Toronto municipal election, 1991

The 1991 Toronto municipal election was held on November 12, 1991 to elect councillors in Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, and mayors, councillors and school trustees in Toronto, York, East York, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke.

In Toronto, the mayoral race was the first wide-open contest in over a decade as Mayor Art Eggleton decided not to run for re-election after 11 years.

Jack Layton, a long-time city councillor and leader of the council's left wing contested the Mayor's position as the first-ever official candidate of the Metro New Democratic Party (NDP).

The centre-right was initially divided amongst three candidates, former city councillor June Rowlands who had most recently been chair of the police commission, then-city councillor Betty Disero and former alderman, provincial cabinet minister and Red Tory Susan Fish. Fearing that the 1991 election would be a repeat of 1978 where a split on the right allowed left-winger John Sewell to win, the business and development community worked behind the scenes to consolidate its support behind Rowlands. Lacking funds, Disero and Fish were forced to drop out before the close of nominations resulting in a two-way race between Rowlands and Layton with Rowlands proving victorious. Fish's name remained on the ballot, as she withdrew after the deadline for nominations had passed.

Results (Mayor)

Results taken from the "Toronto Star" newspaper, 14 November 1991, E8. The final official results were not significantly different.

*William McKeown was a truck driver residing in the Regent Park area of Toronto. He was a Neighbourhood Watch captain, and was active with the Toronto Mayor's Task Force on Community and Race Relations. An active driver for 35 years, he was unemployed during the election as the result of a shoulder injury. His campaign focused on making playgrounds and parks more secure, and providing jobs for the handicapped and people on welfare. He was 53 years old ("Toronto Star", 28 October and 2 + 7 November 1991).

Metro Toronto Regional Chairman - Alan Tonks

Mayor East York - David Johnson (1992-93), Michael Prue (1994)

Mayor Etobicoke - Bruce Sinclair

Mayor North York - Mel Lastman

Mayor Scarborough - Joyce Trimmer

Mayor York - Fergy Brown

Results (Council & School Board Trustees)

Metropolitan Toronto Council

1 East YorkPeter Oyler

2 Lakeshore-QueenswayBlake Kinahan

3 Kingsway-HumberDennis Flynn

4 Dick O'BrienMarkland Centennial

5 Rexdale-ThistletownLois Griffin

6 North York HumberMario Gentile

7 Black Creek
Maria Augimeri (NDP)

Results taken from the "Toronto Star", 13 November 1991.
The final official results were not significantly different.

*Tibor Martinek was a forty-two year old food company manager and tenants-rights activist at the time of the election. He supported an expansion of recycling services in North York apartment complexes. [Stan Josey, "Spadina ward is called home by diverse ethnic mix", "Toronto Star", 24 October 1991, NY2; "Metropolitan Toronto Councillors", "Toronto Star", 7 November 1991, G2.] He later campaigned in a by-election for North York's seventh ward in 1992, calling for the devolution of powers from Metro Toronto to North York and the abolition of the North York Parking Authority (which he described as a patronage nest). He also called for people to be taxed on the services they receive, rather than on their homes. [Stan Josey, "Candidates worried about voter apathy in by-election", "Toronto Star", 8 October 1992, NY2.] He finished fifth against Mike Feldman.
*Larry Wynne was a spokesman for the Lawrence Manor Ratepayers Association in the 1980s and 1990s, and served on several community boards and committees. During the mid-1980s, he opposed local construction plans organized by Tridel Construction Ltd. and the National Council for Jewish Women. [Dyanne Rivers, "North York residents boosted by rejection of complex by OMB", "Globe and Mail", 6 August 1984, M5; "North York approves non-profit housing plan", "Globe and Mail", 18 September 1984, M4.] He wrote to the provincial ombudsman in 1989, accusing Patti Starr (who had close connections to both organizations) of being in a conflict-of-interest situation. This helped precipitate the "Patti Starr scandal", which damaged the provincial government of David Peterson. [Alan Story, "Starr quits North York committee", "Toronto Star", 20 June 1989, A3.] He was fifty-five years old in 1991, and described himself as self-employed. Wynne opposed market-value tax assessment reforms, and also spoke against French immersion courses. [Stan Josey, "Spadina ward is called home by diverse ethnic mix", "Toronto Star", 24 October 1991, NY2; "Metropolitan Toronto Councillors", "Toronto Star", 7 November 1991, G2.]

9 North York Centre South
Bev Salmon

10 North York CentreNorman Gardner

11 Don ParkwayMarie Labatte

12 Seneca HeightsJoan King

13 Scarborough Bluffs
Brian Ashton

14 Scarborough WexfordMaureen Prinsloo

15 Scarborugh City CentreBrian Harrison

16 Scarborough Highland CreekKen Morrish

17 Scarborough AgincourtScott Cavalier

18 Scarborough Malvern
Raymond Cho

20 Trinity-Niagara
Joe Pantalone (NDP)

21 Davenport
Dennis Fotinos

22 North TorontoAnne Johnston (NDP)

23 MidtownIla Bossons

24 Downtown
Olivia Chow (NDP)

25 Don RiverRoger Hollander

26 East Toronto
Paul Christie

27 York Humber
Alan Tonks

28 York Eglinton
Mike Colle

York City Council

Ward 1 R. Mendelson

Ward 2
Joe Mihevc

Ward 3
Rob Davis

Ward 4J. Roberts

Ward 5B.D. Rowland

Ward 6M. McDonald

Ward 7
Francis Nunziata

Ward 8
Bill Saundercook

North York School Board

Ward 1 Emery
*Sheila Lambrinos (NDP) Ward 2 Amesbury Park/Black Creek
*Bob Churchill

Ward 3 Jane/Finch
*Stephnie Payne (NDP)

Ward 4 Lawrence Heights
*Elsa Chandler

Ward 5 Downsview
*Errol Young

Ward 6 Avenue Rd.

Results taken from the "Toronto Star", 13 November 1991 (all polls reporting). The final official results were not significantly different.

Ward 7 Wilson Heights
*Mae Waese

Ward 8 Banbury-Windfields-St. Andrew's
*Gerri Gershon

Ward 9 Senlac
*Shelley Stillman

Ward 10 Don Mills-Flemingdon
*Darlene Scott

Ward 11 Willowdale
*Diane Meaghan

Ward 12 Victoria Village-Broadlands-Fenside
*Kim Scott Liberal

Ward 13 Hillcrest
*Dan Hicks

Ward 14 Oriole/Fairview/Pleasant View
*David Caplan Liberal

York School Board

Ward 1K. Hen

Ward 2P. Karageorgos (acclamation)

Ward 3J. Mills

Ward 4E. Hill

Ward 5J. Morriello

Ward 6 B. Taylor

Ward 7S. Mould

Ward 8 M. McDowell

Footnotes