John Tory has strong support among Beaches–East York voters: Poll

But the former Toronto mayor has indicated he's not interested in re-entering public life right now

Published Apr 17, 2026  •  Last updated 24 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Then-mayor John Tory speaks to media after receiving news of a successful 2026 FIFA World Cup bid at BMO Field in Toronto, June 13, 2018. Photo by Dave Abel / Files /Toronto Sun

If John Tory has any interest in entering federal politics, a riding in Toronto’s east end could soon be up for grabs.

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Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith, who represents Beaches–East York in Ottawa, said he intends to run for the leadership of the provincial Liberals by seeking the party’s nomination for the Scarborough Southwest byelection later this year.

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That would leave Beaches–East York up for grabs federally.

Strong support in Beaches–East York

According to a Forum Research survey this week of 415 voters in the riding, Tory has the support of 40% of residents. New federal NDP leader Avi Lewis – who doesn’t have a seat in Parliament – followed at 31%.

Jocelyne Poirier, who was the Conservative candidate for Beaches–East York in last year’s federal election, received 20% support while Jack Pennings, the Green Party representative in the same election, saw just 5% support, the pollster said.

Another 5% of voters indicated they were undecided.

Tory, Toronto’s mayor from December 2014 to February 2023, had considered putting his name in the hat for the mayoral seat in the upcoming municipal election.

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Tory not interested in public office

While he ultimately decided not to run for his old job, which he resigned from after revelations surfaced that he had an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, Tory said he is not interested in a return to public life.

“Having just made the difficult decision not to run for mayor, a job I loved, it wasn’t top of mind for me to seek a different job in public office,” Tory said in a statement to the Toronto Sun.

Despite Tory’s disinterest, Forum Research President Dr. Lorne Bozinoff said the riding’s younger demographic is very supportive of the former mayor.

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“When Beaches–East York voters are asked who they would support in a federal byelection, John Tory leads, with Avi Lewis close behind,” Bozinoff said in a statement.

“Tory’s support is particularly strong among younger voters and college graduates, while Lewis performs better among university-educated voters,” he explained. “With a small share of voters still undecided, the race remains competitive and could shift as the situation develops.”

When asked who they think would make the best prime minister, those who said Mark Carney (60%) or Pierre Poilievre (51%) also support Tory in a future Beaches–East York byelection.

Forum Research said the poll was conducted between Tuesday and Wednesday based on an interactive voice response telephone survey of randomly selected Beaches–East York residents over the age of 18.

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