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Mel Lastman: North York Mayor and First Mayor of Amalgamated Toronto

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Mel Lastman (1933 to 2021) was a furniture retailer who became mayor of North York in 1973 and held the office until 1997. He then served as the first mayor of the amalgamated City of Toronto, from 1998 to 2003. He is best remembered for the January 1999 snowstorm, when he asked the Canadian army to help clear the city.

From furniture retailer to politician

Melvin Douglas Lastman became known to Ontario shoppers before he became known to voters. He built the Bad Boy furniture chain, which Wikipedia dates to 1955. Sources differ on where the first store stood. Global News places it in Scarborough, and another news report says it was on Weston Road. The company’s television advertising, in which Lastman and later his son Blayne appeared, made the name familiar across the region.

According to Wikipedia, he was born in Toronto on March 9, 1933, and was elected to the North York Board of Control in 1969. The same source reports that he lost a provincial election bid in 1975 as a Progressive Conservative candidate, which it describes as his only electoral defeat. Treat these smaller details as secondary-source claims. The main outline of his career is confirmed by news reports at his death: mayor of North York from 1973 to 1997, then mayor of the new City of Toronto from 1998 to 2003.

Mayor of North York, 1973 to 1997

North York changed status several times during his time in office. The City of Toronto Archives records that the Township of North York was created on July 18, 1922. It became one of the municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto on April 15, 1953, was renamed a borough on January 1, 1967, and was incorporated as a city on February 14, 1979. For background, see the articles on North York history and on the creation of Metropolitan Toronto.

Lastman took office as mayor on January 1, 1973, according to Wikipedia, after winning the December 1972 vote. He held the job for 24 years, until the municipality was abolished at the end of 1997. Many readers still ask whether North York is part of Toronto. The short answer is yes, since 1998, and the pages on whether Toronto is the same as North York explain the difference in detail.

The fight against amalgamation

In December 1996 the Ontario government introduced Bill 103, which would merge the six municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto and the Metro government into one city. A Maclean’s article reprinted by the Canadian Encyclopedia, dated March 17, 1997, says all six mayors opposed the plan. Lastman was a vocal opponent who spoke at anti-amalgamation rallies.

Referendums sponsored by the six municipalities in early March 1997 produced a clear No vote. The same article reports that about three-quarters of voters rejected amalgamation, on a turnout of about one-third. The province went ahead anyway. The City of Toronto Archives gives the effective date: on January 1, 1998, East York, Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, Toronto and York ceased to be separate municipalities, and Metro ended on the same day. Local histories of the former municipalities include Etobicoke and Scarborough.

First mayor of the new City of Toronto

Despite his opposition to the merger, Lastman ran for mayor of the new city. According to Wikipedia he defeated Barbara Hall, who was then the mayor of the old City of Toronto, in the November 1997 election. News reports agree that he was sworn in as the first mayor of the amalgamated city in January 1998 and served until 2003. Wikipedia also reports that he was re-elected in November 2000 with about 80 percent of the vote.

The job put him at the head of a city with a single council and a large new set of problems: merging services, setting a budget and balancing downtown and suburban interests. He brought a salesman’s style to city hall, and coverage of his career often calls him outspoken and flamboyant. CBC described a long career marked by gaffes and personal scandals that did little to dent his standing. Wikipedia lists several controversies, including a remark about Mombasa, Kenya, ahead of an Olympic bid trip, which he apologized for in June 2001. For the full list of office-holders, see Toronto mayors and municipal elections.

The snowstorm and the army, January 1999

The event most people remember is the January 1999 storm. The Weather Network reports that a storm on January 2 left 40 cm of snow, followed by more. Global News puts the total at about 118 cm in the first half of the month. Streets filled with parked cars could not be cleared, and some residents travelled on skis.

On January 14, 1999, with more than 100 cm on the ground and more in the forecast, Lastman asked the Canadian Armed Forces for help. He told Global News years later that his wife had suggested calling the army and that a drive through the city convinced him. He said parked cars on both sides of narrow streets left only two ruts in the middle, so ambulances and fire trucks could not get through. He phoned the defence minister, Art Eggleton.

Global News reports that 438 soldiers from Petawawa, Ontario, were sent, along with a crew of 100 from Prince Edward Island. Soldiers cleaned catch basins, shovelled around fire hydrants and used Bison armoured vehicles so emergency crews could reach people. The Weather Network says Lastman ended the army’s help on January 15, once he was confident that the worst was over.

Other parts of Canada made fun of the decision. Lastman did not back down. Speaking in January 2019, when he was 85, he said he had no regrets and had always preferred to be “safe rather than sorry.” Readers interested in snowfall figures can compare the storm with the records in the Toronto snowfall data article.

Last years in office and death

Wikipedia reports that Lastman announced on January 14, 2003, that he would not seek re-election, citing his health. It also reports remarks he made about the World Health Organization during the 2003 outbreak of SARS, which drew criticism. The outbreak itself is covered in the article on the 2003 SARS outbreak in Toronto. David Miller won the November 2003 election, and Lastman’s term ended on November 30, 2003.

Mel Lastman died at his home on December 11, 2021, aged 88. His son Blayne confirmed the death. Mayor John Tory asked that flags at City Hall and other city buildings be lowered to half-mast, and the funeral was held on December 13, 2021. His wife Marilyn had died in January 2020.

Frequently asked questions

When was Mel Lastman mayor of Toronto?

He was the first mayor of the amalgamated City of Toronto, from January 1998 to 2003. Before that he was mayor of North York from 1973 to 1997.

Why did Mel Lastman call in the army in 1999?

After about 118 cm of snow fell in the first half of January 1999, Lastman said ambulances and fire trucks could not get through narrow streets. He asked for help on January 14, and the army left on January 15.

Did Mel Lastman support amalgamation?

No. In 1997 he and the other five mayors opposed the provincial plan to merge Metro Toronto into one city. He then ran for mayor of the new city and won.

When did Mel Lastman die?

He died on December 11, 2021, at the age of 88. His funeral was held on December 13.

Sources

  • City of Toronto Archives, “Resources on Former Municipalities” (accessed October 2026)
  • The Canadian Encyclopedia, “Toronto’s Struggle Against Amalgamation” (Maclean’s, March 17, 1997; accessed October 2026)
  • The Weather Network, “This day in weather history: January 14, 1999, call in the army” (accessed October 2026)
  • Global News, “Toronto’s former mayor has no regrets about calling in military for snowstorm cleanup” (January 2019; accessed October 2026)
  • Global News, “Mel Lastman, former mayor of Toronto, dead at 88” (December 2021; accessed October 2026)
  • Wikipedia, “Mel Lastman” (accessed October 2026), used for details hedged in the text

Last verified: October 2026

Cite this page

APA: History of Toronto. (2026, October 31). Mel Lastman: North York Mayor and First Mayor of Amalgamated Toronto. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/mel-lastman

MLA: “Mel Lastman: North York Mayor and First Mayor of Amalgamated Toronto.” History of Toronto, 31 Oct 2026, https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/mel-lastman. Accessed .

Chicago: History of Toronto. “Mel Lastman: North York Mayor and First Mayor of Amalgamated Toronto.” Last modified October 31, 2026. https://historyoftoronto.ca/blog/mel-lastman.

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