Olivia Chow maintains 11-point lead in Toronto mayoral race

A new poll by Liaison Strategies found 46% of the decided vote chose Olivia Chow, 35% support Brad Bradford and 11% back Anthony Furey

Published Apr 17, 2026  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Composite of two images side by side. Toronto City Coucillor Brad Bradford Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — With six months still left to go before the municipal elections, new polling numbers suggest Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is enjoying a 11-point lead over her closest rival.

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That’s according to numbers released Friday by Liaison Strategies, which show that despite main challenger Brad Bradford seeing a surge of support, the Beaches-East York City Councillor still has some ground to cover.

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“Mayor Chow continues to dominate in the downtown core and among older residents, but Brad Bradford has effectively tied her among voters aged 18-34 and holds a lead in Etobicoke,” Liaison Principal David Valentin said.

“The city is also perfectly split on its trajectory, with an equal number of residents believing Toronto is moving in the right versus the wrong direction.”

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Undecided vote still a factor

When asked who they’d vote for if the election were held today, 46% of the decided vote chose Chow, while 35% chose Bradford, 11% said they’d back Anthony Furey, and 6% said they’d support somebody else.

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What could factor heavily as election day draws nearer is the undecided vote, which currently sits at 26%.

Bradford, who has served on Toronto City Council for eight years, has seen a big increase in his support, a spike that came around the same time former mayor John Tory announced he wasn’t interested in seeking his old job back.

Mayor Chow’s approval rating currently sits at 56%, compared to her 40% disapproval rating.

Her support is highest in the downtown core, where she garners a 67% approval rating, but ranks lowest in Etobicoke, where she’s only managing to rally 32% support.

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Bradford’s biggest source of support is Etobicoke at 43%, with Scarborough ranking the lowest at 33%.

As for whether respondents are pleased with the direction the city is going, the poll showed an even split at 48%, and 3% saying they weren’t sure.

That’s a change from results gathered earlier this year, which showed slightly more people saying they approved of the direction the city was going.

The survey was conducted between April 12 and April 13 among 1,000 Canadians, with a margin of error of ±3.1%, 19 times out of 20.

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