Mitzie Hunter is now officially in the race for Toronto’s next mayor.

The 10 year Liberal MPP for the city’s Scarborough-Guildwood riding has added her name to the growing list of high profile contenders after strongly hinting at a run last week.

Hunter is pledging not to use the strong mayor powers granted to the office if she’s elected, and says she’s running for mayor to make certain Toronto is a city that works for everyone.

She sites housing affordability and public safety on transit and elsewhere among the most pressing issues of the campaign.

Hunter, who was first elected to Queen’s Park in 2013 and served as education minister in Kathleen Wynne’s government has yet to give a date for when she plans to relinquish her seat. But she says she has no intention of dropping out of the mayor’s race and staying on at Queen’s Park if the early stages of what’s expected to be a hotly contested campaign don’t go her way.

“Mitzie’s in it to win it,” she said.

Former Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders is also running.

He joined Zoomer Radio’s Fight Back with Libby Znaimer Wednesday and spoke about improving safety in this city if he’s elected.

“As the former chief really only gave me one tool in the tool box to really try my best to make the community safe,” Saunders explained, “But as mayor, if chosen, I’ll have the opportunity of having all of the tools. And now we have to think differently. We have to be bolder because the random crimes that are taking place right now and the disorder that we’re seeing on a more frequent basis is a concern.”

Thursday on Zoomer Radio’s Fight Back, Libby will be joined by another of the candidates, former City Councillor and Deputy Mayor Ana Bailao.

The nomination process for Toronto’s next mayor begins this Monday April 3rd.

Byelection day is Monday June 26th.