A longshot candidate in the race for Toronto's top job says people will have to move to Hamilton en masse if he loses the upcoming mayoral by-election on June 26.

So, better get packing, I guess.

Brad Bradford has remained one of the most-talked-about candidates running to replace John Tory's vacant mayoral seat, but the latest Mainstreet Research poll has the current city councillor tracking at just four per cent, tied for last among the prominent candidates and a staggering 28 points behind frontrunner Olivia Chow.

If pages upon pages of social media comments can be interpreted as a gauge of public acceptance, Bradford's mayoral bid has been a clinic on how not to run a campaign, rife with meme-fodder missteps that have been lampooned by his many online critics.

In his latest message to voters, Bradford created a video and issued an accompanying press release, warning that Toronto residents would be doomed to a life in Hamilton if Olivia Chow wins the election.

I don’t want people to have to move to Hamilton because they can’t afford to live in Toronto.

As Mayor, I will get more homes built faster all across Toronto.

Here's how 👉 https://t.co/54HMTvDfyP pic.twitter.com/DYWh4rd765

— Brad Bradford✌️ (@BradMBradford) June 2, 2023

"Instead of building bureaucracy, we will get more homes built all across Toronto, so people have more options to live and prosper in our city," said Bradford. "I don't want people to have to move to Hamilton because they can't afford to live in Toronto."

The message echoes comments the councillor made during his most recent campaign appearance, where Bradford claimed that homeowners face a 20 per cent tax hike if Chow is elected.

This statement has been picked apart by critics, including a breakdown from columnist Matt Elliott accusing Bradford of fabricating figures. But that hasn't stopped Bradford from repeating it again today, saying, "Rather than stick people with a 20 per cent property tax hike like Olivia Chow would do, Brad Bradford will build more housing faster, to build an affordable Toronto."

Reminder that @GraphicMatt went item by item through the components of @BradMBradford’s ‘raise your taxes by 20%’ claim, and found it to be a fabricated figure: https://t.co/eUZrNG2f3G pic.twitter.com/ljrgGqmBlW

— Gil Meslin (@g_meslin) June 2, 2023

Bradford is doubling down on his stance that he will make life in the city more affordable with this latest video, but not everyone is buying it.

How? Do tell.

— Alok Mukherjee (@AlokMukherjee45) June 2, 2023

Bradford doesn't say much of substance in the video, though he does indeed offer several points via press release that he believes will alleviate rising home prices and rents in what has become one of the most expensive cities on the continent.

90 seconds of word salad describing the situation at 50,000 feet , not 1 word about a solution, not one word. WaSte of my 90 seconds.

— Joshua WOPR (@SDonlose) June 2, 2023

His press release, for what it's worth, does actually include some forward-thinking policies on getting housing built, including the elimination of foot-for-foot office space in developments that include at least 20 per cent affordable housing, and converting empty offices into homes.

Bradford claims to have led the approval of more housing during his five months as Chair of Planning and Housing than in the past five years, but it's his Tory-aligned voting history on city council that has some commenters suggesting he would just be an extension of the status quo.

You literally didn’t say how you’re going to get homes built. This video was a lot of talk, no action

— matt (@yyz_matt) June 2, 2023

In fact, there is not one single comment on the video defending or showing any form of support for Bradford as of writing. It's just universal teasing and trolling for a candidate whose mayoral hopes grow slimmer by the day.

Is this a parody account.

— theirishking (@theirishking) June 2, 2023

One person even took offence at the implication that moving to Hamilton was a downgrade (which, let's be real, it totally is).

What’s wrong with Hamilton? Also pretty sure they have higher property taxes than Toronto 🙄

— The Maker of Trouble (@TheAwkwardDrop) June 2, 2023

Bradford's press release and video warning of a mass exodus to Hamilton is not the only campaign move being trolled this week. Just days earlier, Bradford was accused of holding up traffic while filming a video about how bad traffic is.

And that's just the tip of the trolling iceberg, as the candidate has been ridiculed for a forced-looking patty shop visit, mocked for campaigning in a subway station, and even had a song written about him.