'Champion for housing,' Toronto deputy mayor Ana Bailo leaving politics

Toronto city councillor Ana Bailo has announced she will not be seeking re-election in October.

After serving 12 yearsand three terms in office, the Ward 9 (Davenport) city councillor and deputy mayor, announced Thursday she will be leaving politics.

In a letter to constituents,Bailocalled her service as city councillor and deputy mayor "the honour of a lifetime."

"While I have not yet decided what is next for me, I remain committed to continuing to contribute to our city."

LISTEN |Ana Bailao on her decision to leave politics:

"I'm proud of the work I've been able to do. I think we've accomplished a lot in terms of bringing affordable housing to the forefront of the city's agenda,"Bailo, who is also the Chair of Toronto's planning and housing committee, told Metro Morning hostIsmaila Alfa on Thursday.

"Today you have the city of Toronto with a fully funded $2.8 billioncapital plan for TCHC(Toronto Community Housing), you're using city land to build affordable housing, you're building modular supportive housing... so there's lots to do but there was a huge shift."

Bailo calledthe affordable housing crisis in Toronto "incredibly complex" and saidit will require the cooperation of all levels of government.

"This issue will only be tackled if we have threeorders of government that take this seriously and take concrete action," saidBailo. "We need to double down."

Mayor John Tory calledBailo "a champion for housing" on Twitter on Thursday.

"I will miss her here at City Hall but I am confident she will do great things in whatever she decides to do next," said Tory."And I hope we will one day see her again in politics we need more people like Ana Bailo in public life."

The city's municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 24.