Incumbents Toppled in GTHA Municipal Shake-up
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
Veteran mayors and councillors across the region lose seats as voters signal a desire for change.
The 2026 municipal elections delivered a series of upsets across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, with several long-serving incumbents ousted by newcomers and challengers, according to reporting from CityNews Toronto and Global News Toronto.
In Hamilton, steel industry advocate and Canadian Institute of Steel Production CEO Keanin Loomis defeated incumbent Mayor Andrea Horwath. Loomis secured 41.8% of the vote, while Horwath, a former Ontario NDP leader, finished third with 14.5%. In Mississauga, Alvin Tedjo won the mayoral race by a wide margin, defeating both incumbent Carolyn Parrish and former mayor Bonnie Crombie.
Other notable mayoral losses included: * **Milton:** Gord Krantz, who served as a councillor from 1965 before being elected mayor in 1980 and serving 15 consecutive terms, was defeated by Coun. George Minakakis. * **Oakville:** Five-term mayor Rob Burton finished third with 20.4% of the vote; cinema owner and councillor Jeff Knoll won with 36.3%. * **Halton Hills:** Mayor Anne Lawlor was defeated by Coun. Jason Brass. * **Niagara Falls:** Longtime Mayor Jim Diodati lost to Coun. Lori Lococo. * **Clarington:** Four-term mayor Adrian Foster was defeated by retired police officer Tom Dingwall.
Toronto's city council also saw turnover. Ward 13 councillor Chris Moise was defeated by former advocacy director Curran Stikuts, and Ward 23 councillor Jamaal Myers lost to former Liberal MP Shaun Chen. Additionally, long-serving councillor and city council speaker Frances Nunziata finished third in her race, losing to social worker Chiara Padovani.
Despite the losses, some incumbents maintained their seats. Global News Toronto reports that Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow won re-election with approximately 54% of the vote, and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown secured a third term with about 54%. Other strong returns included Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca (81.5%), Richmond Hill Mayor David West (83%), and Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti (72%).