Amidst a sudden and unexpected office relationship scandal, Toronto Mayor John Tory has resigned his post. He was to be Toronto’s longest-serving mayor following a third mayoral campaign victory last October. He had, however, previously stated that he would seek to hold office for no more than two terms. This contrast between actions and statements will be his unfortunate legacy.

The man who succeeded the scandal-plagued and ill-fated Rob Ford was touted as the sure bet and the steady hand for Canada’s largest city. Throughout three mayoral campaigns, Tory’s brand never wavered. He was to be responsible but considerate of other opposing views, consistent but welcome to change, and above all unabashedly boring. 24 hours ago that had largely remained true, but now none of it matters.

Taking over from former Mayor Rob Ford, Tory had a low bar to hurdle. With a self proclaimed mandate to restore respectability to the recently beleaguered office, the goal was simple: don’t smoke crack, don’t run into councillors or cameras, and don’t make off-colour jokes about marital bliss. All of those seem like unlikely actions now, but the last one leaves a particularly sour note.

While he has certainly had his detractors over the years, Tory’s love for the city that he was born in was apparent to anyone. He spoke loud and often of how much he loved Toronto, even fitting it into his emotional and very abrupt resignation speech. He attended ribbon-cutting openings around the city, ventured to the top of Toronto for the CN Tower’s EdgeWalk and even presented the Raptors the Key to the City after they won Toronto its first major league trophy in recent memory.

But, speaking of memories, what will Torontonians bear in mind when they next step to the polls? The last change of power was tinted with scandal, and this one even moreso. Tory did not vacate over health concerns; he immediately fled the office as soon as his hypocritical abuses of power were brought to light. All that talk of bringing respectability to the office was for naught, and the mayor’s chair is more tarnished than it was when he took his first seat there. Voters will remember Tory for participating in a now redundant municipal election that cost constituents millions and that possibly overlapped his career-ending affair.

So what does this mean for the city? Over Tory’s tenure the Ford dynasty has not waned in power. Premier Doug Ford’s Ontario PCs have thrived at the failings of their political opponents, winning overwhelming majority after overwhelming majority. Besides some very obviously shady relationships with real estate developers that threaten the Greenbelt, Ford has also not been shy of tipping the scales of power that affect Toronto. From cutting council in half (during an election, no less) to more recently granting the mayor “strong mayor” powers, the seat has been groomed as the lynchpin for the Ford family, more now even than when Doug’s brother held it.

During the last mayoral election there was a clear favourite and few serious candidates to compete against. There was also overwhelming voter apathy that led to record low turnout ratings. This could change, especially since not only will Tory not run but he will (if he has any sense left at all) not endorse anyone, instead preferring a life of quiet oblivion. Will the Fords proffer a candidate, possibly Michael Ford (formerly Michael Stirpe)? Doug Ford doesn’t need another MPP in his pocket and his nephew is no stranger to resigning from one recently elected post to go for another.

Toronto surely would deserve better than this, but they’ll get what they vote for. Scandal after scandal this city has endured more than most, with the most recent one seeming to layer insult upon injury. If it is lucky, Toronto may see its residents turn their apathy into action and vote for a candidate who believes in Toronto more than they believe in themselves or their stakeholders. Time will tell, but in this regard Tory did not do his beloved city any favours.