Ben Spurr

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Ben Spurr.

Ben Spurr

Nate Erskine-Smith considering run for Toronto city council. Outgoing Liberal MP discussed idea in meeting with Chow

Outgoing Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith is considering running for Toronto city council, and has discussed the possibility with Mayor Olivia Chow. Erskine-Smith has represented the federal riding of Beaches-East York since 2015, but is stepping down when Parliament rises this week. He announced his resignation in May after narrowly losing the nomination for the Ontario Liberals in an upcoming byelection...

Ben Spurr, Ben Cohen

John Tory is weighing a comeback. Here’s what the fallout could be at Toronto City Hall — and when he’s expected to decide

Sources acknowledge Tory would likely face uncomfortable questions about his conduct in office if he ran again, but say they don’t believe it would be politically fatal. John Tory is weighing a political comeback, and insiders expect him to decide by the end of this summer whether he will run for mayor of Toronto again in 2026, according to multiple...

Ben Spurr, Ben Cohen

Rachel Chernos Lin beats Anthony Furey in Don Valley West byelection

The chair of the Toronto District School Board, backed by prominent Liberal politicians, has fended off a challenge from a divisive former newspaper pundit to become city councillor for Don Valley West. Rachel Chernos Lin won Monday’s special byelection in Ward 15 with almost 12,900 votes, or about 55 per cent, according to unofficial results posted by the city, beating...

Ben Spurr, Ben Cohen

Ethics watchdog clears Olivia Chow on ride-sharing complaint but suggests discipline for two councillors

Toronto’s integrity commissioner has cleared Mayor Olivia Chow of wrongdoing after a months-long investigation into an alleged conflict of interest involving a former staffer’s ties to an anti-Uber advocacy group. But the ethics watchdog is recommending council vote to reprimand two other councillors — Brad Bradford and Frances Nunziata — after he found they broke council’s Code of Conduct during...

Ben Spurr

Toronto city councillor Jaye Robinson has died, her office says

Toronto city councillor Jaye Robinson has died. Her office confirmed Friday that Robinson, who represented Ward 15, Don Valley West, passed away Thursday.

Ben Spurr, Alyshah Hasham, David Rider

Toronto budget chief warns of 16 per cent tax hike without Ottawa's help on refugees

Torontonians could face a property tax hike as high as 16.5 per cent if the federal government doesn't come through with the city's demand for funding to house refugees claimants, budget chief Shelley Carroll warned Wednesday morning at a press conference. "That is the potential crisis we face…we don't have the funds," said Carroll, speaking before the 2024 budget proposed...

Ben Spurr, David Rider

Toronto’s 2024 budget may include historic double-digit tax hike

Torontonians could be in a for a double-digit tax hike in Mayor Olivia Chow's first budget, the largest single-year increase in the city's recent history. Municipal staff are set to unveil the first draft of the 2024 budget on Wednesday, and as of Tuesday afternoon it included a property tax hike of just over 10 per cent, the Star has learned.