Constituents in Scarborough Southwest will soon be heading to the polls to vote for their next city councillor.

On Thursday, Toronto City Council voted in favour of a motion by Coun. Paul Ainslie to declare the Ward 20 seat vacant and hold a byelection to fill it.

The Scarborough Southwest seat became vacant on July 26 after long-time local Coun. Gary Crawford resigned to run provincially as a PC candidate in Scarborough-Guildwood. He did not win that seat.

On Sept. 6, a bylaw requiring a byelection will be passed and will come into effect at 5 p.m. Nominations will open the next day.

The date for the byelection has yet to be determined.

Until then, the former councillor’s staff will remain in place to take care of any constituency issues in the ward.

“This move emphasizes the importance of maintaining an elected City Councillor in Ward 20, ensuring that the voices of the constituents are effectively heard, and their interests are represented at City Council,” the Scarborough-Guildwood representative said in an Aug. 10 news release.

“The absence of an elected City Councillor creates a significant gap in representation, requiring urgent attention.”

Ainslie went on to note that residents of Ward 20 “deserve an advocate who will champion their concerns at the municipal level, shaping policies and decisions that directly impact their daily lives.”

According to provincial law, when a councillor resigns, City Council must declare the seat vacant at its next meeting. It then has 60 days to either appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy or pass a bylaw requiring a byelection.

More information about the Ward 20 byelection will be posted online in the coming days.