The Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday it is in the public interest to move forward with a 25-ward election.In a major win for Premier Doug Ford’s government, the unanimous decision from a three-judge panel suspends an earlier court decision that found the province’s move to cut the size of council was unconstitutional.The decision almost guarantees an election on Oct. 22 with 25 wards, cutting the size of council nearly in half. That reality drew mixed emotions at city hall from candidates, including incumbent councillors who must now face off against one another across the city.“It is not in the public interest to permit the impending election to proceed on the basis of a dubious ruling that invalidates legislation duly passed by the legislature,” the 13-page Court of Appeal decision says.The decision also comes as a relief to Ford’s government, who faced ongoing condemnation for trying to usher through new legislation, Bill 31, that would have reintroduced the council cut by overriding charter rights.That bill, including the rare notwithstanding clause, will no longer be brought to a vote at Queen’s Park, officials confirmed, and will die without ever being passed.In the legislature on Wednesday, Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark said the stay “finally allows us to move forward and give that certainty” to Toronto.“It’s going to provide a more efficient council,” said Clark. The court ruling Wednesday means the original legislation, Bill 5, will again be in force — at least until an appeal from the province of the earlier court ruling can be heard.But because that appeal appears unlikely to be in front of the Court of Appeal ahead of the fast-approaching election, Wednesday’s decision essentially decides the ward structure for Oct. 22’s vote.The judges — Associate Chief Justice Alexandra Hoy, Justice Robert Sharpe and Justice Gary Trotter — outlined that greater w ...
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