TORONTO — Toronto Mayor Rob Ford can remain in office after Canada's Supreme Court declines to hear an appeals court decision throwing out his conviction on conflict of interest charges.

Prosecution sought to restore a lower court ruling that found Ford violated conflict of interest laws by participating in a city council vote absolving him of the need to return funds he solicited using city letterhead when he was a councilman. The lower court ordered him removed from office.

Ford appealed and a Divisional Court subsequently overturned the removal order in January.

The Supreme Court on Thursday did not comment on their decision.

The controversial mayor has most recently been in the news over allegations that he appeared in a video smoking crack cocaine. The video has not been released publicly.