Mike Layton running for city council in upcoming municipal election

Mike Layton is planning to run for his former seat on the city council in the upcoming municipal election. Layton filed the necessary paperwork on Monday and spoke with reporters about his decision.

According to Layton, it was calls from his neighbors that prompted him to run for another term. In a statement on X, Layton emphasized that the election is an opportunity to elect a progressive city council capable of bringing about meaningful change.

Layton previously served as the city councillor for the University-Rosedale riding for 12 years, from 2010 to 2022, before taking a break to spend more time with his family. He mentioned that his children have now grown up and have questions about issues such as housing and climate change, which he intends to address if elected. Layton's entry into the race sets up a competition with current University-Rosedale councillor Dianne Saxe, who took over the position when Layton stepped down.

It is worth noting that Layton is the son of the late Jack Layton, a former federal NDP leader, and the stepson of current Toronto mayor Olivia Chow.