The Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto or Metro Chairman was the regional chair of

Metropolitan Toronto The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was an upper-tier level of municipal government in Ontario, Canada, from 1953 to 1998. It was made up of the old city of Toronto and numerous townships, towns and villages that surrounded Toronto, whic ...

, Ontario, Canada, and the most senior political figure in the municipality. The Metro Chairman was elected by the members of Metropolitan Toronto Council.

New level of government

The position was created in 1953 when Metropolitan Toronto was created by the province of

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

as a new urban

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

-level municipality out of the southernmost part of the-then York County. It had exactly the same boundaries as the present-day City of Toronto, but originally consisted of thirteen cities and boroughs, each with its own mayor. These cities included the

City of Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...

and what were then its surrounding suburbs: the towns of New Toronto, Mimico, Weston, and Leaside; the villages of Long Branch, Swansea, and Forest Hill; and the townships of Etobicoke, York, North York, East York, and Scarborough. Metropolitan Toronto was the government entity responsible for co-ordinating various activities within the metropolitan area, including policing and transportation.

Fred Gardiner Frederick Goldwin Gardiner, (January 21, 1895 – August 21, 1983) was a Canadian politician, lawyer and businessman. He was the first chairman of Metropolitan Toronto council, the governing body for the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, ...

was appointed by the

Premier of Ontario The premier of Ontario (french: premier ministre de l'Ontario) is the head of government of Ontario. Under the Westminster system, the premier governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority the elected Legislative Assembly of On ...

Leslie Frost Leslie Miscampbell Frost (September 20, 1895 – May 4, 1973) was a politician in Ontario, Canada, who served as the province's 16th premier from May 4, 1949, to November 8, 1961. Due to his lengthy tenure, he gained the nickname "Old Man O ...

as the first Metro Chairman. He was subsequently re-elected to the position by Metro Council. Metro's first two chairmen—Fred Gardiner and William R. Allen—were each honoured with an expressway bearing their name upon retirement.

Chair's relationship to council

For Metro's first three decades, the Metro Chairman was not required to be an elected member of Metro Council, and it was customary for a new Metro Chairman to resign from his previous position upon becoming chairman. In 1987, Metro Council was reformed by the province so that Metro councillors were directly elected to the body. (They had previously been drawn from among local city and borough councils.) Under this reform, the chair was required to be a Metro Councillor representing a ward and could not be a non or former member of Metro Council. City mayors, who remained on the reformed Metro Council, were also not permitted to be elected to the position of Metro Chairman. Accordingly, in the 1988 municipal election incumbent Metro Chairman

Dennis Flynn Christopher Dennis Flynn (according to Irish Civic Birth Registration, his name was Denis Christopher O'Flynn at birth) O.Ont, (December 17, 1923 – August 19, 2003) was Chairman of Metropolitan Toronto from 1984 to 1988. Flynn rarely used ...

was required to run for election from a Metro ward if he wanted to be re-elected as Metro Chairman. As well,

Alan Tonks Alan Tonks (born April 2, 1943) is a former Canadian politician. He was the Liberal MP for the federal riding of York South—Weston in Toronto from 2000 to 2011, and was the final Metro Toronto Chairman before the amalgamation of Metro Toront ...

, ran for a Metro Council seat rather than for re-election as Mayor of York as he wished to challenge Flynn for the position of Metro Chairman which was voted upon by Metro Council at its first meeting following the municipal election. Both Flynn and Tonks were elected as Metro Councillors and Tonks defeated Flynn in the vote for Metro Chairman.

Amalgamation

The position ceased to exist when the six municipalities of Metro Toronto were

amalgamated Amalgamation is the process of combining or uniting multiple entities into one form. Amalgamation, amalgam, and other derivatives may refer to: Mathematics and science * Amalgam (chemistry), the combination of mercury with another metal **Pan ama ...

into the City of

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

. The newly created position of mayor for the resulting single-tier "megacity" replaced not only the mayors of the former Metro municipalities, but also abolished the office of Metro Chairman.

List of chairmen of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto

(1953–1962) - former Reeve of Forest Hill * William R. Allen (1962–1969) - former member of the Board of Control for the

. * Albert Campbell (1969–1973) - former Mayor of

Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, su ...

* Paul Godfrey (1973–1984) - former alderman and Metro Councillor for the Borough of

North York North York is one of the six administrative districts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly north of York, Old Toronto and East York, between Etobicoke to the west and Scarborough to the east. As of the 2016 Census, it had a popu ...

(1984–1987) - former Mayor of

Etobicoke Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district of, and one of six municipalities amalgamated into, the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west-end, Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s, and the municipalit ...

(1987–1997) - Metro Councillor from and former Mayor of the

City of York The City of York is a unitary authority area with city status in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The district's main settlement is York, and it extends to the surrounding area including the town of Haxby and the villages of E ...

Elections

With the exception of the initial appointment of the Metro Chairman in 1953 by the provincial government, Metro Chairmen were elected by Metropolitan Toronto Council. Gardiner was appointed Metro Chairman by the province in 1953. In January 1955, he stood for election to the position and was

acclaimed An acclamation is a form of election that does not use a ballot. It derives from the ancient Roman word ''acclamatio'', a kind of ritual greeting and expression of approval towards imperial officials in certain social contexts. Voting Voice vot ...

."Am Willing, Able, Ready': Gardiner Is Candidate For New Metro Term", Baker, Alden. ''The Globe and Mail'' (1936-2016); Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont8 Nov 1954: 5."Formality Keynote at Metro Opening", ''The Globe and Mail'' (1936–2016); Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont1 Jan 1955: 15." Below is a list of contest elections for Metropolitan Toronto Chairman:

1962 election

: Toronto Controller William R. Allen - 14 :North York Reeve Norman C. Goodhead - 10 Source: "Allen New Metro Chief", ''Toronto Globe and Mail'', January 10, 1962

1969 election

;First Ballot :former North York Reeve Norman C. Goodhead - 11 :Scarborough Mayor Albert Campbell - 9 :former Etobicoke Reeve John MacBeth - 8 :Toronto Alderman

David Rotenberg David Rotenberg (July 24, 1930 - January 13, 2022) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1977 to 1985 as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party, and was briefly a cabinet min ...

- 4 ;Second Ballot : Albert Campbell - 14 : Norman C. Goodhead - 10 : John MacBeth - 8 ;Third Ballot : Albert Campbell - 21 : Norman C. Goodhead - 11 Source: "Campbell is elected Metro chairman", Came, Barry. ''The Globe and Mail'' (1936–2016); Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont1 Oct 1969: 1

1973 election

;First Ballot :North York Controller Paul Godfrey - 14 :Toronto Alderman Reid Scott - 8 :Scarborough Controller Kenneth Morrish - 4 :Toronto Alderman

William Archer William or Bill Archer may refer to: * William Archer (British politician) (1677–1739), British politician * William S. Archer (1789–1855), U.S. Senator and Representative from Virginia * William Beatty Archer (1793–1870), Illinois politician ...

- 3 :Toronto Alderman

John Sewell John Sewell (born December 8, 1940) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the 58th mayor of Toronto from 1978 to 1980. Background Born and raised in the Beach neighbourhood, in Toronto, Sewell attended Malvern Collegiate Institute ...

- 3 ;Second ballot : Paul Godfrey - 17 : Reid Scott - 11 : Kenneth Morrish - 3 Source: "Godfrey at 34 youngest ever to head Metro", ''Toronto Star'' (1971–2009); Toronto, Ontario oronto, Ontario3 July 1973: 1.

1975 election

: Paul Godfrey (incumbent) - 32 :Toronto Alderman

- 1 :Toronto Alderman Michael Goldrick - 1 :Toronto Alderman Dan Heap - 1 Source: "The Godfrey opposition: One vote for each as three in Reform Caucus use election for chance to criticize Metro chairman", ''The Globe and Mail'' (1936–2016); Jan 15, 1975; pg. 5

1977 election

: Paul Godfrey (incumbent) - 31 :Toronto Alderman

- 4 Source: "Godfrey re-elected as Metro chairman", ''The Globe and Mail'' (1936–2016); Jan 12, 1977; pg. 4

1978 election

: Paul Godfrey (incumbent) - 28 :Scarborough Controller

Joyce Trimmer Joyce Trimmer (November 10, 1927 – May 17, 2008) was a Canadian politician. She was the first woman mayor of Scarborough, Ontario. Born in London, England, Trimmer emigrated to Toronto with her husband Douglas in 1954, where they settled ...

- 8 (Toronto alderman David White and Allan Sparrow were nominated but declined to run) Source: "Godfrey easily beats 3 rivals, keeps top Metro post", Baker, Alden, ''The Globe and Mail'' (1936–2016); Dec 13, 1978, pg. 4

1980 election

: Paul Godfrey (incumbent) - 34 :Toronto Alderman

Anne Johnston Anne Johnston (1932 – June 26, 2019) was a Canadian politician and community activist. She was a longtime city councillor in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was first elected to Toronto City Council in 1972, and served until 1985 when she ran ag ...

- 5 Source: "Godfrey returned as Metro Chairman", ''The Globe and Mail'' (1936–2016); Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont0 Dec 1980: 13

1982 election

: Paul Godfrey (incumbent) - 33 :Toronto Alderman Richard Gilbert - 6 Source: "Godfrey defends Cabinet ties", Baker, Alden. ''The Globe and Mail''; Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont5 Dec 1982: 3.

1984 election

:Etobicoke Mayor

- 24 :York Controller

Fergy Brown James Fergus Brown (31 October 1923 – 3 April 2013) was a politician in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He served as Mayor of York from 1988 to 1994. Background Brown was born in Scotland, and moved to the neighbourhood of Mount Dennis in York, To ...

- 7 :York Mayor

- 4 :Toronto Alderman Richard Gilbert - 4 Source: "Flynn voted chairman by Metro councillors", York, Geoffrey. ''The Globe and Mail'' (1936–2016); Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont1 Sep 1984: 1

1985 election

(incumbent) - 33 :Toronto Councillor Richard Gilbert - 6 Source: "At Metro style beats substance", ''Toronto Star'', December 11, 1985

1988 election

;First Ballot :

- 17 :

(incumbent) - 11 :Richard Gilbert - 6 ;Second Ballot :

- 18 :

(incumbent) - 16 Source: "Alan Tonks is voted new Metro Chairman": IN Edition Jim Byers and Michael Smith, ''Toronto Star''.Toronto Star; Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont4 Dec 1988: A1

1991 election

(incumbent) - 28 :

Joe Pantalone Joe Pantalone (born February 22, 1952) is a retired Canadian politician. He served as a former Toronto city councillor for Ward 19, one of two wards in Trinity—Spadina and as deputy mayor under David Miller from 2003 to 2010. He ran for mayor i ...

- 6 Source: "Tonks easily turns back challenge for chairman's job Pantalone gathers little support for 'quality of life' plan", Coutts, Jane.The ''Globe and Mail''; Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont6 Dec 1991: A.11.

1994 election

(incumbent) - 21 :

- 10 : Brian Ashton - 3 Source: "Tonks takes Metro again in easy win": ET Edition ''Toronto Star''; Toronto, Ont. oronto, Ont9 Dec 1994: A1.

References

{{Metro Toronto Government