TORONTO, June 26 (Reuters) - Olivia Chow became the first Chinese-Canadian to be elected as mayor of Toronto, Canada's biggest city, on Monday, pledging to support renters, champion social causes, and reduce the sweeping powers of her office. Chow secured 37.2% vote, according to preliminary results, ahead of her nearest rival Ana Bailao, former deputy mayor. Chow, 66, will be the first woman to serve as mayor since Barbara Hall in 1997. Chow takes over as mayor after the resignation of John Tory, conservative-leaning mayor who won his third election last October. Tory had endorsed his former deputy Bailao, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford had endorsed former Toronto Chief of Police Mark Saunders.

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Persons: Olivia Chow, Chow, Ana Bailao, Jack Layton, Barbara Hall, John Tory, Tory, Bailao, Doug Ford, Police Mark Saunders, Ford, Sam Jabri, Rosalba O'Brien, Michael Perry Organizations: TORONTO, New Democratic Party, University of Guelph, Tory, Ontario, Toronto, Police, Thomson Locations: Toronto, Canada's, Ottawa, Hong Kong, Canada