How a competitive figure skater rose to Toronto's municipal politics
In short: From the ice rink to City Hall, Brad Bradford’s journey is defined by a drive he credits to his time as a high-level competitive figure skater. Now a prominent Toronto councillor and mayoral candidate, his political career has been marked by shifting stances on urban planning and public safety.
Born in 1986, Brad Bradford has become a significant figure in Toronto municipal politics. Representing Ward 19 Beaches—East York since 2018, he has navigated complex urban planning issues, drawing on his background as a former planner and his Master of Arts from the University of Waterloo. His political trajectory includes a third-place finish in the 2023 mayoral by-election, where he placed eighth with 9,254 votes, representing 1.28% of the total.
Bradford's policy positions have frequently evolved. While he previously supported expanding the city's cycling network—including a 2023 motion for Bloor Street lanes—he later admitted that council, including himself, 'got this one wrong' and has since proposed removing certain sections of those lanes. On the issue of public safety, his platform for the 2026 mayoral election includes a proposal to hire 1,000 new police officers, a move estimated by Councillor Shelley Caroll to cost 'well over $100 million'.
His career has not been without controversy. During the 2023 by-election, Jonathan Batty, the Integrity Commissioner, ruled in July 2024 that Bradford misused private data belonging to constituents for campaigning via his council office. Additionally, his involvement in the Dundas Street renaming debate has seen him move from supporting the initiative to questioning its cost, eventually proposing a plan to rename Yonge-Dundas Square to 'Toronto Square' and establish a police sub-station there.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Brad Bradford
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