Brian Ashton (politician)

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Brian Ashton is a city councillor in Toronto, Canada. He represents the ward of Ward 36 Scarborough Southwest.

He has been involved in local politics since 1972, and worked as the research assistant to Scarborough mayor Gus Harris.

He was first elected to the city council of Scarborough in a 1984 by-election. He also served jointly on Metro Council. Regarded as one of the more progressive members of the council. He also became known for his outspokenness, appearing frequently in the media.

When Metro Council was separated from the city councils in 1988, Ashton ran for election to Metro Council, and defeated Scarborough controller Bill Belfontaine. On Metro Council, he was best known for spearheading Toronto's failed bid for Expo 2000, which was awarded to Hanover, Germany by a narrow margin of one vote.

He went on to launch in the early '90s and chair several innovative and progressive task forces: Social Development Strategy, Youth Task Force, and Gun Control Task Force.

He was a prominent opponent of Metro chairman Alan Tonks, and was frequently considered to have ambitions to replace him. After being easily re-elected in the 1994 election, Ashton ran for the position when Metro councillors elected a new chairman. Running with the unreserved endorsement of the Toronto Star, his campaign ended when NDP and left-liberal councillors moved their support to Joe Pantalone. Ashton ended up receiving only three votes.

When the former six municipalities and Metropolitan Toronto regional government were amalgamated into Canada's largest city government, Ashton was elected to the council of the new city of Toronto.

He quickly campaigned for the establishment of a standing committee responsible for economic development. Shortly thereafter Ashton became the first chair of the Economic Development and Parks Committee for the new city.

Easily elected to the next term, Ashton was appointed chair of the Toronto Transit Commission. An opponent of mayor of Toronto Mel Lastman, he backed David Miller for mayor in the 2003 election.