Incumbent David Crombie was extremely popular after his first term and faced no serious opposition in winning reelection.

As a result, the municipal law was changed so that the runner-up in the mayoralty contest no longer had the right to succeed to the mayor's chair should the position become vacant between elections.

The conservative "old guard" retained their seats as did the small Crombie-led group of moderates that made up the swing vote on council.

After failing to win the mayoralty in 1972 Tony O'Donohue returned to city council and successfully ousted New Democrat Archie Chisholm in Ward 2.

In the downtown Ward 6 race anti-Spadina Expressway activist Allan Sparrow ousted long serving old guard member William Archer.