Former Toronto deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie wins in Ajax, joining Liberals in Ottawa

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Former Toronto deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvie appeared on track to trade her office at City Hall for a government seat in the House of Commons.

The Toronto councillor, who decided more than a month ago to run in Ajax for the Liberal Party seat vacated by incumbent Mark Holland, was ahead of Conservative Greg Brady in the early going.

McKelvie, who has been on Toronto city council city since first elected in 2018, took a leave of absence from City Hall, where she represented the Ward 25 area of Scarborough-Rouge Park.

During her time on council, she filled in as mayor for a brief stint in 2023 — from February to July — after John Tory stepped aside, citing personal relationship reasons.

Brady, who took a leave of absence from his job as morning host of AM640, said people didn’t want a carbon tax for home heating or at the pumps, a capital gains tax, or the homeless sleeping in tents.

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On his X account on Monday, he posted a brief video message urging people to get out to vote.

“I’m excited, you’re probably excited. This is what you waited for, this is what you asked for,” said Brady in the video. “A chance to change the last 10 years. The lost Liberal decade.”

McKelvie recently posted to X site while campaigning.

“Last canvass of the campaign. Thank you to all our beautiful volunteers who braved the cold, sleet, rain and sunshine.”

The area — previously Ajax-Pickering — had been held by Holland, who first joined the Liberals back in 2004,  losing his seat in 2011 to Conservative Chris Alexander.

Holland returned to power in 2015 when Justin Trudeau defeat defeated then-prime minister Stephen Harper.