Making sure local voices are brought front and centre is at the core of everything I do. That’s why my monthly Coffee Chats, Town Halls, community engagement events and local safety meetings have formed the bedrock of my work and led to more than a hundred motions at City Hall. From establishing a culture of service excellence in my team, to working with the community to bring great ideas to fruition, my goal is always to work collaboratively to create a stronger, safer, healthier ward and city. Since being elected as City Councillor for Ward 15 less than 2 years ago, we’ve accomplished so much, imagine what is possible with four more!
As our neighbourhoods grow, we need to manage development responsibly to ensure we continue to have liveable, enjoyable neighbourhoods, where residents can live, work and play. From the Transit Oriented Community coming to Thorncliffe Park, to intensification in Leaside, Lawrence Park and along Bayview Avenue, we need projects that meet our residents’ needs.
All three levels of government have made housing a priority, but the Provincial Government has changed the parameters, removing community participation in the development process, overriding guidelines, and directing Toronto planning departments to allow for significant intensification, particularly around transit stations.
In other words, I am pushing for unit sizes that make sense, advocating for more affordable housing (especially near transit), and prioritizing complete communities. That means expanding access to new and revitalized parks, recreation facilities, local childcare, and essential services close to home.
There is no simple fix for congestion on Toronto streets. In a busy city with limited space for new roads, we need to be open-minded and follow a multi-pronged approach to solving our traffic woes.
This includes continuing to invest in modern signal technology, reducing long-term lane closures by developers, adding traffic monitors, and encouraging people to use public transit. We are building more public transit – and this is a step in the right direction – but we need to ensure our transit system is safe and efficient to encourage new riders. We also must have a network of bike lanes that includes local input from all stakeholders – a key ingredient to successful outcomes. All road users need to feel valued and find systems that work for all.
The challenges on our roads have also led to increased concerns around pedestrian safety – perhaps the most common issue raised by Ward 15 residents. From e-bikes flouting basic road and sidewalk rules, to increased speeding through neighbourhoods (aggravated by the use of apps like Waze and the Provincial ban on Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras), the safety of our neighbourhoods is at stake and our most vulnerable road users must be protected. Vision Zero needs to be more than aspirational.
Whether in your home, on the subway, in your neighbourhood, at places of worship, or out and about, everyone should feel safe – and be safe – enjoying all our ward and city have to offer.
Although crime is down overall in Toronto, safety remains a major concern for many Torontonians, particularly in Don Valley West. We saw an uptick in home invasions and car theft this yearin some of our neighbourhoods, and we have had serious incidents of gun violence in Ward 15 across the city. The new five-year hiring plan to add 500 police officers is underway, and response times are coming down, but there is still more work to do.
Many of our residents continue to feel unsafe, particularly in the face of rising antisemitism, hate, polarization and disinformation campaigns. We have synagogues in our ward that have been attacked – repeatedly – and our city must do better, protecting and caring for all of our residents.
As a member of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee at the city, and a Director on both the boards of Toronto Hydro and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, my focus has been on protecting and growing our tree canopy, encouraging the transition to renewable and clean energy, and leading the charge to demand transparency and clarity around impacts of high demand technological infrastructure such as data centres – with the goals of TransformTO at the forefront of this work.
With more frequent storms and extreme weather, it is imperative we prepare for the future and focus on climate resiliency. Don Valley West has some of Toronto’s most significant tree canopy and extensive ravine systems, as well as areas prone to flooding, underground springs, and erosion, such as Leaside and Hoggs Hollow.
And yet, Thorncliffe Park, while surrounded by green space and ravines, has considerably less tree canopy in the immediate neighbourhood. The city, as a whole, has lofty goals with the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, but we have also increasingly been restricted by the Province in what we can require – for example, with respect to many of our green building standards. These challenges in climate resiliency underscore why I am committed to being a strong, persistent advocate for every corner of our ward.
