The mayor of Toronto , Olivia Chow, promised more rental housing, free school lunches and reduce fares for frequent transit riders after she was elected to a decisive second term as mayor in a wave of support for progressive councillors.

The tightly fought election saw record turnout but Chow ultimately turned in a dominant 13-percentage-point win over her rival, Brad Bradford, receiving 54% of the vote compared with his 41%. Many had been expecting a far closer race, given weeks of polling that suggested a dead heat between the pair who presented differing visions for Canada’s largest city.

Chow bet that voters would accept her policies to confront a mounting affordability crisis that has engulfed major cities around the world. On Monday night, she thanked her supporters and Bradford.

“I know we share a love for Toronto and a belief in its future,” she told a jubilant crowd.…