Over three quarters of renters in Toronto who earn less than $50,000 per year are spending more than 30% of their hard earned income on their housing needs. When considering the cost of living crisis, the burden our shelter support system is facing, the increasing rate of evictions, and the waitlists for affordable growing at unsustainable rates, tenants in this ward deserve the City's support now before they are squeezed out of their home. It's time to change how the City approaches housing so that everyone in Spadina-Fort York can afford to place to rest their heads at night.

As a renter and your future City Councillor, I will push to implement proven housing solutions that work with existing City resources to provide more with the resources we already have. This will include:

Revitalizing Existing Community Spaces

Restoring Legacy Housing Spaces

Increasing Collaboration with Community Organisations

Revitalizing Existing Community Spaces

Like any major global city, Toronto is running out of available land to build new housing due to market speculation, mismatched priorities, and a lack of innovative housing solutions. This has resulted in soaring rents that are crushing everyday people. As your City Councillor, I will advocate to revitalize existing community buildings and spaces to better serve this ward's housing needs.

Other Ontario municipalities have already implemented this solution, taking community spaces, such as legion branch halls, and transforming them through a mixed-use redevelopment that integrates legion property and low-rise rental housing. Projects like these preserve and amplify the social and cultural importance that community gathering spaces offer while affordably increasing housing supply, ultimately lowering your rent.

Through collaborating with and leveraging existing funds from the Ontario and federal governments, these projects can become a cost- and resource-effective tool for the City to address the housing crisis. It's time for the City to build so that you can continue to call Spadina-Fort York your home.

Restoring Legacy Housing Spaces

Toronto is under-utilizing its existing housing supply and this has only made the cost of living crisis hit harder for everyday residents. But by restoring and reorganizing existing legacy housing spaces across Spadina-Fort York and Toronto in general, the City can realize the full value of these spaces and increase the available housing stock on land already meant for housing.

The City has a long history of building and championing housing solutions that respond to the unique challenges that cities face. From communal rooming houses who served the people who built Toronto to co-operative and community living homes which set the model for responding to urban population growth, the City has shown itself to be capable of providing housing solutions that work.

Toronto has already begun to explore this solution to the housing crisis but it's time for the City to see it through. By focusing on renovating and upgrading existing legacy housing spaces, the amount of available housing will increase while preserving the character of our ward and the City.

Increasing Collaboration with Community Organisations

We need to change how we approach housing so it is not reduced to just a profit opportunity. Any solution to the housing crisis needs to actively involve the voices of the neighbours who will live in new units, because we should not just be building units, we should be building homes.

I will advocate for the City to work with community land trusts and local non-profit civic groups who already know the housing challenges we face in our ward. Collaborating with groups such as the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust will allow us to increase available affordable housing while preserving collective shared spaces and promoting economic growth sustainably.

Ensuring that all our neighbours have a home of their own makes sure Spadina-Fort York remains affordable for you and your family.

Public transit should be reliable, safe, and universally accessible. On any average day, over 1.3 million people rely on the TTC to get around the City and as Toronto grows, the City needs to ensure that our transit system can keep up. As your City Councillor, I will fight to ensure that the TTC receives the support it needs to get you where you need to go. This includes:

Increasing Services Times

Expanding Affordable Transit Access

Increasing Services Times

Your time is precious and the TTC should help you arrive sooner not later. Despite the TTC expanding its service network with the opening of Line 5 Eglinton and Line 6 Finch West LRT, transit speed remains painfully slow, robbing you of precious time for work, family, and leisure. It's time for the City to get serious about making public transit more reliable and efficient.

This means committing to transit signal prioritisation that focuses on moving the most amount of people possible effectively, efficiently, and most importantly safely. By co-coordinating traffic that takes into account how different forms of transit and pedestrians can best navigate our streets, we can improve service and reduce delay for all residents, no matter how you get around.

Expanding Affordable Transit Access

The TTC is an essential service for all residents. This is especially true for our young and elderly neighbours who require the TTC to access opportunities for education, work, or social recreation. Though the City is introducing a monthly fare-capping program, this program should be the first step towards an ultimate goal of fare-free transit for all residents. A fare-free transit system would increase ridership while mitigating traffic congestion, reducing operating costs by eliminating the need for front line revenue protection, and reducing the city's carbon footprint. As life becomes more expensive, the City needs to step up to make sure public transit remains accessible for those who who need it most.

As your City Councillor, I will continue to advocate towards the goal of fare-free transit for all, starting with an expansion of the TTC's free-fare program to include youth up to 19 years old and to lower the age of eligibility for the senior fare category to 60 years old. This initiative, in combination with a sustained fare freeze, will provide the momentum and support framework needed to transition towards a fare-free transit system.

In March, Toronto City Council voted to explore the creation of city-run grocery stores as part of the municipal response to increase access to affordable food while addressing food insecurity in underserved communities. As your City Councillor, I will ensure that City Hall fulfills its commitment and encourage the expansion of the program city-wide.

To further address the rising cost of living, I will also advocate for and support the growth of community-led food initiatives such as the Sumac Food Centre. Comprised of a community garden and kitchen, these centres will give residents the opportunity to grow, cook food, and to charge less for nutritious meals. Expanding on this concept, I will push for the creation of city-run canteens that will provide affordable and healthy daily meals for all residents, especially for our youth, elderly residents, and our neighbours experiencing homelessness.

This will be achieved through leveraging the City's ability to purchase foodstuffs and fresh produce in bulk, keeping costs low while curbing food waste. Special attention will also be given when possible to provide culturally appropriate meals to better support not just the health but the wellness of our community.

Safe communities can't be achieved by relying solely on the Toronto Police Service (TPS). By approaching community safety as a joint responsibility between residents, community organizations, and governments we can better support and address the vulnerabilities that we face as a ward.

The current community safety framework relies on officers to perform routine tasks, such as traffic enforcement and non-emergency wellness checks, which diverts precious resources away from core public safety functions. This has only made it harder for the TPS to fulfill their role as a partner in community safety and focus on the more serious safety concerns in our ward.

As your City Councillor, I will reinforce and further champion the City's SafeTO: A Community Safety & Wellbeing Plan. This bold plan by the city advances community safety & wellbeing by working collaboratively across sectors, communities, and governments. By taking a preventative and proactive approach to community safety, we can make sure that threats to community safety can be stopped before they balloon. That means:

Reinforcing Community-Based Mental Health Support

Expanding Trauma and Culturally Informed Violence Reduction

Neighbourhood Investment

Reinforcing Community-Based Mental Health Support

Toronto has already implemented the Toronto Community Crisis Service, providing free, confidential, in-person mental health support to residents. This project is effectively and successfully diverting people in crisis calls from a resource intensive police-response to a community-based response - people are connected to essential services and provided ongoing support through their recovery. The Toronto Community Crisis Service has also been a leader in providing culturally appropriate mental health support especially for our Indigenous and Black neighbours, who are more likely to face inequities when accessing healthcare services.

In strengthening the ability of the Toronto Community Crisis Service to provide more ongoing mental health solutions through increased funding, this makes sure that all our neighbours are receiving the care the need to thrive, making our community safer in the long run.

Trauma and Culturally Informed Violence Reduction

A core feature of the Toronto Community Crisis Service is its ability to offer community support in a culturally informed way. This approach ensures that community safety services actually addresses the unique needs of our neighbours in crisis. I will advocate to expand this model of care by calling for greater inclusion of alternative non-police community solutions that have the speciality and capacity to respond to sensitive matters.

For our neighbours who are vulnerable to experiencing gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, and youth social conflict, having first responders who understand these sensitive situations are key to reducing community violence. When conflict is resolved before it has the chance to escalate, community safety is ensured for the future.

Neighbourhood Investment

Although we live in one of the most vibrant wards in the City, there are few opportunities for the people in our ward to connect as neighbours. As your City Councillor, I will push to make it easier to host community social events and will advocate for the inclusion of more free and low-cost recreational centres.

More opportunities to get to know others in Spadina-Fort York will help build the social cohesion that has been shown to reduce crime rates and improve safety. You work hard and you deserve a Spadina-Fort York where you feel at home, connected, and safe.

Spadina-Fort York is the powerhouse of Toronto - it's home to the financial district, a vibrant waterfront, world-class entertainment, and many of the communities that define this city. At the end of the day though, this neighbourhood is also our home and the City should make sure Spadina-Fort York works for the people and families who live here. As your City Councillor, I will fight to apply practical and proven City management policies that are focused on your daily needs. This means:

Making Sure You Can Get Around the City Easily and Safely

Intelligent Pedestrianization

Making Sure You Can Get Around the City Easily and Safely

This is your home and you shouldn't have to struggle to navigate it. Even though Spadina-Fort York can be chaotic, with the buzzing of traffic, tourists, and major gatherings, you shouldn't have to feel like its impossible for you to get around. As your City Councillor, I will push for improving the integration and interaction between people, public transit, bicycles, and cars within our streets.

By applying practical "people moving" strategies, such as the scramble corner at Sankofa Square, alongside cost-effective tools like proper street lighting and improvements to existing city features such as pedestrian signals and traffic bollards, the City can improve how we navigate our home and make it safer to do so.

Intelligent Temporary Pedestrianization

Recently, Toronto has joined other major global cities in the push for pedestrianization, transforming part of Church Street into a car-free & pedestrian-friendly zone for the summer. Cities like Montréal, New York, and Seoul have already enjoyed the benefits that an intelligent pedestrianization program offers. Even here in Toronto, Kensington Market hosts seasonal Pedestrian Sundays, making it possible for residents to explore the neighbourhood easily and safely while is a unique part of Toronto's character.

The implementation of a similar seasonal and rotational system of pedestrianization will make it easier for residents to enjoy and explore Spadina-Fort York. It will also have the added benefits of stimulating foot traffic to support local businesses, contributing to the overall improvement of quality of life, and promoting a greater sense of community.

Queer people across the world are currently experiencing increasingly hostile political, social, and economic environments. At the same time, the cost of living crisis confronting the working class hits the 2SLGBTQIA+ community particularly hard, especially when it concerns housing security and unemployment. Toronto must stand steadfast with its 2SLGBTQIA+ residents, and as a member of the queer community, I vow to uphold and support the the network of care that our 2SLGBTQIA+ neighbours have worked so hard to establish. As your City Councillor I will focus on addressing the following:

Community Safety Support

Healthcare Access

Community Safety Support

2SLGBTQIA+ Torontonians enrich every intersecting community they belong to, yet their unique needs are underfunded and unaddressed. Most critically, queer and particularly trans people are facing increased rates of violence in both online and public spaces. As City Councillor, I am committed to protecting the rights of queer residents here in Spadina-Fort York and across Toronto, from those who have been lifelong residents to those who have just arrived here in search of a place where they can access life-saving medical care and thrive without the threat of persecution and bigotry. That means:

• Ensuring that City services provided are informed by and effectually responds to the needs of queer residents, especially trans residents who are facing unprecedented levels of social and physical violence.

• Protecting the privacy and security of 2SLGBTQIA+ residents by ensuring that residents' private information regarding their sex, gender assigned at birth, or healthcare will not be shared with other jurisdictions.

• Standing steadfast with queer residents by introducing protections and material civic support to ensure city departments protect and defend 2SLGBTQIA+ rights.

Healthcare Access

Toronto Public Health has been a leader in providing free and confidential health services for all residents regardless of age, including people who may face barriers to accessing effective general and sexual health services, especially for 2SLGBTQIA+ residents.

Health services and Gender Affirming Care (GAC) have become harder for 2SLGBTQIA+ residents to access. Toronto must do better to support our queer neighbours and this means:

• Developing and supporting virtual and telehealth GAC by investing in the delivery of GAC treatment by community health providers.

• Establish a City managed 2SLGBTQIA+ Healthcare resource bank to better direct residents to 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusive healthcare providers.

• Additional healthcare support for queer residents who require access to the City's shelter support system.

Young residents are being hit especially hard by the cost of living crisis and this has resulted in youth leaving the city in droves, taking with them creativity, energy, and the future of the city. We need to make sure Toronto remains not just affordable, but a place where young people can afford to achieve their dreams. I remember growing up in Toronto with a great sense of potential and hope for my future and I want other young neighbours and my future children to be able to feel the same way. As your City Councillor, I will push to implement policies that will help young residents reach their full potential. That means:

Improving Youth Employment Rates

Expanded Affordable Transit & Community-Led Food Initiatives

Improving Youth Employment Rates

Young people are facing an unemployment crisis and the situation is only set to get worse as the youth unemployment rate is outpacing the national average. In Toronto, the situation is truly dire with 1 in 5 young Torontonians unable to find stable and meaningful employment. Indigenous, Black, newcomer, and LGBTQIA+ youth face additional barriers to employment, including limited access to networks, training opportunities, and stable work.

Though the City employs more youth per capita than any other Canadian municipality and has introduced a number of youth employment support strategies, the City must do more to ensure that young residents can build sustainable careers. Building upon the City's commitment to work with local partners and the private sector to develop greater employment opportunities for young residents, I will push to establish an employment grant for local businesses to specifically hire young residents. This initiative, alongside the City's plan to expand employment opportunities within City and civic organsations, will ensure that young Torontonians have multiple pathways towards achieving their dreams, both today and for the future.

Expanded Affordable Transit & Community-Led Food Initiatives

In addition to unemployment, young residents are also burdened by the costs of everyday essentials, like food and transportation. During my time as City Councillor, I will advocate for expanding the TTC's free fare program for youth up to 19 years old as part of the greater push towards free and accessible transit for all residents.

Further, I will make sure City Hall fulfills its commitment to opening city-run grocery stores and encourage the expansion of the program city-wide. I will also advocate for and support the growth of community-led food initiatives such as the Sumac Food Centre. Comprised of a community garden and kitchen, these centres give residents the opportunity to grow, cook food, and to charge less for nutritious meals.

Expanding on this concept, I will push for the creation of city-run canteens that will provide affordable and healthy daily meals for all residents, especially for our youth, elderly residents, and our neighbours experiencing homelessness. This will be achieved through leveraging the City's ability to purchase foodstuffs and fresh produce in bulk, keeping costs low while curbing food waste. Special attention will also be given, when possible, to provide culturally appropriate meals to better support not just the health but the wellness of our community.

Toronto is home to over 570,000 disabled residents - representing over 20% of the city's population. Between 2013 and 2023 Statistics Canada data shows that the amount of disabled Canadians doubled, with 27% of Canadians 15 and older - about 8,000,000 Canadians - reporting having at least one disability. As this number is set to grow and with our population aging, Toronto needs to take preemptive action to ensure robust accessibility support for all residents now and for the future. I will advocate for an accessible Toronto by:

Improving Accessibility Infrastructure

Fulfilling Existing City Commitments to Accessibility Standards

Increasing Disability Inclusion within Public Spaces

Improving Accessibility Infrastructure

Disabled residents deserve a home that allows them the freedom to live independently and participate in community on their own terms. This includes the ability for residents to access goods and services with an assurance that they will be able to navigate to and through spaces or attend to personal medical needs.

I will advocate for infrastructure improvements that better accommodate our disabled neighbours. These improvements will be facilitated by introducing a grant for Toronto businesses who are seeking to better welcome disabled residents specifically through the construction of accessibility infrastructure, such as permanent ramps, automatic door systems, and washrooms. I will also advocate for the City to modify existing City renovation grants to include accessible and accommodation infrastructure as a qualifying category and better advertise existing provincial resources such as Ontario's Enhancing Access to Spaces for Everyone (EASE) Grant.

I will also push for more partnerships with civic groups such as StopGap to ensure any city infrastructure development directly addresses the everyday needs of disabled residents.

Increasing accessibility will not only serves disabled residents but it will also spur economic growth and engagement within the local economy. Disabled Canadians are set to represent 21% of the consumer market in 2030 (about $316 billion dollars) and there is strong demand from the community to better access restaurant, retail, entertainment, and recreation opportunities. Accessible commercial premises will allow local businesses to better attract new customers and hire disabled residents leading to greater economic engagement in our ward.

Fulfilling Existing City Commitments to Accessibility Standards

In October 2024, Toronto's City Council committed to developing and implementing official accessibility guidelines to City built housing that go beyond Ontario Building Code Standards. Unfortunately, this commitment to barrier-free and deeply affordable housing has not been acted on by City Council.

As City Councillor I will push for immediate action towards the fulfillment of this commitment. The disabled community is disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and this vulnerability is more acute for disabled people who also belong to other marginalised communities. Accessible City built housing will not only ensure disabled residents in our ward can remain in their homes, but will also provide non-disabled residents the ability to stay in their homes as they age or if they develop a disability later on in life.

As I advocate for the development of these guidelines, I will ensure the City collaborates with stakeholders who understand the needs and challenges of accessible infrastructure including non-profit organizations, civic groups, and the construction sector to make a Toronto a home for everyone.

Increasing Disability Inclusion in Public Spaces

In addition to facing accessibility challenges, disabled residents are at a higher risk of social isolation. Welcoming and accessible public spaces are crucial to diminishing social isolation, providing a third space where neighbours can interact with one another and form community bonds. The City has already developed Accessibility Design Guidelines to guide the construction and renovation of shared public spaces, such as parks and the waterfront. Now it's time to take these guidelines and turn them into actions that result in accessible third spaces.

I will advocate for a reduction of hostile architecture that have come to dominant the City's public spaces. This will include re-orienting infrastructure priorities to focus on:

• Ramps to accommodate access to beaches, tennis and basketball courts, and other recreational sites

• Clean and functioning public washroom facilities and water fountains

• Adequate space to navigate for those who require mobility aids

Spadina-Fort York is home to many recreational spaces that together welcome over 30 million residents and visitors each year. These spaces encourage residents to live more active lives and enjoy the outdoors and they deserve to be kept clean and sanitary for your enjoyment. I will work towards implementing simple solutions that enhance our ward's public spaces - ensuring public toilets are sanitary and operating, increasing the number of specialized waste bins, and adding extra amenities to existing spaces such as free sunscreen dispensers and cooling misters.

Clean, Accessible, and Working Public Toilets

Specialized Waste Disposal Bins

Sunscreen, Shade, and Misters

Clean, Accessible, and Working Public Toilets

Access to clean and working toilets is an essential societal need. Public toilets and washroom facilities have long been an integral part of city infrastructure across major cities, such as Tokyo and Hong Kong, for decades and it's time for Toronto to catch up.

As your City Councillor, I will push for the introduction of universally accessible public toilet and washroom facilities in high density and frequently populated areas in our Ward. While a benefit for the general public, this will also provide extra support to those who need more frequent use of such facilities, like those with chronic health conditions and families with small children. It will also reduce the amount of human waste that unfortunately accumulates in our ward, providing a more sanitary neighbourhood for all of us to enjoy.

Specialized Waste Disposal Bins

In 2027, Toronto is set to reclaim control and management of the City's sidewalk litter bins from a third-party operator. This is the perfect opportunity to make sure we have a trash solution that ensures our litter bins are well designed, well-maintained, and well-placed.

As your City Councillor, I will advocate for City maintained and operated public litter bins that are responsive to the needs of the community. This means increasing the frequency of waste collection and bin maintenance to help end the persistent problem of broken and overflowing litter bins that make our main streets less sanitary and enjoyable to all. As the City looks to revitalise our public waste management system, I will also push for the greater inclusion of urgently needed specialised waste solutions, such as sharps disposal bins, organic waste bins, and pet waste tools, including free pet waste bags.

Sunscreen, Shade, and Misters

Around the world, extreme weather events have become more frequent and intense due to climate change and Toronto is no exception. Since the 1980s, Toronto has experienced increasingly hotter temperatures every summer and it's only going to become hotter. As extreme heat conditions become more frequent, this has resulted in increased rates of heat-related illness and deaths, including heat stroke and exhaustion and higher rates of skin cancer. Other cities have implemented simple and cost effective solutions so their residents can more easily protect themselves against the ill effects of extreme heat conditions and Toronto needs to follow suit.

As your City Councillor, I will push to increase the supports available to residents in Spadina-Fort York when it comes to dealing with extreme heat. Not all of our neighbours have access to in-home air conditioning or cooling centres, but we all deserve to enjoy the outdoors safely. I will advocate for the expansion of existing programs, like the #BeSunSafe network of free sunscreen dispensers and the refurbishment of existing shade-providing infrastructure. Additionally, I will push the City to invest in new supports, such as new shade-providing structures and the installation of public cooling misters in key areas in our ward.

Spadina-Fort York is our home and we deserve a home that makes us feel safe. As your City Councillor, I will make fight to restore public safety measures and protect this ward. This means advocating for:

Controlling Motor Vehicle Speeds

Protecting Our Islands

Controlling Motor Vehicle Speeds

After speed cameras were ordered to be removed from Toronto streets in November 2025, speeding has increased by 380%. This has contributed to the number of motor vehicle deaths in Toronto increasing by 25%. As your City Councillor, I will fight to bring back speed cameras, which are proven to reduce speeding rates and deaths, especially around school zones and pedestrian areas. Reinstalling speed cameras alongside refurbishing already existing speed-reduction infrastructure will make Spadina-Fort York a home we can feel safe in.

Protecting Our Islands

The Toronto Islands are under attack with the planned expansion of the Island Airport. This proposal has been opposed by many Torontonians for the potential environmental damage, disruption to the neighbourhood, and destruction of the Snake Island Ceremonial Space and Hanlan's Point. The Islands are not arbitrary investments - they are people's homes, sacred sites, community centres, and an affordable opportunity for many in this city to enjoy the outdoors.

As your City Councillor, I will use every city governance tool at my disposal to stop any Island Airport expansion. I will also leverage my legal training to contribute to ongoing legal efforts to halt the expansion and to support the people in Spadina-Fort York working to protect our beautiful waterfront.

The Islands belong to the people and together we can ensure they are protected for generations to come.