Karen Stintz to formally register Monday in Toronto's mayoral race

Torontos mayoral race is heating up, as Coun. Karen Stintz gets set to formally throw her hat in the ring on Monday morning.

Stintz had declared her intention to run for mayor last fall, though she has waited to register until someone had been chosen to succeed her as chair of the board of the Toronto Transit Commission.

With Coun. Maria Augimeri taking over that post, Stintz is ready to make her campaign official.

"I believe the city needs a leader who is accountable and responsible and that can get things done for the city and make sure we have safe neighbourhoods, make sure we have places for kids to play, make sure we have an affordable tax rate and importantly as well, deal with congestion," Stintz told CBC News on Sunday.

Ahead of the weekend, the Ward 16 Eglinton-Lawrence councillor had also tweeted her plan to file her papers on Monday:

Stintz told CBC News that she will be giving a speech to the Toronto Region Board of Trade this Wednesday, in which she will lay out some of her policy ideas.

The Toronto Region Board of Trade website indicates that Stintz will be speaking about how "responsible leadership will bring Toronto a better tomorrow."

By registering for the mayoral election, Stintz will put herself in direct competition with Mayor Rob Ford, who is seeking re-election.

Two former city councillors, David Soknacki and Norm Gardner, have also registered to run for mayor.

In total, there are more than two dozen individuals who have registered to run for mayor this fall, according to information posted one the City of Toronto website. Another person has withdrawn.

In addition to Stintz, a second current member of city council, Denzil Minnan-Wong, has said he is still mulling a possible mayoral bid.

Olivia Chow, the MP for Trinity-Spadina, said last month that she is "seriously considering" running for mayor of Toronto.

Ford filed his nomination papers as soon as the clerk's office opened on the first day of business this year.

Election Day is on Oct. 27.