Karen Stintz is working on her 2014 mayoral campaign

Toronto’s mayoral hopefuls aren’t allowed to officially campaign until January 2014, but preliminary jockeying is well underway. Rob Ford has been in election mode since since taking office; Olivia Chow has apparently tapped a veteran consultant to work on her still-unannounced bid; and now the Toronto Star’s Bob Hepburn says Karen Stintz is making her own preparations. In recent weeks, the TTC chair has lined up an election organizer, policy advisors and a speech coach, and started meeting with business and community leaders. She has also outlined some key themes for her platform: fiscal responsibility, city and transit building and opposition to the proposed expansion at the Island airport. Early polls suggest she already has to make up ground: Chow is the clear front-runner, and with his conflict of interest troubles now completely behind him Ford’s only going to focus more energy on getting re-elected. [Toronto Star]

(Images: Karen Stintz, TTC; Rob Ford, Rob Ford; Olivia Chow, Andrew Rusk)