Mayoral Candidate Pledges 1,000 New Police Officers Without Cost Estimate

Bradford has vowed to add 1,000 officers during his first four-year term if elected in October, according to CBC Toronto. The Beaches-East York councillor argues that Toronto is not keeping pace with international or Canadian peer cities regarding officers per capita, noting that the city's population has grown 21% since 2010 while police numbers remained stagnant, Global News Toronto reports.

The pledge outpaces a five-year police hiring initiative that Mayor Olivia Chow rolled out in 2025. According to CBC Toronto, Chow's plan aims to add an estimated 720 officers over the next two years and hire 90 additional 911 operators. A spokesperson for the mayor's office told Global News Toronto that if the city continues to maximize its police college enrollment, the total number of hires could reach 1,800, resulting in 502 net new officers based on retention assumptions.

Despite repeated questioning from reporters, Bradford has not disclosed the cost of his plan or whether it would necessitate tax increases, according to Global News Toronto and CBC Toronto. Coun. Shelley Carroll, who chairs the Toronto Police Service Board and the Budget Committee, told Global News Toronto that such a move would cost "well over $100 million."

Mayor Olivia Chow and her campaign spokesperson, Shirven Rezvany, have questioned the viability of the pledge, noting that the city's current plan already utilizes every available space at the police college. While the Toronto Police Association welcomed the pledge, other experts suggest alternative investments. Melanie Seabrook of the University of Toronto told Global News Toronto that research shows mixed evidence that increasing police funding reduces crime, suggesting stronger evidence exists for investing in mental health, public health, and housing.