibility, according to CityNews.
What did Chow say about public safety?
Chow said gun violence in Toronto is down 40 per cent, 911 calls are also down, and car thefts and break-ins have fallen, according to CityNews' report of the debate. She said the city hired 400 frontline staff including police officers and mental health crisis workers. She pledged to invest $28 million in programs, jobs and mentorship for young people.
What did the candidates say about transit?
Chow said she would invest in smart traffic lights and public transit, and cited 400 frontline staff including mental health workers added to the TTC. Bradford said transit remains unsafe and cited declining ridership under Chow. Bradford said Chow raised TTC fares and cut services; Chow disputed that account, saying Bradford had done so during his time on council, according to CityNews.
When can I vote in the Toronto election?
Advance polling runs from October 6 to October 11, 2026. Election day is October 26, 2026. You can find your polling place at /on/toronto-2026/candidates to look up candidate information or check the City of Toronto's election page for voting location details.
Who are the main candidates for Toronto mayor?
After Chris Alexander withdrew on October 6, the two remaining major candidates are Olivia Chow, the incumbent mayor, and Brad Bradford, a former city councillor. Both took part in the Scarborough debate on October 7. Other candidates remain on the City Clerk's certified list for October 26.
What areas does Scarborough cover in Toronto?
Scarborough is made up of six city wards and has over 620,000 residents, according to CityNews. It is one of the largest parts of Toronto and transit was a central theme at the October 7 debate because of ongoing discussions about bus lanes and the Scarborough East LRT.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
Found an error? Tell the editors with the corrections form. A correction is noted on the story it changes. Read our standards.
Topics
More from voche.me
Nanos poll: Toronto voters say traffic congestion is the biggest problem in the city
Chow and Bradford clash on housing, transit and budget at United Way debate
