Mayor Olivia Chow officially assumed her role as the 66th Mayor of Toronto and the fifth Mayor since amalgamation. Mayor Chow took office after making the Declaration of Office administered by John D. Elvidge, Toronto City Clerk, at a special ceremony held this morning in the Council Chamber in Toronto City Hall.
The ceremony was attended by City Councillors, Indigenous leaders, City of Toronto staff and agency representatives, former mayors and guests of the Mayor.
Following the Declaration of Office for the Mayor, the Chain of Office was presented to Mayor Chow and worn for the duration of the ceremony.
The Declaration of Office featured several ceremonial elements including an Indigenous Welcoming Ceremony held on the podium roof of City Hall prior to the main event. Led by Elder Garry Sault and Grandmother Tina Sault of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the ceremony welcomed the Mayor-elect as a partner in peace, friendship and respect and included smudging, the lighting of the fire, pipe ceremony and water teachings. The inner circle of the ceremony included the Mayor-elect, Members of Council and senior City staff. It was also attended by Chief R. Stacey Laforme, Chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Chief Carlo Gros-Louis, Gros-Louis/Rock/Duchesne Family Chief, part of the Huron-Wendat Nation, and Shirley Debassige, President of the Toronto and York Region Métis Council, Metis Nations of Ontario.
On June 28, the Toronto City Clerk certified the official results for Toronto’s 2023 by-election for mayor and declared Olivia Chow as Mayor-elect.
Source: Toronto.ca
