Toronto Mayor John Tory resigns over affair with former staffer

‘I recognise that permitting this relationship to develop was a serious error in judgment on my part,’ Mayor John Tory says

Toronto Mayor John Tory has resigned after admitting to an affair with a former staffer.

The mayor of Canada’s largest city announced he was stepping down at a news conference on Friday evening.

"I recognise that permitting this relationship to develop was a serious error in judgment on my part," he said, according to the Associated Press.

“It came at a time when Barb, my wife of 40-plus years and I were enduring many lengthy periods apart while I carried out my responsibilities during the pandemic,” he added.

Mr Tory succeded Rob Ford as mayor. Ford, who died in 2016, had a number of scandals while in office, including the release of a video showing the mayor smoking crack cocaine.

The Toronto Star first reported on Mr Tory’s relationship with a former staffer. About an hour later, Mr Tory, who serving his second term in office, stepped down. The Star repoted that the staffer was a 31-year-old adviser in Mr Tory’s office. Mr Tory’s lawyer said the relationship “ended by mutual consent earlier this year”.