Canadian mayor John Tory resigns one hour after relationship with staffer revealed

A Canadian mayor abruptly resigned just one hour after his affair with a staffer half his age was exposed by a local paper.

Toronto Mayor John Tory resigned after a local newspaper exposed his affair with a staffer. Picture: Twitter @JohnTory

A Canadian mayor abruptly left his post on Friday just one hour after a local newspaper exposed his affair with a staffer more than half his age.

Toronto mayor John Tory, 68, admitted to having a relationship with a 31-year-old staffer and said he was stepping down so he could “take the time to reflect on my mistakes”, the New York Post reports.

Toronto mayor John Tory (left) resigned after a local newspaper exposed his affair with a staffer. Picture: Twitter @JohnTory

“I recognise that permitting this relationship to develop was a serious error in judgment on my part,” Mr Tory said at a brief press conference.

“I think it is important as I always had for the office of the mayor not to be in any way tarnished, and not to see the city government itself, but through a period of prolonged controversy, arising out of this error of judgment on my part, especially in light of some of the challenges facing the city.”

John Tory and his wife Barbara Hackett. Picture: Twitter @JohnTory

Mr Tory’s announcement came one hour after The Star broke the news that the mayor developed a relationship with an employee during the pandemic.

The woman’s name was not revealed, but sources told the outlet she is a 31-year-old woman who was an staffer in Mr Tory’s office.

Mr Tory claimed the relationship developed during a time he and his wife of more than 40 years, Barbara, were spending “many lengthy periods apart”.

The Toronto mayor said the relationship was an “error in judgement”. Picture: Twitter @JohnTory

The former mayor said the staffer terminated her City Hall employment during their affair, but that the relationship ended “by mutual consent earlier this year”.

He said he would work with city employees and deputy mayor Jennifer McKelvey to ensure an orderly transition to a new administration.

“I deeply regret having to step away from a job that I love in a city that I love even more,” he said.

“I believe, in my heart, it is best to fully commit myself to the work that is required to repair these most important (family) relationships as well.”

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and has been reproduced with permission