Councillor Elect Amber Morley surprised many by defeating Mark Grimes.
Dissatisfied voters of Ward 3 Etobicoke Lakeshore have called for change and tossed out veteran councillor Mark Grimes.
Rookie politician Amber Morley crushed Grimes in a heated tough campaign, which had plenty of name calling and sign-stealing by supporters.
The upset by Morley is what many describe as the biggest upset in Toronto’s municipal election on October 24.
She managed to defeat the incumbent who was endorsed by Mayor elect John Tory, who is still popular with voters, while Grimes is not.
It took a lot of hard work by all to score a victory for Amber.
“We did it. Change is possible,” Morley told her excited campaign supporters and staff.
The young social worker and community health promoter with LAMP Community Health Centre, won 46.6 per cent share of the vote to Grimes’ 40.4 per cent with 81 of 86 polls reporting.
In 2018, Grimes won 40.9 per cent of the vote to Morley’s 27.19 per cent.
Her priorities, once sworn in, will be working on affordable housing, safe streets, accessible transportation and resilient and vibrant neighbourhoods.
Morley defeated the long-time councillor by an embarrassing 2,012 votes, despite him holding office for 19 years.
“As someone who’s grown up as a low-income person, as a racialized person, often, we don’t see ourselves reflected in those systems,” Morley told the CBC. “I hope that my participation helps people like me see themselves in the [political] process.”
Many residents complained during the campaign that Grimes was seldom at City Hall and was too friendly with developers with the many high-rise condos popping up in every empty space in the ward.
AMBER with some young fans ready to vote.
Candidates touted that Grimes had the worst attendance of all councillors and was once cited in a possible conflict of interest with developers in the area.
“I am thrilled our campaign for change at Toronto City Hall is drawing support from a wide cross section of voices from across Toronto,” Morley said in a release.
High profile pizza maker candidate Zeynel (Dino) Ari captured 467 votes.
Morley was endorsed by politicians as Councillor Josh Matlow, MPPs Kristyn Wong-Tam, Jill Andrew and Bhutila Karpoche, MP Peggy Nash, former Trustee Pamela Gough, Toronto and York Labour Council and the Toronto Community Bikeways Coalition.