Toronto Centre

Toronto should permit more housing in every ward, but that development must happen responsibly and it should be ensured that we are building supportive & affordable housing across the city.

For houses, townhouses, and detached/semi-detached homes, I am happy to support as-of-right as it reduces the bureaucracy and waiting time on home remodeling and modification. For larger structures I am opposed.

The way out of the housing crisis is to build every type of housing across the city. Building up, not out, will create more vibrant neighbourhoods and an equal distribution of services in every ward. That means multiplexes, midrise, and highrise buildings for Torontonians at all stages of life.

Toronto should allow more housing as-of-right citywide, including sixplexes. We can't address the housing shortage through keeping large swaths of the city off limits to new homes. We need more homes in more places, with clear rules and faster approvals.

Toronto Centre has few detached homes, but policy must apply uniformly across the entire city. Without consistent, citywide as-of-right rules, growth concentrates unfairly in a handful of neighbourhoods while others avoid change entirely. Every ward must share in delivering missing-middle housing.

It is of the utmost importance to build trust and understand why a certain individual has chosen to not go to an available indoor space, and we must be mindful of these needs so that we are addressing the root issues as opposed to temporary, short-term solutions. The person at risk must cooperate.

This is a more complicated issue than presented. There is a risk that what the institution perceives as accessible and safe, may not be the reality of the person. If the person leaves their encampment, they may not be able to take all of their belongings. If they return, they start from scratch.

In 2024 Council approved a human-rights based approach to the Encampment Protocol. City staff resolve encampments by building relationships and moving people safely indoors. We must keep working towards creating more effective and dignified transitional housing options.

Everyone agrees encampments aren't a substitute for housing. If someone has been offered appropriate indoor space that genuinely meets their accessibility, safety & household needs, the City should act. That must be paired with outreach, adequate shelter capacity & real pathways to housing.

Encampments were understandable in a crisis like COVID. But parks belong to everyone: kids playing, seniors, dogs, and everyday community life. Parks cannot become shelter overflow or ways to jump housing waitlists. When safe, accessible indoor space is provided, our shared parks must be protected.

In the midst of an affordability crisis, I'm opposed to all tolls and new taxes that make life difficult for residents of Toronto.

Road-pricing measures are currently illegal under the Ontario Bill 162, and as much as I would like to introduce congestion charges, it would engage the city in a legal battle it is sure to lose.

I do like the ideas proposed by Jamie McDonald on October 7, 2025, with the ability to keep in mind the equity that ensures that mobility is possible including vulnerable people within the city.

I support road-pricing measures, especially as a way to raise funds for transportation improvements that make it easier for everyone to get around. So far, Doug Ford has been a constant obstacle any time Council has asked for new ways to address our fiscal needs.

I’m in favour of road pricing if it is designed fairly, protects low-income and essential drivers, and the revenue is dedicated to better transit, safer streets and transportation improvements.

Toronto Centre is the densest ward in Canada, carrying heavy daily traffic and severe wear. If we price road access, that revenue must directly fund local transit reliability and street repairs. It cannot disappear into general reserves while our core infrastructure continues to decay.

We should not raise taxes at the municipal level, as it is the responsibility of the province and the federal government to ensure that municipalities are able to meet their infrastructure needs.

We have to use domestic funding. The federal and provincial governments have already indicated they are ambivalent to Toronto, and as such basing repair status on federal or provincial funding is irresponsible policy.

I was unable to quickly find the adjacent Memo on this proposal, and therefore am not able to comment on this proposal. I do believe that we need to prioritize infrastructure repair when it involves safety concerns, and the potentials of finding alternative funding opportunities.

We should always do what we can as a city to address the backlog, as deferred work tends to result in even higher costs and risks major disruptions. Ontario is an outlier in how little infrastructure support is provided by the province and Toronto needs a new deal to meet the funding shortfall.

Investing in maintenance now saves money over the long run, but there are limits. Toronto also needs a fairer, more sustainable fiscal framework with other governments. As Canada’s economic engine, the City cannot carry major infrastructure costs alone.

Toronto Centre has a density over 20,000 people per square kilometre and absorbs intense wear. We are vastly underfunded relative to our usage. Waiting for other levels of government while streets and pipes fail is irresponsible; we must raise local revenue to protect our core assets.

It is crucial that the government has full transparency and honesty with the public, so that people are able to respond

Torontonians generally are kept in the dark about their own tax dollars. That has to change.

At the time of this survey, I feel that transparency and trust in government contracts are more important than ever. However, there are also nuances to finances that may not be understandable to the general public, so I would be on board with a committee of oversight.

We should always strive to be more accountable. This term, I passed a motion that requires staff to report all cost increases to projects under delegated authority. We should go a step further and require all project budgets and schedules to be published.

Residents should be able to see what major projects are supposed to cost and whether they are on track. When budgets go over or schedules slip, the City should explain why and who is responsible as best as possible.

S.M.A.R.T. management requires verifiable delivery. Every major project needs clear, published milestones: baseline budgets, firm completion dates, and variance reports. If costs drift or timelines slip, council and the public must see it immediately, not years later in an audit.

We have seen non-police interventions that emphasize crisis prevention and mental health be immensely successful. Toronto Community Crisis Response and other services require strong investments. We believe in prevention, not a cure as the solution to public safety.

It should be equal between enforcement and social services.

As long as this is not forced institutionalization, or assumptive practices.

Being proactive will always be better than reacting after a situation has reached a crisis. If we do not provide effective pathways for stabilization, treatment, and support to break cycles of crisis, we will simply perpetuate the status quo.

All three matter and mutually reinforce each other, but we cannot arrest our way out of a mental-health and addictions crisis. I would prioritize treatment, crisis response and prevention because reducing the number of people reaching crisis is essential to making neighbourhoods safer.

Public safety is not an either/or trilemma. Visible enforcement restores immediate community confidence and order, but it fails if police remain the default responder for untreated mental health and addiction. Real safety demands active park maintenance, prevention, and enforcement working together.

De-tasking seems to be a proven method, and as more responsibilities are transferred away from TPS to civilian services such as Toronto Community Crisis Services, there needs to be a proportionate transfer of the budget accordingly.

Over the last term, increases have been made to the police budget to put TPS in a good position. Our 5-year hiring plan will recruit 360 new officers per year to help deliver on TPS’ mandate.

Funding should decrease modestly after inflation. Funding should be tied to measurable results, stronger neighbourhood policing and appropriate response. Police are essential, but repeated increases have not solved slow response times or gaps in mental-health, housing and crisis services.

Paramedicine and Paramedics are chronically underfunded and under-assigned. Frontline police are constantly diverted to handle untreated street-level health crises. Holding police funding stable while investing heavily in paramedics delivers the right responder to the right emergency.

We want to ensure that the data is not abused and used for nefarious means, so we want to implement very strict rules over when and where it can be collected. Privacy is a paramount right for Torontonians, and they should feel secure from illegitimate surveillance.

I do not support Flock cameras. We can wait and learn from other cities how they deal with the misuse of the information that the cameras provide.

The City of Toronto needs to understand the complexities of surveillance technologies, how the data is used, and where it is stored, in order to responsibly deploy it.

Recent backlash in the states over Flock shows the risks when license plate data is widely shared or retained. Toronto should require strict purpose limits, short retention, audit logs, public reporting and judicial authorization for non-urgent searches.

US surveillance systems reveal deep privacy risks. Any automated plate reader system in Toronto must operate under strict, legally binding guardrails. All collected data must remain in Canada, under Canadian jurisdiction, with tight retention limits and independent public auditing

For large swathes of Torontonians, it is incredibly important that they are able to get to work, school or other commitments punctually. Many rely on the TTC to do so, whether that is through buses, streetcars or subways. This service must be as reliable and frequent as possible to meet those needs.

Service is the main concern of most constituents, and also one that takes the least capital risk and investment.

Both Maintenance and expansion, especially for remote routes with little access to transit.

In order for transit to be the preferred method of transportation for all Torontonians we need to invest in service. Predictability will increase ridership and rider satisfaction. Platform-level doors and other investments should be part of this program.

More frequent and reliable service can create a virtuous cycle. Better service attracts more riders, which strengthens the case for further investment. But service and maintenance go together. We can't expand frequency if vehicles, signals and stations are not kept in good repair.

Current delays, reduced speeds, and poor reliability stem directly from neglected maintenance and broken infrastructure. In Toronto Centre, we must fix our existing foundation before pouring money into expansion.

There has been a concerted push for pedestrianization in our downtown core, as residents are interested in connecting with their local streets. By prioritizing the needs of those taking public transit, walking or cycling, we are addressing the needs of the many residents who do not own vehicles.

Toronto wasn't built to accomodate cars. There weren't cars when Toronto was built.

Both Passenger Capacity and Essential Access for emergencies, accessibility, and even deliveries. This is the current standard on my route especially during rush hour, and would research if this applies to the wider city.

Focusing on transit and active transportation is a no-brainer. It will make commuting more affordable, increase accessibility in every part of our city, and help us achieve our climate goals all at the same time. It is also the most sensible allocation of space per person moved.

We should prioritize transit, walking and cycling when street space is limited. In Toronto Centre, where so many trips are already made without a car, designing streets to move more people efficiently and safely through dense neighbourhoods should be the priority.

Moving people safely must always come first, but downtown streets cannot function without dedicated access for emergency vehicles, trades, and basic deliveries. We need to prioritize pedestrians and transit without strangling local businesses and essential services.

There is a major need in Toronto for greater supply of affordable and supportive housing. Our current affordable housing waitlist is over 10 years long, and the city must meet the needs of its low-income, marginalized communities.

We're building the wrong type of housing. We have to introduce bylaws and zoning laws that disincentivize condominiums with majority one-bed or studio apartments. It's also high time the city put a cap on how expensive building one of them can be, as most of them go unsold.

This is a very large and complicated issue that is beyond the character max. What does affordable housing mean when a large amount of the populations cannot afford this designation at its current iteration?

All of the above, but I chose public delivery because rapidly growing wards like Toronto Centre need more affordable and supportive public housing, delivered in partnership with not-for-profits, experienced builders, and other orders of government.

Toronto needs substantially more affordable, supportive, co-op and nonprofit housing. I strongly support more as-of-right housing and reducing approval times, but the City must also directly help deliver homes the market will not produce at affordable rents.

Toronto Centre is already dense; blanket zoning alone will not deliver affordability here. We must partner directly with non-profit builders and co-ops to finance and build permanently affordable housing, using city leverage rather than relying solely on private market trickle-down.

All 3 of these roles must be taken on by the City of Toronto at different levels; The City Planning Department, The Housing Secretariat, and the Economic Development Unit can take on various responsibilities to advance the creation of affordable & supportive housing.

I would also include industry oversight and regulations.

All of the above, however I believe that the most efficient way for Toronto to deliver affordable housing is for Toronto to own affordable housing. Building new units, renovating existing stock, and converting existing underutilized units into public housing will add significantly to our portfolio.

Toronto should take a larger role in building & acquiring affordable housing, especially on City owned land. It should act as the builder and steward of public assets, but housing provision is best delivered by nonprofit and co-op partners with the expertise to operate.

The City cannot build or maintain everything alone, nor will the market build deeply affordable units. Supplying public land, funding, and low-cost financing to co-ops and non-profits delivers permanent affordability while keeping public leverage where it counts.

For sustainable and equitable development, we must ensure that we are not concentrating growth in specific neighbourhoods, so that all of the various parts of the city are able to benefit from new development, and we can prevent displacement due to gentrification.

Every neighbourhood in Toronto needs to do its part in building housing. This will support a better diversity of housing types, bring families closer to undersubscribed schools and community facilities, and support ongoing and expanded service delivery.

Toronto should permit more apartments and multiplexes in nearly every neighbourhood. Sharing growth more broadly can support more complete, livable communities while allowing even greater density near transit and on major streets.

Not just nearly every neighbourhood; every single neighbourhood. The status quo drives severe over-intensification in a few areas while leaving others untouched. We must enable gentle density across all 25 wards so Toronto Centre and its strained infrastructure can catch its breath.

All 3 of these steps would have to be taken, as we need to not levy prohibitive taxes on those providing affordable housing. There needs to be responsible development, which means that while as-of-right zoning is positive, we must ensure new infrastructure is serving the communities it is in.

None of them. I will increase the vacant homes tax to 25% to force developers to stop scalping renters and buyers.

These would require further research before I could make a definitive statement. I do not necessarily agree with lower charges, especially in the time of these tariffs.

Despite the creation of a national housing catalogue, Toronto has limited pre-approved designs for builders to use as-of-right. If properties meet specific dimensional and servicing criteria, there should be off-the-shelf housing options for immediate approvals.

Toronto needs to get shovels in the ground faster by expanding as-of-right zoning, automating routine permits and setting clear approval timelines so good housing projects do get needlessly stalled.

Speed matters less than predictability and uniform standards across all 25 wards. Without clear rules applied everywhere, we get chaotic bottlenecks and over-intensification in Toronto Centre. Builders need common-sense certainty, and communities need consistent citywide planning.

Too many projects in Toronto start and stagnate without additional construction due to a lack of funding. We must deliver on the projects that are promised, and they must be built expediently.

Line 5 failed to deliver on time and on cost because of political intervention for personal agendas, and this is the case for most city plans. The end of political flipflopping will make costs a lot cheaper.

The City of Toronto doesn’t need to deliver every project itself, but it does need to have in-house expertise to learn from and improve delivery project-to-project, especially on major infrastructure initiatives which suffer from extraordinary cost inflation.

We need stronger controls and clearer accountability throughout major projects, with City division leaders and contracted service providers held to measurable timelines, budgets and performance standards.

Quality control is an elected duty. Political interference is unacceptable, but legitimate democratic oversight must remain. Bureaucrats make mistakes; that is why we have an elected council. Accountability means holding delivery teams to their budgets, not rubber-stamping errors.

We should build internal capacity, to ensure that we are not contracting out essential services to outside parties. It is crucial to maintain a strict line of accountability, where the City is answerable to deliver on city infrastructure.

In-house contracting is a must. They're cheaper and usually more efficient.

This depends on the service.

City staff must understand project delivery to properly work with delivery partners. This should go hand-in-hand with moving to making consistent, rolling investments in infrastructure to build institutional memory, control costs, and smooth delivery schedules.

Toronto has tested contracting out and too often seen worse results, from snow clearing to garbage bins. Core services should stay public so the City can enforce standards, fix problems quickly and remain directly accountable to residents.

Internal delivery usually works best for core services. But external contracts can deliver value for specialized work. So called arm's-length agencies, seem to deliver the worst of both worlds with zero public accountability. Every model must meet clear, measurable performance targets.

By tying the increase in taxes with inflation & population, we can ensure there is a fair medium to raise property taxes that is in accordance with other significant factors. Other levels of government also have a responsibility to contribute to city funds.

Property tax leads to increased rent for renters and increased tax for homeowners. This is unacceptable during a housing cost crisis.

Toronto's lowest-in-Ontario property taxes mean underfunded services. Last Council, modest increases brought extended library hours, affordable housing, and more frontline staff. Aligning our rates with neighbouring cities fixes this at minimal cost to residents.

Property taxes should keep pace with the cost of delivering services and a growing city, while recognizing Toronto’s structural funding problem and the need for fairer revenue tools and a more reliable fiscal partnership with other governments.

Recent above-inflation tax increases stem from poor collection and weak fiscal management. It is unfair to ask residents to pay more when the City leaves existing revenue uncollected. Peg increases to inflation and population growth while forcing City Hall to provide social service with value.

Property taxes currently makes up 30% of Toronto's annual revenue, and they are broadly consistent year-to-year. There is no need to implement new income or sales taxes, as the province could transfer a share of the existing income/sales taxes to the City instead.

Toronto needs a more direct stake in economic growth and success. A share of the HST would better reflect the city’s role as a major economic engine in Ontario and incentivize investments and supports for commerce that grow the tax base and support job creation.

We need predictable revenues that grow with the city and economy. Property taxes and fees alone cannot close Toronto’s structural funding gap, so we should pursue broader municipal revenue tools and a stronger long-term fiscal framework.

Residents already pay their share through property taxes and service fees. Downtown absorbs massive wear from millions of regional commuters and visitors. We must unlock untapped revenues from tourists and non-resident road users rather than piling more costs onto local residents.

We should make sure that our current pipeline of projects has been completed before undertaking new ventures. It is crucial that we build equitably, on-time and under-budget so that residents can access the services they need.

The right choice depends on the asset, but we should be strategic about prioritizing maintenance over expansion. Deferred maintenance only gets more expensive. Neglecting our existing assets will only reduce our ability to invest in new projects.

There is a fourth choice: disciplined triage. Before selling public assets or imposing new levies, we must rank repairs strictly by risk and public impact. Fund critical water, road, and transit repairs that keep the city functioning first. Stop cosmetic spending and fix the core foundation.

We should plan Toronto's budgets and services in a way where they can be suitably independent, without needing frequent assistance from other levels of government.

The province hates Toronto. We have to be masters of our own fate.

Toronto needs a modernized arrangement that reflects the realities of running a world-class city, including new fiscal tools and clear limits on provincial intrusion into core municipal issues. We should work together where we can, paired with ongoing advocacy.

Toronto Centre is caught in the crossfire of proxy battles, ideology and partisan warfare. Disagreement is natural, but performative conflict solves nothing. We need pragmatic collaboration: work with Queen’s Park where funding aligns, and protect local interests where they do not.

City Council and other departments should be able to have a suitable amount of authority in their respective areas without concern on being overridden by the mayor. The principle of subsidiarity, where decisions are made at the most local level, is an essential one for a City like Toronto.

Strong mayor powers are inherently undemocratic, as city councillors are substantially more representative of their local constituents than the mayor.

The city must remain a democracy, while also acknowledging polycrisis.

I support strong-mayor powers over senior officials as an accountability mechanism. The mayor is elected citywide and should be responsible for how the administration performs. These powers should be used transparently and other Council respected.

Smart mayors build consensus. As the next councillor I will represent over 100,000 voters. Toronto Centre is effectively a major city in its own right. Strong Mayor powers bypass local accountability. Real municipal leadership builds durable majorities instead of ruling by decree.

It is essential that we unlock the potential of new investment and development for our ward in a way that is responsible and beneficial for our communities. By tying social development with infrastructure investment, we can meet the needs of all residents equitably.

Ensuring that all constituents receive human rights

Toronto Centre is living through overlapping crises in mental health, addiction, homelessness and public disorder. We need to address those crises directly while keeping neighbourhoods safe, clean and well managed.

Safety and public order are fundamental municipal infrastructure. Clean, well-lit parks, reliable transit, maintained streets, and working public realm assets directly prevent crime and decay. Getting the basics right is the most durable crime prevention policy a city can deliver.

The ward commitment would be the expansion of affordable housing commitments specifically.

Public spaces that are more welcoming, active, and safe come up in almost every conversation with neighbours. I am committed to making our neighbourhoods safer, better maintained, and full of life.

Vague promises do not build accountability. I am trained in formal performance management and S.M.A.R.T. systems, and I will bring that discipline directly to our office. We will set verifiable targets, track variance publicly, and judge success by measurable results.

There is great political uncertainty over bike lanes due to provincial decisions that has challenged the construction of cycling infrastructure on major streets.

In dense areas like Toronto Centre, cycling is a practical way to move more people efficiently, reduce congestion and make streets safer for everyone. With month over month record ridership for Bike Share, investing in more protected bike lanes is an investment worth making.

Finish what was started, but fix what is broken. We must complete current commitments while removing unsafe streetscapes that endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. Road designs must be practical, functional, and safe for everyone who uses them, not ideological experiments.

We want to ensure the right to protest is protected to the fullest extent possible while not worsening congestion on major streets. We should plan for and support road users.

The right to demonstrate and protest is integral to a free, democratic society. This must be curbed only carefully and proportionately to protect others' lives, safety, and rights.

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms already answers this question. It sets a high bar for restricting peaceful expression and assembly. The City should protect those rights while using existing laws to address genuine safety risks or unlawful obstruction.

Free assembly is a Charter right that City Hall cannot rewrite. Disruption is part of democratic expression, not an automatic civil breach. However, the line sits firmly at actual safety threats and blocking critical emergency corridors.

Major investments in performance management is critically important so we can have an evidence-based approach to improve outcomes in all city departments.

We should make it easier for residents to navigate city hall. residents shouldn't get lost in an administrative maze or barely operable fillable PDF while trying to apply for a permit, pay a fee, or access a service.

Public trust requires verifiable results. You cannot manage what you do not measure, and City Hall too often operates in an informational vacuum. Investing in open performance tracking holds departments accountable to clear delivery targets and gives voters honest proof of progress.

Small business owners have made it clear to the campaign that operational expenses can be a burden for businesses who are given challenges such as tariffs. The City should do more to support small businesses including support for festivals and for cost-saving measures as identified by BIAs.

There is an important role for the city to play in reducing the burden on businesses through initiatives like the small business property tax subclass. But the quickest way to increase support for businesses in Toronto is to ensure that permitting and approvals don't act as a impediment to growth.

Small businesses cannot thrive if workers cannot afford rent, transit breaks down, or streets feel unsafe. Incentives help, but we have to fix fundamentals. Deliver reliable transit, clean public space, and affordable housing so local retail and service shops can survive.

Targeted incentives creates a competitive race to the bottom between municipalities. We should focus on what makes Toronto an amazing place to live, play, and do businesses.

Major employers cannot thrive if workers cannot afford rent, transit breaks down, or streets feel unsafe. Incentives are important but not if we don't fix fundamentals. Deliver reliable transit, clean public space, and affordable housing so companies can thrive.

The best way to increase construction capacity and build a more innovative constructions sector is to encourage new and more efficient building methods.

We cannot build homes without the people to build them. Expand apprenticeships, recognize foreign credentials immediately, and prioritize local hiring. Training and employing Toronto workers directly solves the labour bottleneck while building wealth inside our own communities.

Before investing in marquee spaces, we need to make sure we're getting the fundamentals right across the city. Successful programming and activities are predicated on well maintained spaces, which create the conditions for programmed and spontaneous activities that contribute to the public realm.

Civic dignity starts with the basics. Clean streets, clear sidewalks, functioning washrooms, and maintained parks are non-negotiable core services. Toronto does not need glossy vanity ribbon-cuttings while routine maintenance is left to rot. Fix the basics first.

#savesneakydees #rayahscafe

All of the above. we nee dto preserve and protect our current cultural spaces while also investing in their enhancement through grants and other city supports, and expanding cultural and nightlife opportunities through making it easier to open and operate cultural and nightlife spaces.

Culture dies under red tape. Artists and organizers spend more energy fighting licensing hurdles, noise bylaws, and permit delays than creating work. We need simpler rules, flexible operating hours, and faster approvals to let grassroots culture and nightlife actually breathe.

It is crucial for Toronto to have information on how autonomous taxi services are operating and the pitfalls involved in order to make policy that protects residents.

There should be 0 autonomous taxi services in Toronto. They're entirely unsafe for human use.

As a start, ensuring that the impact of autonomous vehicles on safety, congestion, and the economy is measured. essential.

Start small where the need is greatest. Low-volume accessibility routes are often left behind. By piloting autonomous transit directly with Wheel-Trans, we can test the technology safely while delivering reliable, essential service to an underserved population from day one.

In order to have the city we deserve, we can't remedy structural fundings gaps through be finding efficiencies and service reductions alone. We have seen the results of decades of underinvestment in municipal services, and the results are what we are living with today.

Triage is not cutting core services. Before raising taxes or slicing front-line workers, the City must audit program outcomes and sunset outdated mandates. We need to fund critical community services properly by dropping vanity projects and administrative duplication that do not serve residents.