1988 Toronto municipal election


The 1988 Toronto municipal election was held to elect members of municipal councils, school boards, and hydro commissions in the six municipalities that made up Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The election was held November 14, 1988. This election also marked the abolition of Boards of Control in North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough, and York. The Toronto Board of Control had been abolished in 1969.

Metro

The 1988 campaign was the first time most members of Metro Toronto were directly elected. Toronto had moved to direct elections in 1985, but the other cities had still had a selection of council members dually seated at Metro. In the new council only the five mayors would be granted automatic Metro seats.
;East York
;Lakeshore Queensway
;Kingsway Humber
;Markland Centennial
;Rexdale Thistletown
;North York Humber
;Black Creek
;North York Spadina
;North York Centre South
;North York Centre
;Don Parkway
;Seneca Heights
;Scarborough Bluffs
;Scarborough Wexford
;Scarborough Centre
;Scarborough Malvern
;Scarborough Highland Creek
;Scarborough Agincourt
; High Park
;Trinity Niagara
;Davenport
;North Toronto
;Midtown
;Downtown
;Don River
;East Toronto
;York Eglinton
;York Humber
Lakeshore Queensway Councillor Chris Stockwell resigned when he won a seat in the 1990 Provincial Election. A by-election was held on November 29, 1990.

Toronto

Mayor

Incumbent mayor Art Eggleton faced little opposition in his bid for his fourth term of office. His closest opponent was New Democrat Carolann Wright, a community activist running on an anti-poverty platform.
;Results

City council

There was the largest turnover in councillors in this election since the 1972 election. The left on council ran a joint Reform Toronto campaign focused on curbing the development industry. The vote was a major triumph for the left on city council with two prominent and long-serving conservatives defeated: Fred Beavis, who had served on council since 1961, was defeated by environmentalist Marilyn Churley, and in the north end, conservative Michael Gee lost to Howard Levine.
;Ward 1
;Ward 2
;Ward 4
;Ward 5
;Ward 6 Downtown East
;Ward 7
;Ward 8
;Ward 9
;Ward 10
;Ward 11
;Ward 12
;Ward 13
;Ward 14
;Ward 15
;Ward 16
Results are taken from the November 15, 1988 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

By-election

Ward 8 Councillor Marilyn Churley resigned upon winning a seat in the 1990 Provincial Election. A by-election was held on November 29, 1990:

Borough of East York

The election in East York was a rather tame affair with the mayor, Dave Johnson handily re-elected by a large plurality. On Council five of eight members were new but only one incumbent, Bob Dale was defeated. Incumbent Steve Mastoras was re-elected but demoted to Junior Councillor in Ward 2.
† - denotes incumbent status from previous council

Mayor

  • †Dave Johnson - 20,234
  • Herbert T. McGroarty - 3,531
  • Robert Ruminski - 713

Councillor

Two councillors were elected to each ward.
;Ward 1
;Ward 2
;Ward 3
;Ward 4

Trustee

;Ward 1
;Ward 2
;Ward 3
;Ward 4

City of Etobicoke

Mayor

  • Bruce Sinclair: 45,860
  • Terry Howes: 13,081
  • Margaret Krell: 6,547
  • Robert Goddard Young: 6,269
  • Neville Berry: 4,146

City Councillors

Ward 1
  • Irene Jones: 3,404
  • Helen Wursta: 1,752
  • Frank Falcone: 780
  • Harold Merten: 334
Ward 2
  • Alex Faulkner: 4,288
  • Richard Clupa: 1,484
  • James Shawera: 292
Ward 3
  • Ross Bissell: 2,747
  • Aileen Anderson: 2,055
  • Martha MacGray: 1,825
  • John Cudahy: 942
Ward 4
  • Michael O'Rourke: 2,303
  • Jane Scott: 1,312
  • Elizabeth Holmes: 1,225
  • Chris O'Toole: 1,081
  • Al Kolyn: 923
  • Geoffrey Grossmith: 815
Ward 5
  • Anne Methot: 2,150
  • Sperril Chambers: 1,623
  • Al Allman: 1,334
  • Steven Davis: 1,041
  • Ken Lopez: 721
  • Gino Marranghi: 373
Ward 6
Ward 7
Ward 8
  • Mary Huffman: 4,189
  • John Alati: 3,841
Ward 9
  • Alex Marchetti: 4,473
  • Leonard Zaleski: 1,597
Ward 10
  • David Robertson
Ward 11
  • Karen Herrell: 2,658
  • Raj Chopra: 780
Ward 12
  • John Hastings: 1,260
  • Ed McWilliams: 998
  • Peter Hutchens: 968
  • Shan Rana: 617

City of Scarborough

Mayor

City Councillors

Ward 1
  • Harvey Barron; 5,077
  • Webster; 1,856
Ward 2
Ward 3
  • John Wardrope; 4,887
  • Duncan; 1,948
  • Kazia; 1,017
Ward 4
  • Lorenzo Berardinetti; 2,453
  • Kurt Christensen; 2,449
  • Glynwilliams; 1,936
  • Ward; 1,011
  • McDowell; 318
  • Georges Legault; 292
Ward 5
Ward 6
  • Paul Mushinski; 1,997
  • Elliott; 1,514
  • Lombardi; 1,288
  • Michalopoulo; 1,078
  • McPherson; 864
  • Cavoto; 544
  • Sharma; 524
Ward 7
  • Fred Johnson, F; 5,209
  • Borisko; 4,259
Ward 8
  • Shirley Eidt; 5,487
  • Murray; 2,013
  • Chadha; 651
Ward 9
  • Ron Moeser; 4,655
  • John Mackie; 4,539
  • Roberts; 1,385
  • Cocco; 1,193
  • Vaya; 221
Ward 10
  • Ron Watson; 3,961
  • Mahood, P; 2,828
  • Wilson, M; 544
  • Cotter; 478
Ward 11
  • Sherene Shaw; 2,458
  • Lombardi, D; 1,308
  • Munro; 1,155
  • Edmonds; 1,035
  • Jacobs; 907
  • Zaidi; 422
Ward 12
  • Doug Mahood; 5,759
  • Cheung, K; 1,754
Ward 13
  • Bas Balkissoon; 2,269
  • Pratley; 2,249
  • Cheung, J; 1,148
  • Clements; 1,003
  • Bob Watson; 541
  • Wilson, L; 519
Ward 14
  • Edith Montgomery; 4,956
  • Loughlin, B; 947
  • Nafis; 489

Public Utilities Commission

  • Cavanagh; 55,439
  • Beatty; 50,044
  • Stewart; 39,197
  • Olders; 10,530

City of North York

Mel Lastman was re-elected mayor of the North York for the sixth consecutive time. His wife, Marilyn also tried to obtain a council seat but was defeated by former school trustee Bob Bradley. Only one incumbent councillor, Bob Yuill was defeated in Ward 8 by newcomer Joanne Flint. All other councillors were re-elected.

Mayor

  • x-Mel Lastman 98,856
  • Mike Foster 13,486
  • Douglas Campbell 10,290
  • Freddie Jay 1,939

Council

Ward 1
Ward 2
  • Judy Sgro 6,882
  • Gerry Iuliano 2,398
  • Luigi Cavaleri 926
Ward 3
  • x-Peter Li Preti 5,123
  • Peter Pallotta 808
  • Nella Lanzellotti 759
  • Shanta Ramotar 486
Ward 4
  • x-Frank Di Giorgio 3,658
  • Maria Rizzo 2,933
  • Eleanor Rosen 1,084
  • Gino Cipollone 239
  • Rhea Horwich 226
Ward 5
  • Frank Crudo was a 26-year-old design and construction company project manager during the 1988 election. He called for a stronger campaign against drugs on North York's streets. When Anthony Perruzza was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1990, Crudo applied to the North York council to be selected as his replacement. He was rejected in favor of Claudio Polsinelli. He later campaigned for Metro Toronto's Black Creek ward in the 1991 municipal election, saying that he was running against the area's "NDP machine". He lost to Maria Augimeri. During the 1993 federal election, Crudo was part of a group of dissident Liberals who supported the candidacy of Peter Li Preti over Art Eggleton, following Eggleton's appointment as the riding's Liberal candidate.
  • Bruno Rea holds a Ph.D. in political philosophy from Oxford University. He worked as a policy adviser for the Ontario Ministry of Labour in the 1980s, researching and writing briefs on workers' compensation and employment standards. He was a member of the Liberal Party. In 1987, he wrote an editorial piece for The Globe and Mail newspaper opposing capital punishment. He was twenty-nine years old during the 1988 election, and called for a crackdown on crime and a slower pace of regional development. He was endorsed by the Toronto Star newspaper, and was originally regarded as a serious candidate for election. He was arrested one week prior to the election, after trying to dispose of 161 signs belonging to Anthony Perruzza, his New Democratic Party opponent, on the grounds of York University at 3:30 in the morning. He pleaded guilty to a charge of mischief in February 1989, and was fined. Rea was listed as a senior policy adviser for the Ministry of Labour in 2000.
  • John Butcher campaigned for the North York City Council on three occasions. In 1982 and 1985, he lost to Irving Chapley in Ward Seven. He was forty-four years old in 1988, and described himself as a lifelong resident of the ward. He acknowledged that he was not likely to win election.
Ward 6
  • x-Milton Berger 6,127
  • Anne Lelovic 2,403
Ward 7
  • x-Irving W. Chapley 5,267
  • Eric Cohen 4,595
  • Mark Arshawsky 516
Ward 8
  • Joanne Flint 5,376
  • Bob Yuill 3,462
Ward 9
  • x-Ron Summers 6,532
  • Ernie Springolo 3,035
Ward 10
  • Don Yuill 3,338
  • Cora Urbel 2,579
  • Marg Middleton 948
  • John Boysen 760
  • Peter Bate 704
  • Ramon Solevilla 546
Ward 11
  • x-Jim McGuffin 6,094
  • Freddy Trasmundi 864
Ward 12
  • x-Barry Burton 3,868
  • John Murphy 2,551
  • Ronald Hyslop 856
  • Peter Allis 527
Ward 13
  • Bob Bradley 4,453
  • Marilyn Lastman 3,761
  • Harvey Brooker 1,031
  • Allan Ginsberg 544
Ward 14

School Board

Ward 1
  • Sheila Lambrinos 1,195
  • Ted Wray 875
  • Wendy Essex 638
  • Doug Kvistbo 198
Ward 2
  • Bob Churchill 1,463
  • Jim Darvill 774
  • John Campbell 744
  • Lilia Ruffolo 387
  • Angelo Castellano 349
  • Aurelio Caldarelli 238
Ward 3
  • x-Elizabeth Smith 960
  • Stephnie Payne 728
  • Philomen Wright 570
  • Natalie Soobrian 482
Ward 4
  • x-Elsa Chandler 3,083
  • Bob Daggett 762
Ward 5
  • x-Errol Young 2,862
  • Leslie Soobrian 736
Ward 6
  • Phyllis Weinberg was 56 years old during the campaign, and was described as a psychotherapist and former teacher. She was listed in 1996 as the owner and operator of Orthodox Counselling Services, which offers support on stress management and family issues in the Orthodox Jewish community. She had previously campaigned for the North York Hydro Commission in 1985, finishing sixth out of nine candidates. She was twice asked to stop campaigning on the grounds of a public school in 1988, and was criticized for giving candy to children near school property. Weinberg argued that the complaints against her were part of a "mud-slinging campaign" designed to prevent her from winning the seat. She planned to campaign for the ward six seat again in the 1991 election, but withdrew before election day.
Ward 7
  • x-Mae Waese acclaimed
Ward 8
  • x-Gerri Gershon 6,205
  • Trevor Tymchuk 1,203
Ward 9
  • x-Shelley Stillman 5,803
  • Rose Yunger 1,756
Ward 10
  • x-Darlene Scott 4,997
  • Rena Gordon 2,052
Ward 11
Ward 12
  • x-Ken Crowley acclaimed
Ward 13
  • x-Dan Hicks 5,235
  • Gini Sharma 2,509
Ward 14
  • x-Ralph Belfry 4,741
  • Dash Shah 1,461

Hydro Commission

  • x-Carl Anderson 57,280
  • Bob Dyer 44,177
  • x-Jack Bedder 37,121
  • Donald Hubbs 13,183
  • Jack Arshawsky 12,506
  • Irving Bricks 10,160

City of York

Mayor

Mario Faraone was a 47-year-old building designer, consultant, and the owner of the firm F.M. Faraone and Sons company. He campaigned in support of urban tax reform, better traffic planning and affordable housing. He was a member of the Liberal Party, but ran without a party endorsement. A 1990 article in the Toronto Star newspaper drew attention to the fact that the York adjustment committee approved every single proposal put forward by Faraone in 1989 through 1990, despite serious concerns from local residents in some instances. One of the committee members was Faraone's business partner, Jack Capitanio. Faraone denied any suggestion of wrongdoing, and argued that his success rate was a reflection of his experience in the building industry. Capitano also denied suggestions of favouritism. Mayor Fergy Brown responded to the article by saying that he would raise the matter at the next council meeting, and recommended the city's legal department start an investigation. Newspaper reports do not indicate how the matter was resolved. Faraone has remained active in the building trade.

City Council

Of the eight ward races, six incumbents were returned. Newcomer Frances Nunziata beat incumbent Gary Bloor in Ward 7. Jim Fera was also a new member for Ward 5.
;Ward 1
;Ward 2
;Ward 3
;Ward 4
;Ward 5
;Ward 6
;Ward 7
;Ward 8

Board of trustees

;Ward 1
;Ward 2*
;*Election Night Results - Recount
;Ward 2 Post Recount
;Ward 2 By-Election Results - June 19, 1989
;Ward 3
;Ward 4
;Ward 5
;Ward 6
;Ward 7
;Ward 8