Toronto renters rate housing as top priority two days before mayoral election

With Toronto's mayoral election Tuesday, October 27, a new poll reveals a stark gap: renters care deeply about housing but have little idea what candidates are actually proposing.

Rentals.ca surveyed 218 Toronto renters October 24. Among all respondents, 69% rated housing policies as critically important (5 out of 5). Among the undecided 23%, the figure climbed to 92% saying housing mattered at least a 4 or 5—yet just 7% of all respondents said they felt very informed about mayoral candidates' housing campaign promises.

The concerns are concrete. Sixty-four percent of renters said affordable rentals have become harder to find in the past year. The same proportion want stronger enforcement of maintenance and repair obligations. Fifty-three percent want more rental housing of all types; 52% want a wider range of housing sizes, including family-sized homes for rent.

Among decided renters, Olivia Chow leads with 32% support, while Brad Bradford trails at 10%. Seventeen percent of respondents are ineligible to vote in Toronto; another 10% preferred not to reveal their choice. As HighOnCity reported in October, renter voting patterns could decide council.