The people of Brampton have cast their ballots and elected Patrick Brown to a second term as the city’s mayor.
Brown garnered 59.49 per cent of the votes in Monday’s municipal election, with 157 of 160 polls reporting securing Brampton’s top job for another term.
The results have not yet been made official.
Brown announced his intention to run for a second term in July, saying his team had “done a lot of great work together at city hall.”
“I’m looking forward to the next four years,” Brown told reporters in July.
Earlier that month, Brown was disqualified from his bid to become the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Ian Brodie, chair of the Leadership Election Organizing Committee, said in a statement then that Brown had been disqualified after the chief returning officer investigated allegations against his campaign that it had violated provisions of the Canada Elections Act.
However, Brown told reporters that serving a second term as Brampton’s mayor was not his second choice.
“It has always been about serving Brampton,” he said.
Brown was first elected as Brampton’s mayor in 2018.
During his first term, Brown faced trouble, particularly surrounding a series of forensic investigations which included a probe into how contracts were granted to firms involved in an effort to bring a university to Brampton.
Two groups of councilors formed – one that included Brown –and were at odds for several weeks, resulting in cancelled meetings at city hall.
Speaking to his supporters Monday night, Brown called the win a “big victory.”
“This is a win against the politics of negativity, (and) of mudslinging,” he said. “We ran a positive campaign, we refuse to engage in the ugly side of politics.”
Brown touted the accomplishments of his first term.
“I’m proud to say we stood up for Brampton over the last four years,” he said. “We fought for Brampton over the last four years.”
Brown said there is “talent,” and “resiliency” in Brampton.
“There is talent in our city that we should be proud of,” he said.