Jennifer McKelvie appointed as Toronto’s deputy mayor

Toronto Mayor John Tory has appointed Jennifer McKelvie as the city’s deputy mayor.

The city said McKelvie, who serves as city councillor for Scarborough-Rouge Park, met with Tory to discuss her new role Wednesday morning.

“The appointment is effective immediately,” the city said in a news release.

The deputy mayor assists Tory, is vice chair of the executive committee and can act as the mayor if Tory is absent from the city, is absent due to illness or if the mayor’s office is vacant.

“Jennifer McKelvie is a hardworking, experienced city councillor and I am proud to appoint her as my deputy mayor,” Tory said in a statement. “I am confident that she shares my commitment to getting more housing built as quickly as possible, getting our $28 billion transit plan built across the city, keeping our city as affordable as possible, and making sure the nuts and bolts of municipal government work.”

Tory said he has a “renewed mandate from Toronto voters,” adding that he is looking forward to “moving these priorities forward with the help of Deputy Mayor McKelvie and our city council colleagues.”

McKelvie said she is “proud to support” Tory’s agenda as his deputy mayor, adding that he has a “strong mandate to get things done for the people of Toronto this term.”

“I want to thank Mayor Tory for this opportunity to help serve the people of Toronto,” McKelvie said in a statement.