Biography: Gerald Adad was previously a manager at Safe City Mississauga, a municipal initiative to prevent crime through neighbourhood watch groups, public campaigns against graffiti, and other programs. He says that job required him to work closely with Peel Regional Police, City Council, different levels of government, and non-profits. Adad says he was also involved in lobbying for green development standards, which were approved by council in 2024.

Platform: Adad says his campaign priorities are about “building a safe, strong, happy and affordable Ward 7,” by using data and other technology to “diagnose” why certain issues happen and where, which would then inform the deployment of services like neighbourhood watch groups, police, and bylaw enforcement. He also mentions creating residents’ associations, and investing in services like road maintenance and public art. He also wants to launch a pilot project to incentivize spending at local businesses, advocate for equitable taxation for costs borne by the Region of Peel, and look for new ways to raise revenue for the city.

Biography: Amir Ali is the broker of record at Mizone Realty Inc.

Platform: Ali says he will cap taxes for four years, make streets safer, and attract corporate jobs to Mississauga. He wants to expand frontline policing and have permanent foot patrols to address safety. He describes the maintenance costs of subsidized housing as a “financial leak” and wants to “convert these subsidized units into buyer-owned condominiums” given to the existing residents. He promises to make bids for city contracts more competitive to save money, and automate slow city processes. He also wants to clean up parks, restrict commercial e-scooters, and address school safety.

Biography: Lucas Alves is vice-chair of Peel District School Board (PDSB) and a school board trustee for Ward 3 and 4, where he was elected in 2022. As trustee, he says he has tried to protect students amidst “deep provincial cuts to education.” At the PDSB, he voted against a motion to speed up the re-introduction of police into schools, and spoke in favour of a better strategy to deal with extreme heat in schools, saying that the current system where some families can keep their kids at home on excessively hot days while others have to send their children into hot classrooms is inequitable. He has motioned for culturally relevant and inclusive reading material in PDSB libraries. He has pushed back online against Premier Doug Ford’s criticism of unhoused people, saying that homelessness is related to mental health, addiction, and affordability issues.

Platform: Alves says he will freeze the city’s portion of property taxes for up to two years, fight the “unfair” funding formula for Peel Region, stop “careless overdevelopment,” and make sure that growth works for existing residents. He says he’ll also improve public safety through better policing and practical solutions like lighting and speed bumps, demand clearer timelines and more meaningful support for businesses during LRT construction, and find efficiencies to reduce city spending. He says the most important budget item is public safety.

Biography: According to his website, Joel Binda has worked at Mississauga City Hall’s finance department, and in banking.

Platform: Binda’s platform is focused on stopping tax increases, which he wants to do by reducing grants awarded by the city and “stopping EDI” (equity, diversity, inclusion). Binda calls EDI/DEI “a neo-racist ideology.” Binda also wants to increase the visibility and presence of police by having them walking the streets, visiting local businesses, and patrolling transit. As a way to combat what he calls Canada’s obsession with mass immigration and foreign aid spending, Binda says he will put local needs first by creating a food bank and job board exclusively for Ward 7 residents. He also wants to start an Ontario association for municipal politicians who are opposed to “federal left-wing dogma,” and press the federal government to re-allocate “more of the foreign aid budget” to cities, which he claims would prevent property tax hikes.

Biography: According to her website, Asha Falinski is the founder of Joy Bags, an initiative that gives care packages to people experiencing homelessness. Her LinkedIn says she also works for Freedom Mobile as a market lead for real estate and municipal affairs.

Platform: If elected, Falinski says that she will focus on community safety, infrastructure, responsible budgeting, and expanded housing options for affordability. She says she will also advocate for coordination between projects to minimize disruptions and support local businesses by reducing barriers to growth.

Biography: Ahsan Khokhar is, according to his LinkedIn, director of the Mississauga East-Cooksville Provincial Liberal Association.

Platform: Khokhar wants to create more jobs for the ward, audit the city budget for potential unnecessary spending, and provide property tax relief. He says he will add more traffic calming measures like speed bumps, make bus service reliable for seniors, maintain parks, fix roads and other infrastructure, and push for transparency on the Mississauga LRT project. He also wants Mississauga to leave Peel Region, which he says could save tax payers $85 million a year.

Biography: Jerry Krzywda is a realtor at RE/MAX Realty Specialists in Mississauga. He serves on the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board’s government relations committee and the Cornerstone Association of Realtors’ provincial and federal advocacy committee. He is also on the board of the Ontario Realtors Care Foundation, where he says he co-chairs the finance and audit committee and the grants and award committee.

Platform: Krzywda’s priorities are affordability, housing, local businesses, and community spaces. He says he would ask council to consider a “fully costed zero-increase option” for the city’s share of property taxes, and push for ongoing reviews of city spending. He also wants to expand missing-middle housing options, create a support plan for businesses affected by construction, reduce flood risk, and get the area’s planned community centre and library built.

Biography: Keshav Mandadi describes himself as an “edupreneur” with a background in teaching and educational management. In an interview with Modern Mississauga, Mandadi says that he’s taught at a number of universities like Sultan Qaboos University, McMaster University, and the University of Toronto. Ahead of the 2025 election, Mandadi sought to be the federal Conservative candidate in Mississauga East-Cooksville. According to The Pointer, Mandadi spent tens of thousands of dollars pursuing the nomination and was told he was a “star candidate” before being disqualified without explanation.

Platform: Mandadi’s priorities include better communication surrounding construction, local traffic mitigation plans, and accelerated road improvements. Around Hurontario Street and Dundas Street, he says he’ll add more community safety initiatives, clean up public spaces, and make police enforcement more visible. He also wants to revitalize Cooksville, renew infrastructure, and respond quicker to neighbourhood issues. On housing, he says he wants “growth done right”, and to ensure that neighbourhoods are protected while increasing housing.

Biography: Louroz Mercader is the executive director of the downtown Brampton BIA. Previously, he was the executive director of the Yonge and St. Clair BIA in midtown Toronto. Mercader has run for office in Ward 7 several times, making bids for Catholic school trustee in 2003 and 2006 and for councillor in 2010, 2014, and 2018. In his most recent race, he finished sixth out of 12 candidates.

Platform: Mercader says he will maintain property taxes at the same rate or below inflation. He also says he will freeze community centre fees and maintain MiWay fares at the same rate. He wants to push for the completion of the Hazel McCallion LRT by 2028, and more GO train and bus services from Cooksville Station. He also plans to improve bike routes in the city.

Mercader wants to address funding for Peel Police with the government of Ontario, and reopen the ward’s police station at Hurontario and Dundas Streets, alongside creating a neighbourhood community officer unit in the Cooksville neighbourhood “with specialized training to assist those in crisis,” and havign more by-law officers in the area. He also says he will expand property tax rebates for seniors, low-income residents, and families. On housing, Mercader pledges to work with nonprofits and developers to build affordable housing, including low-rise multiplex housing.

Biography: Naila Saeed is the founder and CEO of EYES Child Care, which she says she grew from a home daycare to a business with 44 locations that cares for more than 1,000 children and employs hundreds of people. She is also the vice president of the Canadian Council of Indian Muslims, a member of the Indo Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and sits on the board of the Professional Immigrants Network. Her company has won awards from the Canadian Commerce Awards and the Consumer Choice Awards. She’s been critical of the federal government’s $10-a-day child care program, which caps the profits privately run centres can earn. Saeed ran for provincial office with the NDP in 2025 in Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, coming third out of five candidates.

Platform: Saeed lists her policy priorities as traffic congestion, delivering the LRT, “responsible taxation,” addressing speeding and crime, housing affordability and smart growth, and investing in services like recreation and child care.

Biography: Maisa Salhia is a freelance marketing consultant, according to her LinkedIn, and director of the Breakfast With Santa Foundation, which provides snacks and Christmas gifts to children who rely on school food programs for their nutrition. She says on Instagram that she has started a Neighbourhood Watch program in her area. Salhia ran for council in Ward 7 previously in 2022.

Platform: Salhia says her policy priorities are safer streets, lower taxes, simpler business applications. She wants to find more efficient ways to deliver city services, and additionally mentions environmental sustainability, and affordable housing.

Biography: Amitabh Srivastava is a local realtor who says he’s trained as an engineer. He says he has worked in public service “across transit, operations, and resident-facing roles.” He’s also listed on LinkedIn as a self-employed immigration consultant and online as the owner of a Smoke’s Poutinerie franchise.

Platform: Srivastava says his priorities, if elected, would be to remain accessible to constituents, create safer streets, spend public money responsibly, plan smart growth, and promote local businesses.

Biography: Tassawar Syed is a local realtor who says he’s also an engineer. He previously sought the Progressive Conservative nomination to run in Mississauga East–Cooksville in the 2018 provincial election, but withdrew his candidacy before the vote.

Platform: Syed lists his priorities for Ward 7 as safer streets, smarter services, the local economy, and being accessible to constituents.

Biography: George Tavares describes himself as a consultant who works “in and around municipal affairs, public policy, civic engagement, infrastructure planning, budget analysis, and government accountability.” He previously ran for mayor in 2022 and 2024. Tavares has deputed at council in favour of the city’s pause on building AI data centres, saying, “no business should be permitted to consume unreasonable shares of public infrastructure.” He’s been critical of the city’s $2.5-billion plan to revitalize downtown, arguing that it could lead to tax increases but wasn’t an essential service.

Platform: Tavares promises to scrutinize city spending, push for timely road repairs and more traffic calming measures, and make sure that new housing comes with new infrastructure. He wants to formally challenge the Peel police funding formula to make it fairer to Mississauga.

Biography: Peter Tolias is the owner of a landscaping and plowing business and on LinkedIn says he’s also a motivational speaker. Tolias briefly ran for mayor in 2024 before withdrawing to endorse Carolyn Parrish. He’s the winner of a “Citizen of the Year” award from Peel Regional Police for his work organizing youth mentorship programs and giving speeches to students.

When Parrish was a councillor, she said she found one of Tolias’ crews in her backyard performing landscaping services without her consent during a period in which Tolias was trying to convince the city to waive a $36,000 fee for a basketball tournament featuring celebrity coaches Snoop Dogg and 2 Chainz. Tolias argued he was “just trying to make the community better” and denied trying to sway councillors’ votes with free services.

Platform: Tolias says he’ll deliver improvements to parks, infrastructure, and roads. He wants to support youth programs, recreation, sports and community spaces, and advance community safety initiatives.

Biography: Hazra Wade is a legal assistant in Ontario’s Ministry of Finance. She says she has worked in the Ontario public service for 25 years. She also says she worked in public service in Trinidad and Tobago, for the immigration office, fire services, and police.

Platform: Wade lists her priorities as housing, transit, safety, and community investment. She says she wants Ward 7 to get a broader range of housing options, attainable homes for first-time buyers and young families, and easier connections between transit services.

Biography: Leslie Zurek-Silvestri says she is a nurse and health care consultant who has held positions at charities and non-profits like United Way, Breakfast with Santa Foundation, Hats on for Awareness, and Learning Disabilities Association of Peel Region. She is a former president of the Art Gallery of Mississauga, where a third-party investigator found she had allegedly engaged in psychological harassment and workplace violence. Zurek-Silvestri was temporarily banned from the gallery, which is located at city hall. She also says she’s sat on the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board’s Special Education Advisory Committee.

Platform: If elected, Zurek-Silvestri promises to advocate for residents, host regular town halls, work with rate-payers’ associations, and use social media and newsletters to engage with constituents. Her other priorities are respecting tax dollars, creating jobs for young people, reducing poverty, and keeping all car lanes while encouraging bike lanes off main roads.

Biography: Little information is available online about Charles Corey. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is a risk management consultant who has worked at CGI, Sun Life Financial, and TELUS. He is also president of the Credit Pointe Residents’ Association. Corey initially entered the race for Ward 9 and 10 in the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board before dropping out to run for Wards 1 and 7 in the Peel District School Board.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication.

Biography: Jad El-Ghali currently works in risk and compliance at Exiger. He was previously a provincial media representative for New Majority (then called Future Majority), a non-profit aimed at getting first-time voters to the polls. He previously ran for PDSB trustee in Wards 3 and 4 in the 2022 municipal election.

Platform: El-Ghali’s platform mentions helping students build “strong foundations”, “safe and healthy schools”, and career planning, with an emphasis on transparency. He says he would host regular office hours for parents and students, provide clear updates about board decisions, and ensure that students are “included in conversations about their school experience.”

Biography: Sara Iqbal is a recent graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University. According to her LinkedIn profile, she is currently a teaching assistant at the Ted Rogers School of Management. She previously ran for mayor in the 2024 Mississauga municipal by-election at the age of 20.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication.

Biography: Paul Pu is the director of The Erindale Academy, a private school near the University of Toronto – Mississauga campus. He is also the president of the Global Youth Challenge, a non-profit that hosts an annual essay and speech contest for students. Earlier this year, he published a book on AI and education with OISE professor Jim Slotta.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication.

Biography: There is little information available online about Miles Roque. According to this LinkedIn profile, he works in project management at Accenture. He previously worked at Canadian Solar and the Comtech Group. He also ran in the 2018 municipal election, for Ward 1 councillor, coming in fourth place.

Platform: Roque’s platform is available on Instagram. It includes addressing overcrowding and planning for long-term capital expenses at the board; increasing special education staffing and mental health supports; and increasing “accountability” through regular updates and accessible community meetings.

Biography: Little information is available online about Sariya Talat. She is the parent co-chair of the Parent Involvement Committee for the PDSB.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication.

Biography: Diana Carlesimo has served as the chair of a school council and on a central committee for Catholic school councils at the board level. She says her child attends Catholic elementary school in Ward 7. She is listed as an operations manager on LinkedIn.

Platform: Carlesimo says her priorities are faith, family, community, and education. She says she will protect and strengthen Catholic education so that schools provide an academic foundation while also centering faith, values, and Catholic identity. She cites stronger lines of communication between the board, schools, the ministry of education, and families as her highest priority.

Biography: Bruno Iannicca has been the trustee for Ward 7 since 1991. He has previously served as chair of the board. Iannicca works as the Canadian product manager at ePost Global, a U.S.-based shipping company.

In 2009, Iannicca tried to give the money leftover from his personal board expense account to schools, but was shot down by his colleagues who said he was just trying to score points with constituents. In 2016, he opposed the decision to close two elementary schools.

During a 2025 debate over 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride flags at Catholic schools, he voted in favour of a failed motion that would have allowed additional flags, like the Pride flag, at schools. But then seven months later, he voted the opposite, to ban additional flags from being displayed inside schools.

Platform: Iannicca had not published a platform for his 2026 re-election campaign by the time of publication but he told the Mississauga News that his priorities include improving EQAO results; strengthening ties between schools, families, and the Church; pushing for funding for students with complex needs, and educating parents and students about human trafficking.

Biography: Little information is available online about Mahmad Neezam Chutoo. On LinkedIn, he says he works in bilingual customer service at Aimia, a Toronto-based investment holding company.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication.

Biography: Pierre Gregory has been a trustee for Conseil scolaire Viamonde since 2022, representing Hamilton-Wentworth, Halton, and Brant. He won by acclamation because he ran unopposed in that election.

Gregory has nearly 30 years of experience in education, including as a teacher at a French-language high school. He has previously worked at the Ministry of Education as part of the unit responsible for curriculum development in French-language schools in Ontario. As trustee, Gregory sat on the board’s Parents’ Participation Committee.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication.

Biography: Jennifer Green Frank is running unopposed and therefore has already been elected by acclamation at the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir. She is a registered immigration consultant with the immigration consulting firm Keith C.A. Frank & Associates. Green Frank is a citizen member of Mississauga’s Governance Committee and on the faculty at Ashton College, an online career college.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication.