BARRIO – Toronto Mayor John Tory announced on Friday that he will step down from his office after admitting to a relationship with a former staffer.

“During the pandemic I developed a relationship with an employee in my office in a way that did not meet the standards to which I hold myself as mayor and as a family man,” Tory said during a brief statement at city hall.

Tory said the relationship ended by “mutual consent” earlier this year.

The employee found employment outside of his office during the relationship, he said.

“I recognize that permitting this relationship to develop was a serious error in judgment on my part.”

Tory cruised to re-election in last October’s municipal election and has enjoyed strong support throughout most of his time in office. 

Tory first won in 2014, beating out now-premier Doug Ford and Olivia Chow. He won again in 2018, defeating the city’s ex-chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat. 

In a report on Friday night, the Toronto Star said the woman, a former employee, is 31 years old and worked as an advisor in his office.