CANDIDATE · WARD 14
● Response received October 11, 2026 · Core questions 5 of 5 · More quick questions 15 of 15 · Go deeper 20 of 20
As stated by the campaign, in its own order.
Source: campaign website, as of October 7, 2026.
20 quick questions, plus 20 optional deeper ones, identical for every candidate. Candidates answer as many as they choose; unanswered ones are marked. Published as written, unedited. Blank optional fields are not shown.
QUICK ROUND · One line each
S01 · Housing & affordability · all candidates ↗
Supportive housing that will get people off the streets and into programs that address addiction and mental health concerns will set them up for success and lead to long term housing. That will benefit not only the unhoused but also the greater community will benefit from safer streets.
S02 · TTC & transit · all candidates ↗
We need adequate funding to address TTC repair backlogs and ensure service standards sufficient to keep people moving and trusting public transit as a viable option for getting around the city, reducing cars and congestion on city streets and automotive pollution.
S03 · Ontario Line / Metrolinx · all candidates ↗
Metrolinx needs to do a much better job communicating with local residents on construction schedules, anticipated noise, traffic detours and resolution of pest control problems caused by their construction.
S04 · Traffic, cycling & pedestrians · all candidates ↗
I object to the concept that there should be a priority of transit modes. Residents should be able to get around the city safely in a way that suits them, their preferred mode of transit and where they are going.
S05 · Small business & main streets · all candidates ↗
City Hall should do more than one thing for businesses across the Ward, but the first thing would be supports for businesses facing barriers that are outside their control, like street or transit construction. Businesses have been heavily hit both by Ontario Line construction and streetcar track repairs.
S06 · City finances & taxes · all candidates ↗
I would have to review the budget to determine if there was sufficient revenue. The province has increasingly downloaded responsibility for costs on the city and there are increased costs to respond to climate change crises. We may have to raise property taxes to deal with financial pressures.
S07 · Community safety, homelessness & mental health · all candidates ↗
There isn't a great deal of public disorder in the ward. Crime has dropped across the city. However, too many people are unhoused and we need to find them both emergency housing and more supportive long term housing which can also provide them with mental health and addiction supports.
S08 · Development & neighbourhood character · all candidates ↗
I would never trade away safety and quality. New development should not compromise those two requirements.
S09 · Climate, parks & waterfront · all candidates ↗
Buildings are the greatest source of GHG emissions in the City of Toronto. I would advocate for programs to encourage developers to include green solutions in new builds and programs to encourage residents to take advantage of residential green programs including information and funding programs to reduce up front costs.
S10 · Competence & accountability · all candidates ↗
I will commit to opening a constituency office in the ward so that residents can approach me and my staff in the ward rather than having to go downtown, email or make phone calls. Success of this approach will be measurable by the number of residents reached and files addressed.
S11 · Collaboration · all candidates ↗
I regularly need to build consensus through the membership of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada. Sometimes not everyone agrees with a proposed strategy and I need to hear their perspective to be able to come to a solution that everyone can get behind.
S12 · Changing your mind · all candidates ↗
I have learned to be a flexible leader. My role has always involved me being an advocate. I represent others opinions and through collaboration and listening, I have not faced an opportunity where I held a belief on an issue that required changing my mind.
S13 · Coalition building · all candidates ↗
City Hall and City Council requires collaboration to get anything done. Without a party system, councillors are free to vote based on their own perspective on each issue. That requires discussion, sharing of facts and opinions and working together to achieve results.
S14 · Working with opponents · all candidates ↗
I have a long history of working with different mayors and premiers and I would work with each one, regardless of who they are, to collaborate and achieve solutions best suited to the residents of Ward 14.
S15 · Advocacy · all candidates ↗
I try to understand why it failed so that I can take another try at it, with potentially different strategies.
S16 · Communication · all candidates ↗
I will have regular Town Hall meetings both in person and virtually. I will publish regular print and email newsletters. With a constituency office, residents will be free to set up a meeting with me to get updates on what I am doing.
S17 · Decision-making · all candidates ↗
Decision making should not be based on loudness of residents but on evidence. I would try to get a better understanding of where the loud residents are coming from as sometimes it is a lack of understanding of the evidence and their opposition or advocacy could be defused.
S18 · Handling mistakes · all candidates ↗
I have not made a significant professional or public mistake.
S19 · Managing competing interests · all candidates ↗
That depends on a case by case review of the situation.
S20 · Leadership temperament · all candidates ↗
There are very few things that would make me walk away from a negotiation but one thing I would not tolerate would be verbal abuse or harassment of myself or my staff, particularly if it is based on violations of human rights.
GO DEEPER · POLICY & PRIORITIES · What will you do?
P01 · Housing & affordability · all candidates ↗
There is no doubt that we need more housing of all types. People just keep wanting to move to Toronto and Toronto Danforth is a popular location. We need to work with developers to identify why they are not building more units. A greater supply of housing will reduce costs and lower house purchase and rental prices. The priority should be along major thoroughfares with good access to public transit and services. At the same time we should support more housing in communities such as laneway housing and multiplexes. While all this is being done we must keep in mind those who require housing that is below market rent and find ways to incentivize builders to invest in subsidized housing. Beginning July 1, 2027, new builds along major routes must set aside 5% of units for affordable housing. We must monitor this closely to ensure that these units are being built and assess whether 5% is sufficient.
P02 · TTC & transit · all candidates ↗
Transit must remain affordable for low income residents, and that means maintaining the Fair Pass program to provide targeted support to low income residents. We need to work with the provincial government to ensure adequate funds exist for repairs and service improvements. People rely on the TTC but make other plans when TTC breaks down too frequently or there are drops in service levels. As a last resort, if necessary to maintain adequate repairs and service levels we might have to increase fares but I would insist on a thorough review of budgets and potential funding sources before taking that step.
P03 · Ontario Line / Metrolinx · all candidates ↗
Here in Ward 14 Metrolinx has been very disruptive of the quality of the lives of residents. We all understand the trade-offs required to get the Ontario Line up and running but Metrolinx has not been very communicative of impending disruptions and consequences of construction. I would push Metrolinx to improve their communication with residents and their problem solving. The unfortunate bottom line though is that the Ontario Line is a provincial project. City Hall can only deal with matters under its jurisdiction but that includes significant areas such as pest control, noise violations and inadequate signage from traffic detours. City Hall can and should insist on better responses from Metrolinx in these areas in particular.
P04 · Traffic, cycling & pedestrians · all candidates ↗
First, I am not convinced that improving one mode of transit makes others less convenient. We need to have multi-modal transit so that every resident can choose whether they want to drive a car, ride a bike, walk or take public transit. Their transit options should be safe and that might include barriers along bike lanes and more traffic enforcement to reduce pedestrian and bike accidents. As a society we made the decision to have speed limits because it was more important to keep pedestrians safe than to allow vehicles to go as fast as they wanted wherever they were going. Limitations continue to be important. That being said, a careful review of bike lane placement should be made to ensure that bike lanes in places like Danforth Ave. have been smartly planned. One of the biggest problems with those bike lanes however is the use of them by e-bikes driven by delivery drivers. It is possible that this is another area where there needs to be increased enforcement so that only the e-bikes that fit within the by-law for bike lane use are travelling along those bike lanes.
P05 · Small business & main streets · all candidates ↗
I have met with BIAs to learn what their concerns are. They have proposed a few measures aimed at promoting small, independent businesses such as pop up locations to allow new business owners to try out a location and business idea, incentives for landlords who rent quickly rather than holding out for a large chain, incentives or tax breaks for landlords who support new businesses, predictable mult-year property tax forecasting that will support their ability to plan, community policing to discourage vandalism and shoplifting, support for businesses forced to deal with disruptions outside their control such as construction and a City Buy Local policy that would prioritize City Hall and local Councillors from accessing suppliers from within the community. I would continue to engage with BIAs to identify how to best support them.
P06 · City finances & taxes · all candidates ↗
It is not possible to answer this question before becoming elected as a City Councillor and being able to access detailed budgets, planning documents, revenue forecasts and the like. I commit to performing that due diligence and taking the job seriously, while also engaging with Ward 14 residents to understand their priorities.
P07 · Community safety, homelessness & mental health · all candidates ↗
Putting homeless and those suffering from addiction and mental health crises in jail is an expensive and self-defeating solution. The only way to keep those who struggle off the street is to provide them with supportive housing that can help them deal with their problems, find solutions and move on to being long term productive members of our community. Organizations like Seeds of Hope, who provide emergency housing and supportive programs can help people find the solutions that they need. Most police have not been trained in how to deal with mental health crises, however they are one of the few front line services who are available 24/7. We need to ensure that the Toronto Police Services have sufficient, well-trained mental health workers as part of their staff. We may need to re-allocate some funding from crime response, given how the crime rate has gone down while mental health crises have increased.
P08 · Development & neighbourhood character · all candidates ↗
The first priority is to increase density along main thoroughfares where zoning is already in place and where housing will have easy access to transit and infrastructure. Then we should encourage multiplexes, basement apartments and laneway housing to create more gentle density solutions. The pressure on our communities does not just come from increased density. It also comes from landlords increasing rents to the point where independent stores and restaurants cannot afford to rent, impacting the 'small town community' feel of some parts of the ward. I would like to see Toronto Danforth continue to be a livable community where residents can work, shop and enjoy their free time within easy access of their homes.
P09 · Climate, parks & waterfront · all candidates ↗
Buildings are the greatest source of GHG emissions in the City of Toronto. I would advocate for programs to encourage developers to include green solutions (ie green roofs, solar panels, improved insulation, heat pumps etc.) in new builds and programs to encourage more residents to take advantage of the residential green programs including information and funding programs to reduce up front costs.
P10 · Competence & accountability · all candidates ↗
As one vote on Council I cannot promise a change in City by-laws or policy, but I can promise that I will work with my colleagues to advance solutions to the affordability crisis in Toronto. I do commit to monthly neighbourhood feedback/information sessions so that I can better represent community interests at Council. By doing this I will give residents many opportunities to have their voices heard.
GO DEEPER · LEADERSHIP & EXECUTION · How will you get it done?
L01 · Collaboration · all candidates ↗
There was a time when a project was dependant on many people within my organization to collaborate. Time was of the essence and towards the deadline, participants started to disagree with particular suggestions that I proposed. I asked questions, listened and then we collectively came up with solutions that made all agree. It came down to listening and collaboration. When people feel heard, it leads to better decisions.
L02 · Changing your mind · all candidates ↗
I have learned to be a flexible leader. My role has always involved me being an advocate. I represent others opinions and through collaboration and listening, I have not faced an opportunity where I held a belief on an issue that required changing my mind.
L03 · Coalition building · all candidates ↗
In all discussions with my colleagues I will listen and understand their perspectives, explain my own, and seek common ground. Most issues cross ward boundaries and I believe that the best solutions will combine a need for minor variation to address different conditions in other areas of the city, but with a core of equitable and practical City wide approaches
L04 · Working with opponents · all candidates ↗
My approach is to work from a presumption of some common ground and good faith. As much as our positions may not align, I believe that our colleagues at the City and province are trying to improve our communities. I believe that finding practical and fair solutions is more important than dogmatic adherence to a position or view.
L05 · Advocacy · all candidates ↗
I guess it depends on what you mean by negotiation failing. If it means rhat I don't get everything that I started out to achieve, I am not sure that is failure and I don't think relations will be undermined. I am not worried that my voice for Ward 14 will not be heard, either during discussions or after. I look to build constructive relationships that will lead to better outcomes over the long term rather than wins in the short term
L06 · Communication · all candidates ↗
I commit to establishing a constituency office so that residents could engage with my staff, come in for information and make appointments to easily meet with me without having to go downtown to City Hall. We have not had this for many years. I will have both print and digital newsletters and regular town halls to address specific topics.
L07 · Decision-making · all candidates ↗
I will not make decisions based on whose voice is the loudest. I will meet with residents to ensure that I know what their positions are, discuss the evidence with them to try and resolve any opposing perspectives but at the end of the day make a decision based on the evidence before me.
L08 · Handling mistakes · all candidates ↗
I have not made a significant professional or public mistake.
L09 · Managing competing interests · all candidates ↗
As I have said, I believe in building consensus. However, there may be times when not everyone will agree or where consensus could lead to a watered down solution of benefit to no one. In that case, you have to advocate for the decision that is based on the best available evidence and which will lead to the best available outcome.
L10 · Leadership temperament · all candidates ↗
I will tolerate and work with rudeness if it is displaced anger that comes from passion or injustice. However, I will not tolerate rudeness, incivility, misogyny, racism, ableism or any other breach of human rights if it is directed to me or to my staff. I will however, provide people with an opportunity to take a step back and rethink their approach before walking away, and even after walking away.