Mark Grimes is a Canadian politician and businessman who served on Toronto City Council from 2003 to 2022. Grimes represented Etobicoke—Lakeshore when it was Ward 6 until 2018 and Ward 3 onwards. He served five consecutive terms on council, representing the Etobicoke—Lakeshore area for almost 20 years.

Background Grimes was born in Orillia and grew up in New Toronto, a neighbourhood of Toronto where he was a paperboy. Prior to politics, he worked as a trader on the Toronto Stock Exchange before starting his own transportation logistics company, MGA International Logistics. He and his wife Anne raised their five children in Mimico and later moved to Alderwood, where they reside.City of Toronto Councillors: Mark Grimes , City of Toronto, last accessed September 25, 2011.

Political Career In 2003, Grimes ran as a municipal councillor in Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore to replace Irene Jones who left the seat to run in the provincial election. He was one of nine candidates to run for the seat. During the campaign, he and his closest rival Berardo Mascioli, accused each other of dirty tricks during the election campaign. On election night phone lines to both campaign offices were cut. Grimes won the election by 1,352 votes.

In 2005, Grimes was appointed to the Toronto Transit Commission board but he resigned in 2006 due to a conflict with board chair Howard Moscoe. Grimes seconded a motion of non-confidence in Moscoe over his handling of negotiations with the TTC union. When the vote lost, Grimes immediately resigned. He said continuing to serve on the board would be a waste of time. he said, "Obviously my voice isn't going to be heard."

Although Grimes was generally opposed to initiatives supported by Mayor David Miller, he became a key player in getting the land transfer tax passed in 2007. Grimes proposed a compromise that would see rebates for first-time buyers. He said, "I'm not there for the mayor or to play the left wing against the right wing ... Nobody likes new taxes, but I don't want to see libraries and ice rinks and community centres closing."

In 2010, Grimes intervened to prevent a woman from jumping off a bridge in Toronto. He was later awarded a civilian citation by the Toronto Police Service for his actions.

After the 2010 election he was named chair of the Etobicoke-York Community Council. He later served as Chair of the Exhibition Place Board of Governors, where he oversaw developments on the grounds including the construction of Hotel X Toronto.

Grimes was also involved in sports and major event initiatives in Toronto, contributing to projects such as the development of BMO Field and the establishment of the Ford Performance Centre (formerly the MasterCard Centre), a four-pad arena used by the Greater Toronto Hockey League, the Toronto Marlies, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as the OVO Athletic Centre, a training facility for the Toronto Raptors. He served as chair of the Mayor’s Pan American Games Secretariat and was involved in the planning of the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games. He also moved the motion and led Toronto’s successful bid to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

He has served on a number of boards and committees, including the Hockey Hall of Fame, where he was a member of the Board of Directors for 20 years, as well as the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, and the Toronto Argonauts Foundation.

Grimes was inducted into the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame in 2017 in the Builder category.

On November 16, 2018, the OPP charged Grimes along with outgoing city councillor Justin Di Ciano for allegedly filing false campaign expenses for the 2014 municipal elections, contrary to the Municipal Elections Act. On February 10, 2020, Grimes was cleared of the non-criminal charge under the Municipal Elections Act.

Grimes was narrowly defeated in the 2022 Toronto municipal election by Amber Morley, four years after she lost to Grimes in the 2018 Toronto municipal election. Grimes had been endorsed by Mayor John Tory both times.

Grimes served as Commissioner of the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League from 2021 to 2025.

In 2025, Grimes was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of his contributions to Ontario and Canada.

Election results 2018 Toronto election, Ward 3 Candidate Votes %(x)Mark Grimes16,52740.90% Amber Morley 10,98527.19%Pamela Gough 7,30118.07%Iain Davis2,7226.74% Svitlana Burlakova 1,2183.01% Peggy Moulder 5751.42% Patrizia Nigro3940.98% Michael Julihen 3200.79% Michael Loomans 1990.49% Robert Gunnyon1670.41%

2014 Toronto election, Ward 6 Candidate Votes % Mark Grimes1133743.96 Russ Ford879134.08 Tony Vella271810.54 Miroslaw Jankielewicz11144.32 Sean O'Callaghan5011.94 Peggy Moulder3981.54 Michael Laxer3051.18 Everett Sheppard2210.86 Ruthmary James1690.66 Robert Sysak900.35 John Letonja840.33 Dave Searle640.25 Total 25,792 100.00

2010 Toronto election, Ward 6City of Toronto elections page Candidate Votes %Mark Grimes 12,228 60.4 Jem Cain 5,847 28.9 Michael Laxer 717 3.5 Wendell Brereton 605 3.0 Cecilia Luu 466 2.3 David Searle 375 1.9 Total 20,238 100%

2006 Toronto election, Ward 6City Clerk's Official Declaration 2006 Candidate Votes %Mark Grimes 6,47242.6Jem Cain 3,75824.7Matthew Day 2,32715.3Gregory Wowchuk 9316.1Danuta Markiewicz 5313.5Rosalie Chalmers 4242.8Walter Melnyk 3092.0Tony Del Grande 3032.0George Kash 1310.9 2003 Toronto election, Ward 6 Candidate Votes %Mark Grimes 5,33432.4Berardo Mascioli 3,98224.2Jerry Smith 3,43720.9Diane Cleary 1,1807.2Mark Selkirk 1,0796.6Gregory Wowchuk 8935.4George Kash 2081.3Frederick Azman 1741.1David Searle 940.6Robin Vinden 830.5

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