Janet Joy "Jaye" Robinson (December 7, 1962 – May 16, 2024) was a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Toronto City Council from 2010 to 2024. She was the chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) from 2018 to 2022. Robinson represented Ward 15 Don Valley West. She died in office on May 16, 2024.
Background
Robinson was born in Orangeville, Ontario on December 7, 1962 to John “Jake” and Shirley Robinson (née Jackson).[1] Her parents named her Janet Joy but she went by Jaye.[1] She was a fourth-generation Torontonian;[2] her great-grandfather, John R. (Black Jack) Robinson,[3] was editor of the Toronto Telegram from 1888 to 1928.[4] Robinson’s grand aunt was Toronto Telegram political columnist, Judith Robinson.[5] She spent 20 years working for the City of Toronto, including as the director of events with the Economic Development and Culture Division, where she helped to organize Nuit Blanche.[2]
Political career
Robinson ran for councillor in Ward 25 in the 2003 city council election against the incumbent Cliff Jenkins. The close race was marked by an election night error. The city website announced that, with all the ballots in, Jenkins had lost to Robinson by 30 votes.[6] However, only 90 per cent of the votes had actually been counted, and by the time the full count was completed two hours later, Jenkins had pulled into the lead by 80 votes and held on to win.[7]
Robinson ran again in Ward 25 in the 2010 city council election. It was a rematch of the 2003 election. This time, she narrowly defeated Jenkins, one of several incumbents that lost their seats in this election cycle.[8]
Robinson was re-elected in the 2014 city council election. During the 2014-2018 Council term she held several important Committee positions serving as Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWIC) and as a member of the Executive Committee.[9] As PWIC’s chair she brought in and was in charge of the city’s first comprehensive road safety program known as Vision Zero.[10]
Robinson ran again for Councillor for Toronto City Council in the 2018 municipal election in the newly constituted Ward 15 Don Valley West, which has the same boundaries as the federal and provincial ridings with the same name. She defeated the incumbent councillor for former Ward 26, Jon Burnside.[11][12]
Following the election, Mayor John Tory announced that Robinson would serve as the chair of the TTC,[13] a position she held until 2022 when Tory appointed her to lead the city's plan for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[14] She continued to lead this team after Olivia Chow was elected in the 2023 mayoral by-election.[15] Alex Bozikovic, The Globe and Mail's architecture critic, described Jaye Robinson as "furiously anti-development".[16]
Illness and death
Robinson was diagnosed with breast cancer and took a temporary leave of absence from council on October 29, 2019.[17] She returned to council meetings in November 2020, although her attendance was done remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] Robinson died – while still serving as a city councillor – on May 16, 2024, at the age of 61.[19][20] Following her death, City Council – on June 26, 2024 – approved the November 4, 2024 by-election to fill her seat.[21] Her son Sam Robinson ran in the by-election, and came in third.[22] He lost to school board trustee Rachel Chernos Lin.[23]
^Jones, Ryan Patrick (May 17, 2024). "Toronto Coun. Jaye Robinson dies at 61". CBC News. Toronto: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
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