Cynthia Lai, a councilor for Toronto departed before an election

Cynthia Lai (68), a Toronto City Councilor, has died. She had cancer and had been undergoing treatment for quite some time. After her illness worsened, she was admitted to the hospital. She was a Scarborough North councilor for Ward 23. This year, Lai ran for re-election to the position of Ward 23 councilor. Lai was a member of the Budget Committee and the Toronto Transit Commission Board during his time on City Council. Before entering politics, Lai worked as a realtor.

She was also the Toronto Real Estate Board's first Chinese-Canadian president. People in politics and many other fields paid their respects following Cynthia La's death. Mayor John Tory said the flags on several city buildings, including City Hall and the Scarborough Civic Center, were to pay tribute to the city council. He said he was asked to fly flags at half-mast to represent the honor of the councilor.