Winnie Czulinski –
Could a shady candidate win an election? Maybe – when it’s an impressive tree.
This year the City of Toronto is running an election for young people to vote for one of five tree candidates on Thanksgiving weekend, with the winner to become Toronto’s 2027 “Tree of the Year.”
The selected contenders – basswood, red oak, paper birch, sugar maple and white pine – are large trees native to the Toronto area. Each “contestant” has a colourful online profile and a short video, to give youthful voters detailed choices.
Trees contribute to making musical instruments, anointing pancakes (with syrup) providing shade, helping animals, insects, plants and people thrive in their eco-environment, and more.
“The idea is to encourage young people under 18 years of age to learn about local elections and local democracy by participating in an authentic, fun and meaningful voting experience,” said Tobias Novogrodsky, City of Toronto deputy city clerk, election services. “The (voter education) program invites children and youth in Toronto to learn about a unique group of candidates and what they offer to our community.”
The City wanted to create something distinctly Toronto by connecting the vote to a city service, with the event’s decision-making and ballot-marking having an impact that kids can see around them.
This first-ever Toronto Kids Vote Weekend was inspired by Montréal’s Petit Bureau de Vote program – where small stations set up at each polling place invited kids aged three to eighteen to vote, answering a question designed for them. There are more examples across Canada.
In 2021, Student Vote Canada – organized by CIVIX charity and Elections Canada since 2003 – saw more than 700,000 elementary and high-school students vote in a mock election alongside the federal election. Like the general electorate, the young people chose a Liberal minority government but they chose the NDP, not the Conservatives, as the official opposition. In 2025 the kids elected a Conservative minority.
The City of Vancouver launched a Kids Vote program in 2018. In 2022, it allowed children to vote on four multiple-choice questions about things important to them. The big winners included swimming pools and kindness – and more science, technology and math in school.
And in 2025, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta encouraged under-18s to accompany their parents inside the voting booth.
The City of Toronto communications division says the primary goal of Kids Vote Weekend is “to help make the voting process feel familiar and comfortable from an early age. We hope families have a fun experience prompting discussions about democracy and civic participation and that children begin to see voting as an important part of community life.” It’s a potentially lifelong way “to make their voices heard in their city, province, and country.”
Kids Vote Weekend will be conducted independently of the municipal election at all 50 advance voting locations on Saturday Oct. 10 and Sunday Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tree voting stations will be in a designated area with clear signage separate from the civic voting area, assisted by trained administrators.
In Toronto Centre (Ward 13) and Toronto-Danforth (Ward 14), Kids Vote Weekend will take place at Wellesley Community Centre, St. Lawrence Community Recreation Centre, East York Community Centre and Matty Eckler Recreation Centre.
Some Toronto schools and libraries, including the Parliament Street branch on Gerrard Street East, have had story-time and craft-activities, poster campaigns and mock debates to inspire kids for their special election experience.
Forums such as Reddit and letters in the Toronto Star indicate enthusiasm and approval: “…a really cool way for kids to learn about elections and be a part of the process.” “I don’t often praise the city, but (this) is a brilliant idea…I hope all parents will ensure their youngsters take part.”
The winning tree species will be planted 1,000 times on public land across Toronto. Tree of the Year saplings will be offered to Toronto schools to plant on property and to the public at giveaways.
For more information visit www.toronto.ca/KidsVote.
