Chow outspent Bradford 2-to-1 on Facebook and Instagram in final week of Toronto mayoral race
Olivia Chow spent $30,694 on Meta ads in the week of Oct. 14 to 20, while Brad Bradford spent $12,952 in the same period, according to the Meta Ad Library.
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Olivia Chow spent $30,694 on Facebook and Instagram ads in the week of Oct. 14 to 20, more than twice the $12,952 that Brad Bradford's campaign spent in the same period, according to data from the Meta Ad Library reported by CBC News on Oct. 24.
Together the two leading mayoral candidates spent more than $40,000 combined in that one week, pushing messages to motivate their supporters and criticize each other, CBC News reported.
Harneet Singh, managing principal at EOK Consults, told CBC News that the current numbers are a reversal of how the summer looked. Bradford had been spending more on Meta advertising all summer and was, Singh said, one of the country's largest Meta ad spenders at that time. Chow's campaign changed that in mid-September, when it raised its spending and overtook Bradford.
As of Oct. 24, Singh said Chow was spending close to $5,000 per day on Facebook and Instagram. Bradford, he said, was consistent at about $1,700 per day.
The two campaigns are also targeting different groups. Bradford's ads were aimed at a large share of voters aged 45 or older. Chow's campaign directed many of its ads at women and people with post-graduate degrees.
The ads themselves are going after each other's records. One Bradford ad reads: "Higher taxes. Longer commutes. Streets that don't feel safe. Toronto can do better than four more years of this." Chow's campaign is running its own ads on Bradford, including one that reads: "Don't trust Brad Bradford with our water."
Two advocacy groups are also running Meta ads. Progress Toronto, which has endorsed Chow, spent $10,813 on Meta ads from Oct. 14 to Oct. 20, according to the Meta Ad Library. Some of those ran about the Toronto election; others ran against Ontario Premier Doug Ford. ABC Toronto, which has endorsed Bradford, spent $2,062 on two ads calling for change at city hall, though those ads did not name a specific candidate. As of Oct. 24, ABC Toronto had not registered as a third-party advertiser in this election.
The Meta Ad Library covers Facebook and Instagram spending only. Each campaign's spending on YouTube, television and other channels will be declared after the election.
Voting day is Monday, Oct. 26. Find your voting place at the City of Toronto's elections page.
Questions this story answers
How much did Olivia Chow spend on Facebook and Instagram ads in the final week before voting day?
According to the Meta Ad Library, Olivia Chow's campaign spent $30,694 on Facebook and Instagram ads between Oct. 14 and 20, 2026. CBC News reported these figures on Oct. 24. Chow aimed many of those ads at women and people with post-graduate degrees.
How much did Brad Bradford spend on Facebook and Instagram ads in the same period?
Brad Bradford's campaign spent $12,952 on Meta ads between Oct. 14 and 20, 2026, according to the Meta Ad Library. He targeted a large share of those buys toward voters aged 45 or older, CBC News reported on Oct. 24.
Which candidate spent more on social media advertising going into the final week?
Olivia Chow outspent Brad Bradford by more than 2-to-1 on Facebook and Instagram in the week of Oct. 14 to 20. Together, their campaigns spent more than $40,000 combined in that one week, according to the Meta Ad Library as reported by CBC News.
Who was spending more on Meta ads during the summer months?
Political consultant Harneet Singh, managing principal at EOK Consults, told CBC News that Brad Bradford was spending more on Meta advertising during the summer. Singh said Bradford was one of the largest Meta ad spenders in the country at that time, but that Olivia Chow overtook him in mid-September when her campaign raised its spending.
What daily spending rates are the two campaigns running at now?
As of Oct. 24, Harneet Singh of EOK Consults told CBC News that Olivia Chow's campaign was spending close to $5,000 per day on Facebook and Instagram, while Brad Bradford's campaign was spending about $1,700 per day.
Are any third-party groups also running ads in this race?
Yes. Progress Toronto, which has endorsed Olivia Chow, spent $10,813 from Oct. 14 to Oct. 20 on Meta ads, according to the Meta Ad Library. Some of those ads were about the Toronto election; others were aimed at Ontario Premier Doug Ford. ABC Toronto, which has endorsed Brad Bradford, spent $2,062 on two ads that called for change at city hall but did not name a specific candidate.
What do the ads from each campaign say?
CBC News reported that Bradford's ads compare his promises against what he calls Chow's record in office. One ad reads: 'Higher taxes. Longer commutes. Streets that don't feel safe. Toronto can do better than four more years of this.' Chow's campaign is also running ads that go after Bradford. One reads: 'Don't trust Brad Bradford with our water.' Another says: 'Brad Bradford will say anything to get elected.'
Does the Meta Ad Library show all campaign spending?
The Meta Ad Library shows spending on Facebook and Instagram only. Each campaign's spending on YouTube, television and other channels will be declared after the election is over, CBC News noted in its Oct. 24 report. Voting day is Monday, Oct. 26, and you can find your voting place at the City of Toronto's elections page.
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