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Matt Elliott

@graphicmatt.com

127 Following9.8k Followers

City columnist, contributing to the Toronto Star & writing the award-winning City Hall Watcher newsletter. A lot about Toronto Politics and then some nerd stuff. Humber College prof. (he/him)

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@graphicmatt.comAug 10, 2026, 8:03 PM Pinned

Check your inbox: It’s City Hall Watcher #396!

LOBBYIST WATCH returns, with a look at some inevitable data centre lobbying, the end (for now) of the island airport debate, Loblaw’s response to a surveillance pricing ban, odour detection tech, and more!

toronto.cityhallwatcher.com/p/now-loadin...

toronto.cityhallwatcher.comNow loading: Data centre lobbying at Toronto City HallCity Hall Watcher #396: Lobbyist Watch for July 2026, featuring notes on the grounded island airport debate, Loblaw's City Hall surveillance, and more!
S@spacingradio.bsky.socialOct 10, 2026, 4:02 PMReposted by @graphicmatt.com

For your long-weekend, advanced voting, listening pleasure, we have a special panel episode breaking down important, interesting, or straight-up weird ward races in Toronto.

@graphicmatt.com and @royinori.bsky.social join us to break it down: spacing.ca/toronto/2026...

@glynbowerman.bsky.socialOct 9, 2026, 9:43 PMReposted by @graphicmatt.com

We’ve got a special Toronto Election panel episode for you on @spacingradio.bsky.social, all about council races in various wards!

@graphicmatt.com and @royinori.bsky.social help break it down for you: spacing.ca/toronto/2026...

@graphicmatt.comOct 9, 2026, 8:24 PM

Nunziata has run several campaign ads with Meta. But as of today they’re all marked inactive. (Pictured: her most recent ads.)

@graphicmatt.comOct 9, 2026, 8:07 PM

Statement from Councillor Frances Nunziata re: reports she’s dropping out of her race. “I do not comment on rumours. I continue to canvass. My campaign remains unchanged. I will make no further comment.”

Clarification Statement - Frances Nunziata In response to media enquiries about rumours concerning my candidacy in this year's
municipal election, I am issuing this statement. As stated previously, I do not comment on rumours. I continue to canvass. My campaign
remains unchanged.
I will make no further comment.
Thank you.
@damienmoule.bsky.socialOct 9, 2026, 6:34 PMReposted by @graphicmatt.com

Ummmm...
toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/09/f...

@graphicmatt.comOct 9, 2026, 4:34 PM

A new poll from Mainstreet showing Chow’s lead shrinking to just +3 over Bradford has finally shifted City Hall Watcher's projection. Chow’s still favoured, but there’s some movement toward Bradford. We’ll see if it keeps up. projection.cityhallwatcher.com/polls/

@graphicmatt.comOct 9, 2026, 3:40 PM

Well this probably won’t end well.

Screenshot of a CHW Monitor election update notification from October 9, 2026, showing a new registration for Ezra Levant (Third Party Advertisers) with options to view candidate list or perform other actions.
@graphicmatt.comOct 9, 2026, 3:18 PM

Speed averages are for motor vehicles only

@graphicmatt.comOct 9, 2026, 2:36 PM

One thing about people citing slower car travel times on Bloor West following the bike lane install is, well, that was kind of the point. Drivers were **averaging** nearly 20 km/h over the current speed limit at spots. Road revamp has brought speeds closer to limit. www.toronto.ca/wp-content/u...

Two bar charts comparing average and 95th percentile vehicle speeds in km/h across five Toronto locations over three time periods (2021/23, 2024, 2025/26), with a posted speed limit of 40 km/h indicated by a dotted line.
@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 5:11 PM

And that's the end! A fun debate. I liked the convo about the World Cup — it hasn't come up much, and it was kind of a big deal. A nice job by Metro Morning's Chris Glover as moderator. He continues to climb the Toronto Chris Glover Power Rankings.

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 5:09 PM

"We have turned the corner, but there's so much more to do," says Chow. "That is the choice in this election: do we choose to continue moving forward together, united, as Torontonians? Or do we go back to the days of slashing public services?"

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 5:08 PM

Closing statement time! Bradford says this election is about "more of the same" versus "a fresh, new approach." He promises a "beautiful, formidable city." "If you want to change Toronto, you have to change the mayor."

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 5:03 PM

Best concert you went to this year? Chow says Elton John. Bradford says Foo Fighters.

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 5:01 PM

"I ride transit a lot. You heard from the mayor last night that she doesn't because she has a private driver — that comes with the job," says Bradford. "I rode TTC all my life," says Chow. "But as the mayor, I am protected by the police, so I can't. I have to be in a car."

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 4:56 PM

TTC pop quiz time! What's the max fine for fare evasion? Neither Chow nor Bradford get it right. (It's $425.) Bradford correctly names Bloor-Yonge as busiest station. Chow misses a Q about stations without public washrooms. Bradford misses a Q about the station with the lost & found. (It's Bay.)

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 4:50 PM

The conversation meanders to a few different places. "You were kicked off the police board last time you were on council," Bradford says. It's a bit of a non sequitur. "That's not true," says Chow.

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 4:49 PM

Bradford says it should be okay for council to change its collective mind when new facts emerge. On Bloor West, he says the bike lanes carry just 0.5% of road users on the street. "We have to recognize when something's not working — that's how you build trust."

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 4:46 PM

"You have not been effective at pushing back against the province," says Bradford, saying she could have gone door-to-door to build support for opposing Ford policies. "We got results — the island airport is not being expanded," Chow says, then points to Bradford's voting record.

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 4:44 PM

Asked if she could have fought the provincial government harder on Ontario Place, Chow says she did fight as much as the city could — "They do have all the power," she notes — and says she's also fighting Ford on bike lanes and the island airport.

@graphicmatt.comOct 8, 2026, 4:40 PM

Asked about his pledge to do a line-by-line review and what he'll do if the review doesn't find any big savings — past reviews have not — Bradford says he doesn't have a Plan B. "We are going to find the money."

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