Mayor John Tory
As the 65th Mayor of Toronto, John Tory has led the way in tackling traffic congestion, building transit and growing Toronto's innovation economy.
Mayor Tory has taken action to reduce commute times while moving forward with Toronto’s first-ever network transit plan that will see subway lines extended throughout to the northwest and east ends of the city, a significant expansion of the LRT network, and much greater use of GO lines across the city as part of SmartTrack, the Mayor’s signature transit initiative.
Since being elected to office in 2014, he has been focused on ensuring Toronto remains a livable and affordable city, investing in priority services such as housing, parks and student nutrition. He has worked to make the city government more modern and effective, and to be more open and accountable to the public.
Born and raised in Toronto, Mayor Tory has spent his career giving back to the city he loves working with organizations like the United Way, St. Michael’s Hospital and Civic Action. In office, he has been a constant champion for Toronto, using his experience leading organizations and businesses to promote Toronto on the world stage to attract jobs and investment, and secure the city’s future as a global capital.
Mayor Tory began his career practicing law in Toronto, and he was later elected as a managing partner of one of Canada’s biggest law firms. In the 1980s he served as Principal Secretary to Premier Bill Davis and as Associate Secretary of the Ontario Cabinet. He has served as Commissioner of the Canadian Football League and as CEO of Rogers, one of the country’s largest cable companies. His time in politics dates back to 2004 when he was chosen to lead the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, later serving as Leader of the Official Opposition at Queen’s Park.
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Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.