Gayle Helena Christie

Gayle Christie passed away unexpectedly on August 14, 2024, in Toronto. 

Gayle was deeply committed to her family, a loving mother to her three children and grandmother to her grandchildren whom she adored. Gayle was a caring soul; her home was a centre in which to congregate, where people of all types would feel at ease, safe in the warm environment she created. She was known by all as a strong, beautiful woman who championed the everyday person, who would provide a helping hand to those in need. She cared about her community and inspired everyone she met to do more for those around them.

Born to Muriel & John Wright Ingle, in Garson Ontario on August 6, 1940. Beloved mother of John Christie (Elfida Christie Pérez), Robert Christie (Deana Degrece) (Josephine Christie former wife), Rebecca Christie and Kelly Christie (deceased). Adored grandmother of Liandra Helena Christie Perez, John Charles Christie Perez, Daniel John Christie, Katherine Christie, Derek Christie, Jayde Naponse, John Ramsay, Lauren Ramsay & Ashleigh Ramsay. Dear sister of Heather (Ingle) Sidorowicz, John Dwight Ingle and Robin Wright Ingle. 

Through adversity Gayle persevered, in her mother’s Finnish heritage this is called “SISU”. After the death of her eldest daughter and a divorce, Gayle knew that there was more that she could do in life and more that she could contribute. In the early 1970s she threw herself into advocacy, learning about the school system that was educating her children, and in her municipal politics.

Gayle’s extensive political career started in 1972, being elected as a School Trustee from 1972-1976, then elected Alderman in Ward 7 in the Borough of York (Toronto), until 1978. In the 1978 municipal election, she ran for the position of Mayor of York, defeating the incumbent, reigning until 1980. She was then re-elected, serving another term until 1982. Gayle also served on Toronto City Council representing York and was involved in municipal politics until her death.

As Mayor, she saw that the city needed a clear fiscal plan, a responsible one that would rebuild the decaying infrastructure, while creating jobs for the citizens of York. Day care, youth employment, skills training, economic development, pride in your city, safe public spaces, and the inclusion of the diverse population were all part of her plan. Gayle brought together citizens, private and public organizations to work together to make change. 

Gayle was an advocate for educating young people on government, helping them understand how it worked to provide the services that they used everyday. She knew that Municipal Government had the power to respond to citizens issues faster and more directly than any other form of government. Municipalities had the people who knew how it all worked and what was needed.

In the 1980s she served on several corporate boards including CNE and LCBO, and in 1985, she was appointed as a director to the board of Air Canada. Gayle was a long-time friend of Brian Mulroney’s and worked as Co-chair of his leadership campaign in 1984. After Brian Mulroney became Prime Minister of Canada, she chaired his annual fundraising dinners in Toronto. Gayle was President of the 500 Club, the PC party’s high-value fundraising organization, and leading fundraising efforts for Ontario PC party through the Cornerstone Club. 

Gayle was not constrained by party politics or divisions, she aided political leaders that she saw had the best interests of their constituents. Everyone in politics, whether Conservative, Liberal, or NDP, knew who Gayle was and many had stories of her reaching out to them to help them navigate bureaucracy or politics to get their agendas done. Gayle reached across party lines, always focused on the human connection that is sometimes missing to create a better community for all.

In the 1990s, she began working as a Government Relations and Municipal Affairs Consultant – a lobbyist. During the 1990s and 2000s Gayle served on boards of several health care institutions and rehabilitation facilities, Runnymede Hospital, Humber River Regional Hospital, and Yorktown Women’s Shelter.

Gayle Christie shattered the gender barrier at a time of change in Canadian society. As one of a handful of women challenging the male-dominated status quo in politics, she was targeted for her beauty and long legs rather than praised for the strength of her policies. She pushed for better housing, health care, social services and for the inclusion of those who were marginalized. This was a time when Canada was radically changing through immigration, the introduction of gender parity and the re-evaluation of the services needed to manage a growing diverse population in our cities. 

Gayle played many different roles throughout her life. Whether she was a daughter, sister, mother, politician, community leader or friend, her legacy is one of change. She changed the people around her and the world she shared with them. Nothing would have been the same without her, she made a difference in our lives. 

On behalf of  the Mayor and Council, Please visit the following City of Toronto page of remembrance.  The family is honoured by this tribute and the half-masting of City flags at Toronto City Hall, Metro Hall and the Civic Centres. 

Remembering Gayle Christie

Instead of flowers, Gayle would like you to help support her community and those in need. Feed It Forward is an organization that Gayle has supported and at a time of need accessed.

 Feed It Forward is a transformative nonprofit based in Toronto, dedicated to tackling food waste and fighting food insecurity both locally and globally. Led by CEO and chef Jagger Sean Gordon, we believe that no child should ever go to bed hungry or wake up without a meal in our own country. Through our innovative approach, we have created 14 unique programs that address various challenges within the food sector, serving over 6.9 million people with the help of 2,900 dedicated volunteers worldwide. Remarkably, we achieve this without any provincial or federal funding, relying solely on community support and collaboration. Join us in our mission to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food, while also reducing waste and nurturing a more sustainable future for all. Together, we can make a difference! Visit feed it forward

 To donate : Click here

The family has provided the opportunity to view a Live Stream of the Funeral Service from the comfort of your own home. We are pleased to provide this complimentary service for those watching remotely. Please be aware this is not a professionally edited video and is happening in real time. You may experience network (internet) failures and/or local signal issues. A high-definition recording of the funeral service becomes available after the service is completed. This is typically available within the same day. The recorded service remains on the website for 90 days.

Click HERE to view service