Global Courant
Breadcrumb Trail links
PMN Politics PMN News PMN Canada
Author of the article:
The Canadian Press
Shareef Hassan
Published June 25, 2023 • read for 4 minutes
Some of Toronto’s mayoral candidates, Josh Matlow, from left to right, Olivia Chow, Mitzie Hunter, Brad Bradford, Mark Saunders and Ana Bailao, take the stage at a mayoral debate in Scarborough, Ont. on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Toronto voters head to the polls on Monday to choose their next mayor, with a record 102 candidates to choose from. Photo by Chris Young /The Canadian Press
Article content
TORONTO — Voters in Toronto head to the polls Monday to choose their next mayor, with a record 102 candidates to choose from.
Advertisement 2
This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.
Exclusive articles from Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post and 15 news sites with one account. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that can be viewed, shared, and commented on on any device. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times crossword. Support local journalism.
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.
Exclusive articles from Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events Unlimited online access to National Post and 15 news sites with one account. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that can be viewed, shared, and commented on on any device. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times crossword. Support local journalism.
REGISTER FOR MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.
Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles every month. Receive email updates from your favorite authors.
Article content
Those who ultimately run the city will face a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion, a housing affordability crisis and aging public infrastructure, among other things. Ahead of Election Day, The Canadian Press spoke to residents of the city to get a sense of the issues they would most like to see addressed.
This is what they said:
Eudokia Kliadres
Kliadres moved from Cyprus to Canada four decades ago, raised a family, worked for many years in a Toronto hospital, and is now retired.
But at age 72, she said she’s having a hard time making ends meet.
“We can’t afford vegetables and healthy foods,” she said, pointing to her grocery bag in hand as she stood outside a mall in Flemingdon Park, an eastern Toronto neighborhood.
Article content
Ad 3
This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“I am retired, the pension I get is not enough, not even for the rent.”
Kliadres criticized politicians for not doing enough to support residents as the cost of living skyrockets in the city. She said she hoped the next mayor would take action to reduce housing and grocery costs.
Kliadres also said she hopes the next mayor opposes the province’s plan to move the Ontario Science Center — not far from her home — to a revamped Ontario Place on the city’s waterfront. The science center belongs to her neighbourhood, she said, and must remain accessible to local residents.
——
Colin Chant
Chant lives and works in downtown Toronto and wants whoever becomes mayor to do something about the gridlock that plagues the area.
Traffic congestion, which was bad in the beginning, is getting worse, he said, and public transport is “under pressure”.
Ad 4
This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“It’s just pointless. You’re better off walking,” he said of the traffic in his area, noting that one of the reasons he lives downtown is so he doesn’t have to drive to work.
The next mayor should work on plans to launch an emergency transit line downtown, said Chant, who is an attorney. He also hopes whoever runs the city encourages multimodal transportation systems that accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, cars and transit.
The new mayor also needs to adopt policies that allow density across the city to address the housing shortage, while funding programs aim to help those in need, Chant said.
“If you want to live in a great city, you have to pay for it,” he said.
——
Constantine Hamarakis
Public safety and affordability are the two main issues Hamarakis wants the next mayor to address.
Ad 5
This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“Safety is huge – getting on the bus, getting around, being on the street, shopping, everything,” said the 48-year-old who lives in the eastern region of Scarborough.
The rising cost of living is another major challenge for many city residents, he said.
“You can’t afford housing, you can’t afford food,” Hamarakis said. “You need someone who is going to focus on security, finances and money.”
Hamarakis added that he would also like to see the much-delayed Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit project finally open to the public.
“It’s been going on for way too long,” he said
——
Farida Barrett
Barrett wants the next mayor not to raise taxes because living in the city is already expensive enough.
“That’s a big concern that many people have,” said the 83-year-old, who lived in the western part of Etobicoke.
Ad 6
This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
“Some people can’t afford that.”
Barrett said she was concerned about the increasing poverty in the city, especially among children.
“They are our future and they need to be taken care of,” she said. “That’s the most important thing to feed the people, to house them.”
——
Greg McPhee
McPhee said the cost of housing in Toronto is a major issue that the next mayor needs to take action on.
“I can’t afford to buy a house,” said the 48-year-old Scarborough resident.
“Taxes are clearly out of control,” he added.
McPhee said many residents who rent are being abused by landlords who raise rents while services decline.
“Everything is getting out of hand here… it doesn’t matter who you vote for,” he said, adding that he probably wouldn’t vote. “People are stressed.”
Ad 7
This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
——
Leslie Burrell
Burrell, who lives in the High Park area, west of the downtown core, said tackling traffic should be one of the top priorities for the next mayor.
“Traffic is huge,” said Burrell, 41, a county government employee.
“It’s a huge drain on people’s mental well-being and it’s a huge drain on time and all that stuff for the overall functioning of the city.”
The next mayor must also ensure that Toronto remains a diverse city where people from all backgrounds can thrive, she said.
“The best thing about Toronto is that everyone is welcome here and we all belong here,” she said, as her one-year-old child played by her side.
——
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 25, 2023.
Article content
Share this article on your social network
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a vibrant yet civilized forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their thoughts on our articles. It can take up to an hour for comments to appear on the site. We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful. We’ve enabled email notifications: you will now receive an email when you receive a reply to your comment, when there’s an update to a comment thread you follow, or when a user you follow makes a comment. For more information and details on customizing your email settings, visit our Community Guidelines.
