Longtime Toronto councilor Mike Leighton joins a growing list of veteran politicians not returning to City Hall in October.
Layton confirmed to CP24 on Wednesday that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming municipal election. He cited his desire to focus more of his energy on fighting climate change while “rebalancing his life” so he could spend more time with his family.
“I want to make sure that all my energy is devoted to what I believe is the next global crisis that we face,” he said. “It needs more power injected into it and so I’m going to look at what the options are to try and scale up the solutions.”
“That’s what I’ve really enjoyed focusing on at City Hall, finding solutions to problems and then expanding on them.”
Leighton said he doesn’t have a job lined up but isn’t considering a run for leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party, a position now open after the resignation of Andrea Horvath. Leighton’s father, Jack Leighton, was leader of the federal NDP for about eight years before his death in 2011.
“My second goal in this career change is to balance my life to have more time with my children,” he said. “I don’t think becoming the leader of a provincial party, the leader of the official opposition, would actually contribute to that.”
The University-Rosedale alderman has been a member of the City Council for 12 years and is known for expressing progressive ideas, particularly regarding affordable housing and climate change, in addition to transit and bicycle infrastructure.
Toronto Mayor John Tory said Leighton will be missed by council, adding that he has been an inspiration when it comes to forging a path toward reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and setting city-wide goals on climate change.
“Mike Layton is a very decent man,” Torrey said. “I wish him well in his future endeavours. I feel like we haven’t seen the last of him in politics because he is a young man and he can have another career and then come back to politics if he wants to. I think it’s in his DNA.”
Just over a quarter of council races will not have an incumbent in October. Former Deputy Mayor Denzil Minan-Wong, Willowdale Councilman John Fillion and Davenport Councilwoman Anna Bailao have also announced they will not seek re-election.
Three other seats were left vacant after current councilors stepped down from their roles.
Former Toronto Health Board chair and Spadina-Fort York representative Joe Cressey resigned in April to pursue a career at George Brown College, while Toronto Center Counc. Kristyn Wong-Tam and Etobicoke North Counc. Michael Ford left to run in the provincial election.
Nominations for the municipal competitions are open until August 19. The election is scheduled for October 24.
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