Toronto

Toronto mayoral candidates campaign over final weekend

The top three contenders in Toronto's mayoral race are out in full force in the weekend before election day.

John Tory, Doug Ford, Olivia Chow make last-ditch efforts before Oct. 27 election

Mayoral candidates Doug Ford, Olivia Chow and John Tory are campaigning heavily during the weekend before Torontonians head to the polls to elect the city's next mayor. (Canadian Press/CBC)

The top three contenders in Toronto's mayoral race are out in full force in the weekend before election day.

Torontonians head to the polls on Monday, and Olivia Chow, Doug Ford and John Tory are trying to drum up as much last-minute support as possible.

John Tory went pumpkin shopping with his grandkids in Ward 16 on Saturday as part of #44in72. (John Tory/Twitter)
Tory is on a mission to stop at each of the city's 44 wards over the weekend. He's calling it his #44in72 tour, indicating he'll stop at each ward over a 72-hour time period from Friday to end-of-day Sunday.

So far on Saturday, Tory had breakfast in Ward 24 with Bayview residents, he served some customers with coffee at a Ward 23 Tim Hortons, delivered signs to supporters in Ward 39, popped by a retirement centre in Ward 38, and picked out a pumpkin with his grandchildren at a Ward 16 market.

Tory said getting to make stops in every part of the city is a great way to finish his campaign.

'Women's priorities are Toronto's priorities'

Meanwhile, Chow was also having a busy day with six campaign stops planned for Saturday.

She started by meeting a group of volunteers and supporters at a women's canvassing event. There, Chow reiterated her stance that she is the sole candidate who will act on women's issues.

Olivia Chow tweeted this photo Saturday saying 'every person counts,' which is why she will invest in Toronto's youth. (Olivia Chow Twitter)
"Women's priorities are Toronto's priorities," she said in a statement, adding that the city "can't afford four more years of inaction."

Chow's pledged to create 3,000 new child care spaces, of which half will be subsidized, and expand after-school recreation programs for kids.

She also called on Tory and Ford to release their donor lists. Chow released her donor list last week, showing that she raised more than $1.7 million as of mid-day Oct. 21 from 7,000 contributors.

Tory released his donor list on Saturday, which shows he's raised nearly $2.5 million from more than 5,000 supporters.

Ford talks subways

Ford, who said he will release his donor list later Saturday, had five planned campaign stops at the start of the weekend.

Early Saturday morning, he visited residents and small business owners, including a Tim Hortons in Ward 36.

Doug Ford and his wife Karla Ford, centre, joined a Halloween walk in support of the Canadian Armed Forces on Saturday. (Doug Ford Campaign/Twitter)
He stopped in Scarborough to talk about his transit plan, which has 32 kilometres of subways, including one connecting Scarborough.

Later in the day, Ford went to Etobicoke to join a Halloween walk in support of the Canadian Armed Forces with his wife, Karla.

He will cap off his day with a Diwali celebration.

Torontonians head to the polls on Monday. Advance voting closed last Sunday. Over six days, 161,147 voters cast their ballots between Oct. 14 and 19.

In the last mayoral election, in 2010, 77,391 advance poll ballots were cast.