As Toronto’s municipal election approaches in just over a fortnight, various civic organizations are increasing efforts to help citizens stay informed before they vote. The extensive list of over 50 mayoral candidates and multiple council members in each ward can be overwhelming, each with promises spanning housing, transit affordability, and public safety.
To navigate this information overload, there are resources available to bring you up to speed ahead of election day. The Toronto Public Library (TPL) has initiated “Celebrate Democracy,” a citywide project aimed at educating residents about the election process, candidates, and related topics. A central feature of this initiative is the interactive website KnowYourVote.to, which allows residents to explore candidates in their wards and compare their stances on critical issues like public safety and housing.
TPL is also organizing events on voter engagement, trust in institutions, and combating misinformation. Nan Davies, TPL’s manager of learning and community engagement, emphasized the importance of this initiative in fostering a stronger connection between individuals and their city, promoting unbiased and neutral information accessible to all age groups, including children and teens.
For younger voters who rely on social media for news, a TikTok campaign has been launched by student journalists from Toronto Metropolitan University with the support of the Toronto Foundation. This campaign aims to boost Gen Z voter turnout by creating informative videos on candidate platforms, election issues, and voting details tailored for a younger audience.
United Way Greater Toronto is running the “Voice the Vote” campaign to encourage voter participation through local events and community engagement projects. The campaign, led by a field team of 15 organizers, focuses on empowering residents to make informed choices based on issues that matter to them.
“Vote Compass,” an interactive civic engagement survey developed by Vox Pop Labs and hosted by the Toronto Star, allows users to assess their alignment with mayoral and councillor candidates by answering questions on key local issues. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility to local political information.
“WardWatch,” a volunteer-run project, offers comprehensive information on every mayoral and ward council candidate in the 2026 Toronto municipal election. It provides structured candidate profiles, campaign finance tracking, donor maps, and lobbying information to assist voters in making fact-based decisions.
CBC Toronto is also providing election resources, including a mayoral platform tracker and the CBC News app for the latest election updates. Additionally, they will have live coverage on election night. For any election-related queries or information about the city’s operations, citizens are encouraged to reach out via email or through CBC Toronto’s TikTok account.
Toronto residents are scheduled to vote on October 26 in the municipal election.
