My Priorities. My Plan. My Commitments.

I will push for greater investment in the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition Program so nonprofits, co-ops and community land trusts can preserve rental buildings before they are lost to speculation. A new stream should allow bulk purchases of suitable unsold condominium units and convert them into permanently affordable homes.

Toronto currently permits sixplexes in nine wards. I support making them legal citywide so more homes can be built quickly in neighbourhoods where people want to live.

I will push to increase the Vacant Home Tax and raise the Municipal Non-Resident Speculation Tax on high-value purchases. The revenue should fund affordable housing and provide greater fee relief for nonprofit projects.

The current development-charge exemption should increase from six to ten units. For a ten-unit building to qualify, at least four homes should contain two or more enclosed bedrooms.

Toronto should strictly enforce its Rental Renovation Licence Bylaw. I will fight to double the Rent Bank and expand the Eviction Prevention in the Community program. A Tenant Displacement Response Team will help residents in buildings facing mass renovictions, demolition, landlord harassment or major above-guideline increases, with access to legal and organizing support.

RentSafeTO needs more inspectors, shorter inspection timelines and escalating penalties for repeat violations. I will create a Toronto Centre dashboard tracking complaints, outstanding orders, building ratings and remedial action. Proactive enforcement should prioritize buildings with serious repair histories and high-rise communities such as St. James Town and the Village.

An enforceable maximum indoor-temperature standard should move forward, alongside expanded air-conditioning assistance for vulnerable tenants. Loan and grant programs should help finance climate retrofits that improve ventilation and building safety without causing displacement or rent increases.

I will establish a Condo Resident Help Desk in the Councillor’s office to help owners and renters navigate complaints involving short-term rentals, noise, waste, fire safety and unreliable elevators. The desk will coordinate with 311, enforcement agencies, legal clinics and the Condominium Authority while tracking recurring building-wide problems.

Toronto should continue moving away from large congregate settings toward smaller facilities that can provide more individualized support.

I will push to properly resource the City’s Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy, replacing aging facilities and adding beds where they are needed. Toronto should also re-establish 24/7 respite centres so people can get off the streets quickly, especially during extreme weather, and expand funding for drop-in programs that connect people with support.

I will push for more inspections under the Toronto Shelter Standards and stronger enforcement of mandatory training requirements for all shelter staff, including employees of contracted operators.

I helped develop Here to Help, a crisis-support team serving the Downtown East. I will support the continued expansion and allocation of funding to the Toronto Community Crisis Service and create low-barrier spaces where someone experiencing a manageable crisis can stabilize without being sent to a hospital or to jail. These services need real pathways into treatment and supportive housing so help continues after the immediate crisis has passed.

Toronto Centre needs more officers who know the neighbourhoods and the people they serve. I will advocate for additional neighbourhood officers in areas facing persistent safety concerns, with stable assignments and more visible foot and bike patrols. They should build trusted local relationships, respond to recurring problems and take action against criminal activity.

I do not accept open drug trafficking, violence or threats as inevitable features of downtown life. Police should be visibly deployed where these conditions persist and focus on the people profiting from trafficking and exploitation. People who commit serious offences should face consequences, while those whose primary issue is addiction or mental-health crisis should be connected with health services or diversion wherever appropriate.

Stable housing is one of the most effective safety investments the City can make. I will fight to expand supportive and deeply affordable housing, double the Rent Bank and move people from shelters into permanent homes more quickly. While people wait for housing, Toronto must add safe shelter capacity, restore 24/7 walk-in respite centres and expand drop-in services so no one is left outside without somewhere safe to go.

Organizations funded to provide harm-reduction or food-security services should be required and resourced to manage discarded supplies and related waste around their facilities. City agreements should include a cleanup plan covering roughly 300 metres, with clear responsibility for regular collection. 

Poorly managed properties can become persistent sources of unsafe conditions for tenants and surrounding neighbours. The City should conduct proactive inspections and impose escalating penalties when property owners repeatedly ignore orders. Orders need deadlines and follow-through, with remedial action and cost recovery where legally available.

I chaired the Sherbourne and Dundas safety table in 2021, so I know how easily these processes can become heavy on meetings and light on follow-through. The area needs immediate safety interventions alongside a longer-term redesign of the intersection and surrounding public spaces. The plan should establish clear responsibilities and measurable outcomes while advancing the long-delayed redevelopment of the William Dennison and Dan Harrison buildings.

Programming, thoughtful design and targeted enforcement can make parks safer without pushing their challenges onto surrounding streets. I opposed fencing Barbara Hall Park and in 2022, under Mayor Tory, secured $250,000 for its activation, supporting programming that continues through the monthly Toronto Queer Market.

Enforcement should target people selling dangerous drugs, threatening others or committing serious offences while avoiding the simple displacement of people in crisis into another park or onto your doorstep.

Toronto should continue moving from large congregate settings toward smaller facilities that provide more individualized support.

I will push to fund the City’s shelter infrastructure strategy, restore 24/7 respite centres and expand drop-ins, including low-barrier stability spaces where people experiencing a manageable crisis can stabilize and connect with care.

More frequent inspections and strict enforcement of staff-training requirements, including at contracted shelters, will help ensure every facility meets Toronto Shelter Standards.

Working with community partners, I will create small gathering spaces with seating, shade, planting, public art and pop-up programming. Priority locations will include commercial streets with narrow sidewalks, dense communities with limited green space and underused space created through traffic-calming projects.

A $2-million annual fund will support activities that bring neighbours together and activate public space. Grants of $1,000 to $5,000 will support small, one-time events, while grants of up to $25,000 will help launch larger or seasonal projects such as night markets and winter activations.

Toronto Centre has amazing civic spaces that can better meet the needs of residents. I will extend the summer hours at Riverdale Farm to 8:00 p.m. so families can visit after work and push for more community programming at St. Lawrence Market North, and fight to maintain a library presence in the St. Lawrence / Esplanade Neighbourhood. 

There are currently 80 park locations across Toronto that are pre-approved for no-fee community activations. None are in Toronto Centre. Of the 46 parks approved for free arts, music and movie nights, only one is in Toronto Centre.

I will push to add our neighbourhood parks to these lists to increase community access to our park spaces.

Groups that have successfully organized events in Toronto’s parks for years should also be recognized as trusted partners. They should not have to restart the entire permitting process, find a nonprofit sponsor or prove the same basic information every season. Resident-led groups should be able to apply directly, receive guaranteed decision dates and face requirements proportionate to the size and risk of their events.

An investment of approximately $250,000 in reusable event equipment will provide four kits in every ward. Stored at community centres, the kits will include tables, chairs, tents, small stages, sound equipment and temporary barriers so organizers can focus their time and funding on programming.

I will work toward permanently pedestrianizing Church Street, building on the pilot to create a year-round destination with permanent infrastructure and space for patios, performances and community life. A permanent plan will support accessibility, emergency access and local deliveries while investing in lighting, seating and a sustainable operating model.

I will also champion Yonge Street Tomorrow, beginning with simple seasonal pedestrian opportunities between Shuter and Gerrard as a proof of concept. These pilots will demonstrate how a people-first Yonge Street can support local businesses and cultural activity while informing a more ambitious permanent transformation as construction on the Ontario Line progresses.

Residential streets that can be easily opened for shared meals, performances, play and neighbourhood activities should be identified in advance. A new Neighbourhood Street Pass will give experienced groups recurring permits supported by pre-approved traffic plans, City barriers and closure assistance.

Working with interested BIAs, residents and local businesses, we will establish pedestrian Sundays and pre-approved locations for markets and cultural programming. Successful pilots will have a clear path to becoming seasonal or permanent.

I will fight for permanent annual funding to bring back Open Streets Toronto and open major routes for walking, cycling and pop-up installations.

I support Councillor Josh Matlow’s motion to establish a clear process for temporary, seasonal and permanent pedestrian streets that thoughtfully addresses deliveries, accessibility, emergency access and the needs of nearby businesses and residents.

A ward-wide strategy will map neglected laneways and prioritize them for cleaning, lighting, repairs, waste storage, greening and murals, with an initial focus on Cabbagetown South, the Garden District, and The Village.

Stronger rules will require high-rise landlords and property managers to keep garbage, mattresses and bulky waste off sidewalks. The City should also establish clearer standards and enforcement  for sidewalk closures, dust, debris and the length of disruptions caused by private development.

The first plan will focus on Dundas and Sherbourne, bringing residents, tenants and local organizations into the redesign of the intersection and surrounding streets. It will identify immediate interventions that can improve safety and public space now, while developing a funded, longer-term capital plan for permanent improvements.

Many BIAs already pay for pressure washing and enhanced cleaning through their own levies. I will establish a City cost-share program to help BIAs clean sidewalks and other high-traffic public areas more frequently, with greater support for smaller BIAs and commercial streets without a BIA. This funding will complement the City’s core cleaning responsibilities.ortcodes, images, etc.

I will use programming, design and targeted enforcement to improve safety instead of fencing off public spaces. I opposed fencing Barbara Hall Park and previously secured $250,000 for its activation, helping establish programming that continues through initiatives such as the monthly Toronto Queer Market.

Toronto In Store will match small businesses, artists, cultural organizations and nonprofits with longstanding vacant storefronts for temporary retail, studio space and window installations. The City can support temporary leases through modest fit-out grants, insurance, marketing and pathways to permanent tenancy.

I will advocate for an escalating tax on storefronts left vacant for extended periods, particularly where developers or speculators have assembled properties and allowed them to deteriorate. Exemptions will recognize active construction, legitimate hardship and owners who make their spaces available for temporary use.

When businesses are displaced well before construction begins, developers should identify interim uses such as public art, rehearsal space or community programming. Temporary activation must complement, rather than replace, permanent cultural and community space.

Provincial rules allow newly listed heritage properties to remain on the register for only two years. I will push for each Toronto Centre listing to have a public work plan and decision date, with enough staff to complete priority designations in time. I will also advocate to repeal the five-year ban on relisting and restore the City’s ability to protect significant properties.

I will ensure the 2027 Corktown heritage report leads to a funded Heritage Conservation District study with a firm deadline.  I will also advance the Distillery District HCD plan and work with neighbours and the Cabbagetown Preservation Society to create a Heritage and Growth Framework for Parliament Street.

People should be able to count on a bus or streetcar arriving within 15 minutes,  with shorter waits on the busiest routes. I will push the TTC to make that the minimum service residents can expect across the city. 

In Toronto Centre, I will advocate for improving service times on the 121 Esplanade-River bus, which connects rapidly growing neighbourhoods across the eastern waterfront and Downtown East, so its schedule does not match how residents need to use it.

I support Mayor Chow’s plan to let riders travel free after ten paid TTC trips in a week. I will also push to extend the weekly cap to post-secondary students so they receive the same flexibility and savings without buying a monthly pass upfront. I will defend Toronto’s flat fare and oppose any provincially imposed zone system that charges people more based on where they live.

Where buses and streetcars are routinely delayed, the City should change how the street operates to keep them moving. I will push for stronger signal priority, targeted turn and parking restrictions, and camera enforcement of vehicles blocking transit routes.

For the duration the Ontario Line closure on Queen Street, I will push the City and TTC to implement transit signal priority along the Richmond and Adelaide streetcar diversion.

Wheel-Trans’ Family of Services model should never assign someone a trip they cannot safely or reliably complete. I will push the TTC to review its eligibility and trip-planning rules so each rider’s needs and the accessibility of the full journey are properly considered. Accessibility also depends on elevators people can count on, with planned replacements before equipment fails and faster repairs. Diversion maps must be much easier to read and clearly show accessible alternatives when a route or station is disrupted.

Every TTC trip should be safe, clean and efficient. I support more frequent cleaning of vehicles and stations, with rapid-response crews available when urgent problems are reported. I will also support the continued expansion of the Community Crisis Service so trained teams can respond to people in crisis. Stations should have visible staff that can assist riders and respond quickly when problems arise. 

A trip does not always begin or end at a TTC stop. I support testing a single account that connects TTC travel with Bike Share and car-sharing options.

A station in Toronto Centre should host a pilot of platform-edge doors. The pilot will evaluate safety, reliability and cost before broader installation.

Doug Ford might want to rip up our bike lanes, but there are still opportunities to enhance our network. I will work to complete safe, connected east-west cycling routes along Gerrard St. and Dundas St. E, closing a key gap in our local cycling network. I would advocate for the extension of the Esplanade bike lane west of Jarvis St. to be done immediately, as well as the repaving of bike lanes on Wellesley Ave., and enhancement of bike lanes on Lower St.

Bike Share continues to post record ridership month after month. It needs enough operating funding to keep bikes and docks available where people need them. Monthly and seasonal passes should also be introduced between the current day and annual options, making Bike Share more useful for commuters and residents who do not ride year-round.

A ward-wide inventory should identify narrow sidewalks, construction pinch points and locations where poles, utility boxes or other obstacles prevent accessible passage. The inventory will guide capital planning and require improvements when adjacent roadwork, utility work or development occurs.

A dedicated connection across the Lower Don was included in earlier plans associated with the East Harbour transit hub, but Metrolinx has not been clear about whether it will proceed. I will press Metrolinx to honour that commitment and provide a funded design and construction schedule connecting surrounding neighbourhoods to the East Harbour hub.

Every reconstruction and major capital project should apply Toronto’s Complete Streets principles by considering transit, accessibility, cycling, sidewalks, trees, loading and public space from the beginning. When a project cannot include an important safety or accessibility improvement, the City should be required to explain why.

Toronto needs clearer rules and stronger enforcement for illegally modified or overpowered e-bikes, sidewalk riding and unsafe battery equipment. Delivery platforms should be required to provide paid safety training to couriers and take responsibility when unrealistic algorithmic demands pressure workers into unsafe behaviour.

E-scooters are widely used in Toronto despite being illegal on public streets, sidewalks and cycling routes. Toronto should establish a regulated framework for individually owned e-scooters, with speed limits, age requirements, equipment standards and clear rules against sidewalk riding.

Toronto Centre cannot keep having the same streets repeatedly torn up by different agencies with little coordination. The City needs to commit to a capital-construction schedule, stronger coordination between divisions and a named lead for major projects. Requirements for garbage collection, dust control, accessible pedestrian routes and the length of street closures must be strongly enforced at private and condominium developments, with escalating penalties when commitments are ignored.

Toronto Centre needs more clearly marked short-term loading and pickup areas in dense neighbourhoods, backed by consistent enforcement against vehicles blocking travel lanes. Better curb management will keep traffic moving while supporting deliveries and local businesses.

I will support expanding Toronto’s Traffic Agent Program at busy downtown intersections and construction bottlenecks. Agents should keep intersections clear, protect pedestrian crossings and respond quickly when poor traffic management brings surrounding streets to a standstill.

Drivers should not have to weave around potholes or repeatedly damaged pavement. I will push for more preventive resurfacing, faster pothole repairs and stronger requirements for utilities and contractors to properly restore roads after their work is finished.

I support letting riders travel free after ten paid trips each week without buying a pass upfront. I will fight to extend the cap to students and protect Toronto’s flat fare.

Every City-run community centre should offer a core schedule of free drop-in and registered programs, including evening and weekend options. I will also advocate expanding the Welcome Policy and make it easier to access.

The City should make its free air-conditioner program permanent and expand eligibility for vulnerable low-income residents. I will also expand zero-interest home-retrofit loans for lower-income homeowners while protecting tenants from having upgrade costs passed through to their rents.

Residents should not have to complete separate applications for every City benefit. I will create one application connecting eligible residents with discounted transit, recreation, Bike Share and cultural programs.

Toronto has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2040, but that target will mean little without the funding and accountability required to reach it. I will fight to fully fund TransformTO.

An enforceable maximum-temperature bylaw should require rental homes to be maintained at or below 26°C, with enforcement through RentSafeTO. The City should also make its free air-conditioner program permanent, increase the number of units available and expand eligibility for vulnerable low-income residents. Financial assistance for building upgrades must include protections against costs being passed on to tenants.

Libraries, community centres and trusted local organizations can provide essential support during heat waves, cold snaps and periods of dangerous air quality. These events are no longer unusual one-offs; they are our new reality

An expanded network of accessible neighbourhood resilience hubs will give residents places to cool down or warm up, access basic needs and connect with support. Toronto’s Heat Relief Strategy should be updated every year to identify gaps in operating hours and neighbourhood access and expand the network of after-hours cooling centres.

Toronto cannot reach its climate targets without reducing emissions from the buildings that already exist. Phased Building Emissions Performance Standards should begin with the largest and highest-emitting buildings, supported by public reporting and clear compliance timelines. Owners should receive technical and financial support before deadlines, while publicly funded projects should include protections against tenant displacement and unfair rent increases.

Many Toronto residents live in apartments or condominiums and cannot install rooftop panels. Once provincial electrical-safety standards are established, I will support a Toronto balcony-solar pilot so the work can begin quickly once provincial approval is secured.

Heat pumps should become the default choice when old heating and cooling systems need replacement. Toronto’s Home Energy Loan Program should be expanded to provide zero-interest loans for lower-income homeowners, including help with electrical upgrades and weatherization.

After the Province weakened the Toronto Green Standard, the City must use its remaining zoning, stormwater and financial powers to encourage better construction to the fullest extent. Higher-performing developments should receive stronger financial incentives and expedited reviews, while projects involving City land or funding should meet the highest feasible environmental standards.

I will also continue pressing the Province to restore Toronto’s authority over local green-building requirements.

Every major road reconstruction should be assessed for Green Streets infrastructure such as bioswales, expanded tree trenches and permeable surfaces. I will support a depaving program targeting unnecessarily paved City-owned land, stronger stormwater requirements for new development and continued basement-flooding assistance.

Large commercial and industrial properties with extensive paved surfaces should contribute based on the stormwater runoff they produce, with credits for depaving and installing green infrastructure. Revenue should be dedicated to flood prevention and sewer improvements, with protections for ordinary homeowners and small businesses.

I will fight for stronger protections for mature trees, with new planting prioritized in neighbourhoods with limited shade. Public reporting should show where trees are being planted and whether they survive.

Toronto should pause final municipal approvals for new large AI data centres until the City completes its regulatory framework. Any approval process should assess electricity and water consumption, infrastructure costs, noise and waste heat while requiring public reporting and community benefits.

I oppose the introduction of commercial jets or any substantial expansion of Billy Bishop Airport’s physical footprint. Toronto should protect the existing, hard-fought jet prohibition, and advocate for governance changes to The Toronto Port Authority to ensure they are acting in the best interests of Torontonians. 

Toronto Centre is missing affordable venues that can accommodate between 300 and 500 people. I will support the funding and development of a nonprofit space for DIY events, emerging artists and cultural gatherings. It should prioritize local and equity-deserving communities while providing affordable daytime space for rehearsals and community programming.

Toronto is stuck in a cycle of waiting until an important venue faces eviction or demolition before acting. A no-net-loss policy should require developments that demolish cultural spaces to provide replacements that are comparable in size and function.

I will also advocate for a funded Cultural Space Acquisition Program that helps community organizations purchase threatened venues or convert suitable churches and industrial buildings. Support should include grants, low-cost loans and tax relief.

Long-vacant storefronts and development sites should be opened to cultural organizations through temporary and pop-up leases. These uses must complement permanent cultural-space commitments rather than replace them.

Community development plans and Parks and Recreation’s ten-year capital plans should identify where performance and rehearsal spaces are needed. The Church-Wellesley Cultural District plan and Community Improvement Plan must remain community-led, with a focus on guiding development and acquiring property for long-term queer and trans use rather than subsidizing rent increases imposed by landlords.

Toronto already has a Councillor designated as the Night Economy Champion. The City now needs dedicated staff who can provide one-on-one help across Municipal Licensing and Standards, Transportation Services, Toronto Fire, Public Health and Waste Management.

The Nightlife Office should fund new nighttime programming, help protect cultural spaces and mediate issues involving venues and their neighbours. It should also publish clear information about permit processing, program results and the cultural spaces Toronto gains or loses each year.

I will designate a member of my Councillor’s office team as a liaison for local nightlife and cultural establishments. This person will help organizations navigate City bureaucracy and bring the right people together when problems arise.

Being bounced between Parks, Transportation, Building, Fire and other City divisions can make organizing an event needlessly difficult. Toronto’s nightlife consultations found that 81 per cent of organizers wanted more flexibility for temporary-space permits and 72 per cent wanted faster reviews.

I will push for one coordinated process with clear requirements, a named City contact and accountable decision dates. Requirements should better reflect the size and risk of an event rather than treating every gathering of a similar size the same way.

DIY organizers increasingly rely on warehouses and other unconventional spaces as established venues disappear.

Where required, a flexible permit should provide pre-approved fire and life-safety plans, standard occupancy calculations and faster joint inspections by Municipal Licensing and Standards and Toronto Fire. Approved spaces should be able to host up to 30 event days annually, with requirements scaled to the size and risk of each event.

The energy of Toronto Centre is part of what draws people here, but nobody wants to hear pounding bass through their bedroom wall at 2:00 a.m. I will create a fund modelled on Montreal’s program to help venues pay for sound insulation, acoustic assessments and monitoring equipment.

Toronto’s Agent of Change protections should be expanded to include nightclubs and require clearer notice for people buying or renting near existing venues. The program should be paired with sound-mitigation grants for established spaces.

When conflict does arise, Toronto should offer free mediation between venues, landlords and neighbours based on New York City’s MEND program. Resolving problems early can prevent them from escalating into enforcement disputes or litigation.

People should not arrive at a venue only to discover that they cannot get through the door or use the washroom. I will introduce a voluntary public standard through which venues clearly describe barriers to entry, seating options and accessible, gender-neutral washrooms.

Accessibility support through the Commercial Space Renovation Grant Program should increase from $400 to as much as $10,000 so businesses can make meaningful improvements.

Bars and clubs are only part of what Toronto can offer after dark. Late-night swimming, recreation programs, library and museum evenings, park films, night sports and night markets will give shift workers and night owls more ways to enjoy the city.

I support studying Montreal’s nightlife-hub model and piloting the approach in Church-Wellesley Village. The pilot should measure its effect on the nightlife economy and surrounding neighbourhood while addressing transportation, safety and noise from people queuing or leaving venues.

Every call and email to my office will receive an initial response within two business days. Some issues take longer to resolve, but residents will know who is handling their request, what happens next and when they can expect an update.

Residents should not be repeatedly redirected between staff, City divisions and outside agencies. A member of my team will remain responsible for each case, coordinate with the right people and follow it through as far as the Councillor’s office can take it.

I will hold informal public coffee meetings every two weeks in different Toronto Centre neighbourhoods. Neighbours will be able to raise an issue, share an idea or speak directly with me without attending City Hall or navigating a formal process.

My office will meet at least quarterly with neighbourhood associations and other local groups. These meetings will provide regular updates on City projects, identify emerging concerns and create a direct line between neighbourhood leaders and the Councillor’s office.

Many neighbourhood issues involve several City divisions or community organizations, leaving residents unable to determine who is responsible. My office will bring the necessary people together, push for a clear course of action and keep residents informed until the issue is resolved.

Early consultation and ongoing communication will give affected communities a meaningful role in decisions that will change their neighbourhoods. My office will provide information in accessible language and report back on what we heard and how it influenced the final decision.

Local boards give residents a direct role in shaping the facilities and services their neighbourhoods rely on. When issues arise, the City should provide governance training, administrative support and clear expectations rather than moving to remove members, bypass the appointments process or take away community control.

Public consultation for a new park should not take longer than building it. Every process should begin with firm dates for public meetings, staff recommendations and the final decision, with regular updates and explanations when timelines change. It should conclude with a public report explaining what was heard, how the proposal changed and why some recommendations were not adopted.

Neighbours should not have to leave work or arrange last-minute childcare to have a say in what is built next door. Consultations for private developments are too often scheduled in the middle of the workday. Meetings should include evening options, with enough notice and promotion for residents to participate.

Every project should start with a plain-language list identifying the available budget, legal or technical constraints, what has already been decided and which choices remain open. Residents should not spend months advocating for an option the City already knows it cannot deliver.

I will designate a member of my Councillor’s office team as a liaison for local nightlife and cultural establishments. This person will help organizations navigate City bureaucracy and bring the right people together when problems arise.