Nate Erskine-Smith is running for the city council seat of Beaches — East York this fall.
The municipal move follows his resignation from federal politics, where Erskine-Smith represented the same lakefront ward for a decade as a Liberal MP, and after he recently ruled out a leadership run for the provincial Liberal Party.
His political future had been up in the air until now, as most city hall watchers expect him to be a strong contender for the city council seat.
From Ottawa to city hall: What’s next for Erskine-Smith?
“The question for me was, ‘How do you make the biggest difference with the time you’ve got?’” said Erskine-Smith in an exclusive interview with the Star, adding he weighed taking a break from politics to go back to law.
“I genuinely, relentlessly want to make the city work better,” he said.
More specifically, he said his decision to run came down to three reasons: to work with Mayor Olivia Chow (who encouraged him to run), to make “huge impacts on countless lives” given his know-how on housing after his short time as federal minister, and to serve Beaches — East York again.
He has since discussed a municipal transition with Chow, who is running for re-election and has enlisted a prominent Liberal adviser to her campaign team.
Is this a step down or a strategic move?
When asked what his response is to those who might view a city council run as the consolation prize after his time in Ottawa and his ill-fated attempt at becoming leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, Erskine-Smith said his decision is about serving the public. He pointed to the “overwhelming” number of people who asked him to run.
“My parents were teachers. I was raised in an environment where I was taught to believe in public service, and I do believe deeply in it,” he said. “So I’m putting that cynicism aside and answering the call to step up and participate again.”
The ward race is an open one, with the incumbent Brad Bradford running for mayor. As of Tuesday, 10 other candidates had signed up to replace him as ward representative, including former city employee James Dann, school trustee Kevin Morrison and CTV reporter Natalie Johnson.
In a statement released shortly after the Star broke the news Tuesday, Johnson slammed Erskine-Smith, accusing him of using the ward’s council seat as a “backup plan” for his political career.
“The residents of Beaches — East York deserve a councillor who chooses this community first, not one who turned to the council race as a last resort,” Johnson’s statement said. “City Hall has always been my priority and my passion … My campaign will continue.”
Erskine-Smith also dismissed speculation that his council run is driven by a 2030 mayoral bid.
“We’ve had a councillor who’s been running for mayor this entire term,” said Erskine-Smith. “I think we are worse off as a consequence of that … And our community deserves a councillor who is going to be hyperresponsive.”
“I came to this decision ultimately with a view that this isn’t about the future — this is about the next four years of my life,” he continued. “The way I can make the biggest difference is to support a progressive administration.”
More specifically, he added, that means “to address big files, hopefully housing and the environment.”
Erskine-Smith said Chow didn’t make him any promises when they met.
“I will answer the call if I’m asked to serve,” he said, when asked whether he’d want a prominent role such as chair of the planning and housing committee. “But I’m not getting ahead of myself.”
Justin Van Dette, a political organizer and past president of Beaches-East York PC riding association, said Erskine-Smith once helped him, when he asked for guidance as a constituent, to get on a payment plan with the CRA to be able to afford costly HIV medication at a time Van Dette’s health was declining.
“I’ve had two near-death experiences living with HIV and AIDS. I’ve learned life is too short to get caught up in nasty, negative politics,” Van Dette told the Star. “As I say to people who criticize Premier Doug Ford, I will say this to people who criticize Nate Erskine-Smith: if only you knew what they do to help others.”
Van Dette said he plans to volunteer for Erskine-Smith’s campaign.
From independent backbencher to housing minister
A commercial litigation lawyer by trade, Erskine-Smith started his career in the House of Commons in 2015 when he was elected to represent Beaches — East York. He had positioned himself as a local champion focused on transparency and often took stances that differed from the party’s position.
He built a reputation as one of Parliament’s more independent backbenchers before joining former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet in December 2024 as minister of housing, infrastructure and communities.
But his stint in cabinet was short-lived. Mark Carney kept him in cabinet initially, but removed him after last year’s election and returned him to the back benches. He did not take being relegated quietly.
“The way it played out doesn’t sit right and it’s impossible not to feel disrespected,” Erskine-Smith said at the time.
Although his stance on some issues and his willingness to criticize his own party have at times generated criticism, his supporters see his positioning as principled independence.
Erskine-Smith’s initial attempt at transitioning from federal to provincial politics was in 2023, when he launched his first leadership bid for the Liberal Party. He finished as the runner-up to Bonnie Crombie.
He tried to make the jump again this year, after Crombie resigned during a “caucus revolt,” but was dealt a public setback in May when he narrowly lost the nomination in Scarborough Southwest.
Erskine-Smith appealed the result, alleging voting irregularities, but an arbitration panel dismissed his appeal. His challenge was high-profile and drew criticism from some who saw it as bad optics for a party trying to present a united front.
Soon after, he resigned his seat in the House of Commons.
Erskine-Smith said resigning his seat as an MP just over a year after being re-elected was because having two young kids made federal politics “unsustainable” after over a decade going back and forth from Toronto to Ottawa.
“I’ve been knocked down and learned a lot along the way, for sure,” Erskine-Smith said. “Despite all of it though, I still believe that public service through politics is the most important way to make a difference.”
With files from Ben Spurr
