Natalie Johnson, CTV's Toronto City Hall reporter, running for council
· Toronto Sun
From Toronto City Hall reporter to councillor?
CTV reporter Natalie Johnson announced on Monday that she’s running for Toronto city council in the riding of Beaches-East York after nearly two decades covering municipal politics.
Visit moryak.biz for more information.
Johnson, a 39-year-old married mother of three boys, has reported on municipal politics since 2010.
“As a journalist, I have spoken to thousands of Torontonians about the issues that define their daily lives, illustrating the practical impacts of the policies that have shaped this city,” Johnson said in a statement Monday.
“But not only have I been covering it – I’ve been living it in Beaches-East York.”
What to know about Johnson
In her announcement, Johnson said she and her family have lived for a decade in Ward 19, where she has been a community advocate and volunteer.
She describes herself as “a dedicated hockey mom to three boys who understands the challenges of raising a young family in the city,” and noted she’s a board member of local non-profits Community Centre 55 and the Beaches Sandbox, which offer support services and accessible programming to local residents.
“Whether it be on the picnic bench at the playground or the sidelines of the soccer field, I hear from families every day about the issues they want local leaders to tackle. I understand what animates our community, and I believe the residents of Beaches-East York deserve a strong voice at City Hall,” Johnson said in her statement.
“I want to get Beaches-East York moving again, and do everything possible to get parents home to their kids faster at the end of the day. Families need to have access to reliable transit and safe parks; small businesses need to feel supported; and taxpayers want services that deliver value.”
Johnson said she believes that “reasonable, responsive representation” is the expectation for local leadership and noted her reporting skills have made her a good listener.
“As a reporter, I am hard-wired to listen. And I’m eager to do that in the months ahead, so that Beaches-East York can be the best it can be.”
What CTV News says of Johnson
Her employer, CTV News, said in a statement on Monday that “upon being advised by video journalist Natalie Johnson that she was considering running for Toronto City Council this October, CTV News immediately ceased using her in any on-air or editorial capacity and will continue to not do so until after the municipal election.”
CTV added: “We thank Natalie for her many journalistic contributions over her 19 years at CTV News as she pursues this new opportunity.”
Johnson began her career in 2007 as a reporter at CTV News Ottawa before moving to the CTV News Parliamentary Bureau, where she worked as a field producer for CTV National News, later producing the network’s flagship political program, CTV’s Question Period.
She holds a bachelor of journalism from Carleton University and speaks English and French.
Brad Bradford, who has represented the ward since 2018, has already declared his intention to run for mayor.
In the riding, other registered candidates for councillor so far are James Dann, Tycen Legg, and Adam Smith.