Ward 1 — Etobicoke North

Abraham Abbey is a community worker and human services worker with experience in the non-profit sector. Since 2014, Abbey has served on the board of directors for the Rexdale Community Hub. Abbey graduated from York University in 2003 with a degree in Sociology. Earlier this year, Abbey was one of 21 candidates who applied to fill the position of city councillor left vacant by Michael Ford, but lost to Rosemarie Bryan. During an Oct 5 debate, Abbey said one of his key platform priorities is removing parking fees for Toronto Community Housing tenants. He also said he would like rent increases to occur every two years instead of annually.

Information about this candidate could not be found at time of publication.

Subhash Chand is the owner of Chand Tax & Debt Limited. On his website, he says that living and working in Etobicoke North for the last 10 years fulfils his passion for helping others in the community. His platform centres around building safer and cleaner neighbourhoods, better roads, youth development, relief for small businesses affected by LRT construction and affordable housing.

Alistair Courtney served as the director of public relations for George Brown University from 2010 to 2014. Courtney has a decade of experience in the entertainment sector, having worked with organizations such as Pride Toronto, Canada Music Week, and North by Northeast. He currently works as a box office supervisor for the Toronto International Film Festival. Courtney has taken the Right to Housing pledge supporting affordable housing.

Vincent Crisanti is a former city councillor for Ward 1, holding the office from 2010 to 2018 and losing his seat to Michael Ford in the last municipal election. Crisanti was a councillor during Rob Ford’s tenure as mayor and often voted in line with Ford’s policies. During his term, Crisanti was appointed to the TTC board by city council in 2010, and then removed in 2012. In 2017, he was removed of his duties as one of the city’s deputy mayors by John Tory after Crisanti announced his support for Doug Ford, a potential rival to Tory in the upcoming election. Ford would later cancel his mayoral campaign to run for leadership of the Ontario PC Party. Crisanti commits to advocating for transit improvements if elected, including for two additional stops at Rexdale Boulevard and the GO Station at Highway 27 and Belfield. He says he will also continue to work with local businesses to create jobs and encourage economic growth in the community.

Michelle Garcia is a community activist who ran for city council in 2018 (receiving 439 votes) and 2014 (receiving 254 votes). There is limited information online about Garcia’s platform. However, for an Oct 16 publication by The Carribean Camera, Garcia said her top campaign priorities are to address affordable housing by creating a plan for more vertical living units over a ten-year period, and to reduce gun violence. She also says she wants to address racial discrimination.

John Genser is a longtime Woodbine resident. He has worked as a financial analyst at Woodbine Entertainment Group for 22 years. Earlier this year, Genser was one of 21 candidates who applied to fill the position of city councillor left vacant by Michael Ford, but lost to Rosemarie Bryan. He expressed that he was running because he’s worried about inflation and wants the city to pass a budget that eases residents’ worries. Genser’s platform consists of keeping property taxes low and building infrastructure.

Avtar Minhas is a Toronto realtor and owner of an auto-repair business, which he established in 1999. He ran in the 2014 elections where he placed second with 3118 votes. Minhas is a former trustee for Ward 1 from 2016 to 2018, winning his seat in a by-election. During his term, he co-sponsored a motion to observe Hindu Heritage Month in November across Toronto Schools. His platform mentions affordable housing, road safety and TTC improvements, opportunities for youth, and addressing the climate crisis.

Dev Narang is a business owner, former realtor, and actor with a background in mechanical engineering. He has appeared in several short films, shows, and commercials, and has previously been president of the Niagara Innkeepers Association. Narang is an opinion writer for the Times of India, where he has advocated for a better COVID response from the government, and previously wrote for the Guelph Mercury, where he was a member of the community editorial board. Earlier this year, Narang was one of 21 candidates who applied to fill the position of city councillor left vacant by Michael Ford, but lost to Rosemarie Bryan. As part of his campaign, Narang wants to improve existing infrastructure in his ward, advocate for better roads, housing, and senior care, support small businesses and workers’ rights, and decrease TTC fare to $2.50.

Chris Noor is a longtime Ward 1 resident who previously ran in the 2018 municipal elections, where he placed eighth with 214 votes. He also ran in the 2014 municipal elections, where he placed eleventh with 172 votes. Earlier this year, Noor was one of 21 candidates who appied to fill the position of city councillor left vacant by Michael Ford, but lost to Rosemarie Bryan. As part of his previous campaign, Noor wanted to create a poverty tax reserve fund and create a mobile food bank truck. Noor’s platform consists of extending the Finch LRT, creating a safe injection site in the community, supporting unhoused people, and reducing violence.

Charles Ozzoude is a health researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital with a background in health science and community organizing. His research focuses on the intersection of equity and community health. Previously, he worked as a strategy research intern for Toronto Community Housing where he helped develop a strategy to address anti-Black racism. His platform includes plans to ensure upgrades to Toronto Community Housing buildings, as well as helping police “build better relationships with the community, especially Black residents,” by having mental health professionals work with police in crisis situations. According to his site, he promises to advocate for more funding for housing and transit in Etobicoke North, including more Express Buses, and to work with local leaders and health centres to “tackle COVID-19”.

Earlier this year, Ozzoude was one of 21 candidates who applied to fill the position of city councillor left vacant by Michael Ford, but lost to Rosemarie Bryan, who has since resigned. Ozzoude has been endorsed by the Toronto & York Region Labour Council, Progress Toronto, and the Toronto Star.

On his Instagram profile, Donald Pell writes he has 40 years of experience in grocery retail sales, which has allowed him to interact with community members on a daily basis. While there is limited information about Pell’s platform, he says he would like to address even small changes in his ward that have been traditionally neglected.

According to his website, Kristian Santos is a longtime Ward 1 resident and a business professional who has experience working with corporations in the IT industry and with government bids. He notes three key platform priorities including working with the North Etobicoke Resident Council to establish community representatives that meet regularly and encourage collaboration between neighbourhoods. Santos also wants to develop an Etobicoke North business committee that supports small businesses and requests commercial businesses to prioritize residents for job fulfilment. He has taken the Right to Housing pledge for affordable housing and says he will continue to support their movement if elected.

Ricardo Santos is a long-time Toronto resident with ties to northern Etobicoke. According to his website, he is a cancer survivor. His campaign website doesn’t list any specific policy plans, though he says he will work to address the cost of living, mental health, safety, and transit infrastructure in the city. He also says he will support youth programs and community programs.

Mohit Sharma is a long-time Ward 1 resident with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University. According to his LinkedIn profile, he currently works as a Data Entry Associate for a retailer and has previous experience in project management. His platform emphasizes mental health support, improving public transit, and building a hydroponic farm in Ward 1. Sharma has also taken the Right to Housing pledge supporting affordable housing.

Information about this candidate could not be found at time of publication.