Conservative likely to end Toronto's Rob Ford era in mayoral election

A strait-laced moderate conservative is favoured to win Toronto's mayoral election, with many residents voting yesterday eager to close out the Rob Ford era characterised by crack-smoking and public drunkenness.

Ford announced last month that he would not seek re-election as he battles a rare and difficult form of cancer. His brother, city councillor Doug Ford, is running in his place but is widely expected to lose to John Tory, a wealthy former chief executive of cable company Rogers Communications.

Analysts say Hong Kong emigrant Olivia Chow, a leftist candidate and the widow of late popular Canadian politician Jack Layton, seems to have lost momentum as people look to vote strategically to ensure Doug Ford does not win.

City councillor Jaye Robinson, a one-time Ford ally now supporting Tory, said voters wanted to ensure a Ford was not mayor.

"People are … feeling that this is going to be a transformative moment in our city where we right the ship, we focus on city-building and we leave the sideshow, the circus, the distractions behind," Robinson said.

Tory, 60, a long-time politician and adviser, also served as commissioner of the Canadian Football League and more recently hosted a radio talk show.

He ran for mayor in 2003 and lost.