Here Are the Scarborough Southwest By-Election Candidates

Biography: Malik Ahmad describes himself as a small business owner and entrepreneur. He’s also the co-founder of the International Indian Film Festival Toronto. In the 2022 election, Ahmad came fifth of eight candidates. He also ran in 2010, when he came in third of 10.

Platform: If elected, Ahmad wants to work to keep property taxes at or below inflation, and demand a line-by-line budget review of all city programs and services. He supports affordable developments in the ward, and wants to integrate community consultation into the building process, and link new housing supply with new transit investments. He plans to work with the federal and provincial governments to invest in safer, accessible and reliable TTC services, and supports Councillor Brad Bradford’s plan to establish a Congestion Relief Commissioner to address traffic in the city.

His platform also includes attracting business to the ward. He wants to establish more services for seniors, including collaborating with restaurants to provide “at cost” meal services, and providing seniors with free transit access. He advocates for “community policing” as a way to deal with crime, and supports investing in law enforcement. He says he wants to address the “real problems” of homelessness, substance abuse and mental health, including through provincial reinvestment in mental health.

In an interview with Beach Metro, Ahmad says that he will crack down on renovictions and ensure that affordable units are built when a property is redeveloped (though councillors have limited power on both these fronts). He also pledges to look into tax increases like the Vacant Home Tax to help with the city’s deficit and work with other levels of government, specifically the province, to support the city’s social and health programming.

Biography: Corey David is a member of Socialist Action Canada and is the Municipal Socialist Alliance candidate for Ward 20. In an interview with Beach Metro Community News, David said he is currently a streetcar driver. He also said that he spent seven years working in group homes and with the TDSB, supporting individuals with disabilities, and had spent seven years before that working as a machinist. David told Toronto.com in 2022 that he has volunteered with the provincial and federal NDP, and that he was provincial delegate and acting secretary of his local electoral district association. In 2021, he campaigned to stop a proposed housing development on the Quarry Lands, south of Danforth, citing the need to protect the area’s local wildlife and the unhoused populations sheltering there. David previously ran in the 2021 Ward 22 by-election, where he placed 15 out of 27. He ran for councillor again in the 2022 municipal election and came in sixth of eight.

Platform: David’s platform is that of the Municipal Socialist Alliance. Their campaign priorities include help for those experiencing homelessness, calling for a repeal of Code 608 (which includes a bylaw that forbids dwelling, camping, or lodging in parks), eliminating blind bidding on property sales, introducing “real” rent control, a vacancy tax of 30 percent after 3 months, freezing property taxes for personal property, ensuring that half of newly constructed condos are rented at median-market rent, hiring more housing inspectors, and more.

David and the Municipal Socialist Alliance are also advocating for free public transit, disarming and cutting the police budget by half (instead putting those resources to “community programs, mental health supports, rent-geared-to-income social housing, [and] youth programs”) and free 24-hour childcare. They are also calling for expanding bus services, bike lanes and rush-hour bus lanes to improve traffic, ensuring that construction projects incorporate a green roof, increasing services like garbage collection and snow removal, cancelling Highway 413, increasing the number of available public bathrooms, speeding up the construction of elevators in all subway stations, and creating cooling bylaws that make it illegal for landlords to allow internal temps get to get higher than 26 C.

In a Q&A with Beach Metro, David says that he wants to introduce rent-to-own programs and improve co-op housing. He supports curtailing the private housing sector, as well as introducing mansion taxes, multiple-unit taxes, and other “progressive property taxes.” He also proposes strengthening the local economy by connecting businesses with public resources to find new efficient ways to deliver goods and services.

Biography: Malika Ghous is currently serving as a TDSB trustee for Scarborough Southwest. She was elected to the role in 2022. Before that, according to her LinkedIn, Ghous worked at BMO as a customer service representative and interned with Scarborough Centre MP Salma Zahid.

Platform: Ghous’ platform priorities include protecting the Scarborough Bluffs, more funding for affordable housing, using AI to monitor and alleviate traffic, expanding the police’s Neighbourhood Community Officer Program, increasing bus routes, and adding more enforcement officers at the ward’s TTC stations. Ghous also proposes expanding the municipal rent bank, keeping property tax increases at or below inflation, freezing fares for three years, increasing the number of bus routes leaving from subway stations in the ward, and adding more 24-hour bus routes along thoroughfares like the Danforth. She wants to increase the presence of transit police at local subway stations. She also mentions summer programming and road safety improvements. She opposes the construction of any new bike lanes along any major streets in the ward. In an ad placed in the Bluffs Monitor, a local monthly newspaper in Scarborough, Ghous says she is against the proposed Toronto-wide municipal retail sales tax, and wants to establish a Kingston Road business improvement area.

A November 28 report by Global News tied Ghous to allegations of voter fraud in the ward. Candidates Parthi Kandavel and Anna Sidiropolous told Global News they’d been made aware of people fraudulently registering to vote in the ward, which Global reports may be due to a lack of ID requirements at polling stations. The Local has not independently verified these allegations, and her campaign denies them.

In an interview with Beach Metro, Ghous says that she will “put a stop” to the proposed condo development at 150 Clonmore Drive and “redress what was lost,” namely green space, in the redevelopment of the Quarry Lands which is bringing over 1,000 new housing units and a new park.

Ghous has been endorsed by Salma Zahid, the Liberal MP for Scarborough Centre, and Yasir Naqvi, the Liberal MP for Ottawa Centre, alongside other Liberal MPs.

Biography: Little information is available online about Thomas Hall. He ran for mayor in 2023 and garnered 258 votes, coming 37th out of 102. A person of the same name ran for Toronto District School Board councillor in Ward 2 in 2022, coming in second out of four.

Platform: Hall hasn’t released a platform at the time of publication.

Biography: Little information is available online about Peter Handjis. On his X (formerly Twitter) profile, he says that he has 20 years of experience as a business owner and manager. In a 2023 video, Handjis said he has volunteer experience with people experiencing homelessness and addiction issues. He ran for mayor in both 2022 and 2023, coming in 31st of 31 in 2022 and placing 70th out of 102 in 2023, earning 127 votes. On June 26, he tweeted a doctored image of an Olivia Chow ad that said “Hi I am Olivia Chow, I ill be voting for Peter Handjis” [sic] and “I’m Olivia Chow, Can’t stand Toronto.”

Platform: Handjis’ platform includes increasing low-income rental options in the ward, creating a city-run subsidy for low-income families, bolstering small and medium businesses, educating emergency services to be more integrated into the community, upgrading aging infrastructure, creating more opportunities at all levels of education for students to be “employment ready” and creating revenue for the city by building cafes and snack shacks on city-owned parkland. He also says he would advocate for a commission to ensure a “guaranteed number of dollars” go to the ward and Scarborough every year, though he doesn’t elaborate on how this would work. In an interview with Beach Metro Community News, Handjis also says that bringing manufacturing back to the ward is a priority, as is increasing affordable housing units with minimal cost to the taxpayer and revitalizing Warden Woods park.

Biography: Jessica Hines is a business consultant and former operations manager at Black Urbanism TO, a not-for-profit organization that works to increase the participation of Black people in community development in Toronto. Hines works as the affordable housing organiser for the Oakwood-Vaughan Community Organization and is an independent consultant for clients like NGOs and private companies, advising them on “campaigns and initiatives.” According to her campaign website, Hines is also the founder of Agua Aquifer, a self-watering plant pot.

Platform: Hines’s campaign priorities include “implementing community-driven models that promote accessible homeownership,” improving community safety, and transforming Scarborough Southwest into a hub for transit and business. In an interview with Beach Metro, Hines says that she will work with organizations like community land trusts and cooperatives to ensure affordable housing; she supports zoning policies that would ensure a percentage of new developments are reserved for affordable housing units, which she says may involve working closely with developers and the City. She wants to embrace technology to make municipal operations more cost effective and efficient, and believes raising property taxes to help with the city’s deficit should be a “last resort.” Hines is also in favour of reducing municipal corporate taxes to ensure that businesses stay in the city. She names transit improvements as a top priority, but cites only improving the ward’s  cycling network as a solution.

Biography: Marzia Hoque describes herself as a Scarborough Southwest resident and active community member. According to her Facebook page, she works at a not-for-profit security company that largely employs Canadian Armed Forces veterans and former RCMP members; she attended the Canadian Law Enforcement Training College in Toronto from 2008 to 2009, according to her LinkedIn. She is also secretary of the Scarborough Southwest Federal Liberal Party. On her website, Hoque lists her volunteer experience at a number of local organizations in Toronto including West Park Hospital, the Toronto Police – 54 Division, COSTI Immigration Services, and the Bangladesh Association of Toronto.

Platform: In an interview with Beach Metro Community News, Hoque says that, if elected, she will seek out community input on new developments, focus on the preservation of existing affordable housing through regulations, and advocate for tenants’ rights. She also said she would only consider  property tax increases as a last resort to solve the city’s deficit.

Biography: Alamgir Hussain describes himself as a small business owner and community advocate. He’s also a lawyer. According to LinkedIn, Hussain has practiced real estate, civil, family, immigration, criminal and injury law, and was formerly a social worker and director at Ontario’s Bangladesh Association. He also appears to be a former newspaper publisher. Hussain also ran for MP in 2008 as Scarborough Southwest’s NDP candidate, coming in third out of five.

Platform: Hussain’s platform includes collaborating “closely” with local law enforcement and implementing strategies like community policing and neighbourhood watch programs. Hussain also promises to advocate for better resources in schools (like tech access and extracurriculars) and to support the city’s renewable energy efforts and other environmental initiatives. He says he will also advocate for improved infrastructure (ranging from roads, public transportation and community faculties), increase access to mental health care, establish affordable senior care centres and services, and support skilled educators and a “modern curricula” (public school curriculum is set by the province). Hussain also claims that he will advocate for those relying on the Ontario Disability Support Program, which is a provincially run program.

Biography: Anthony Internicola is the CEO (and seemingly sole employee) of Zodiom Net, a talent and networking agency, as well as an Uber and Lyft driver. Previously, he ran in the 2019 federal election as a member of the People’s Party of Canada in Scarborough-Agincourt (in an email to The Local last year, he said he no longer affiliates himself with the PPC). Internicola also ran for city councillor in the ward in 2014, in Scarborough North in 2018, and again in Scarborough-Agincourt in the 2021 by-election and 2022 municipal election. He has finished last in every election save for 2021, when he was 23rd of 27.

Platform: Internicola’s platform includes creating more community programs that will help constituents’ mental health and support people in building new careers—which he says will help decrease a “motley of petty crimes.” Internicola also wants to increase police presence, invest in roads, parks and recreation areas, and promote multiculturalism by expanding services and hosting community events. He wants to encourage real estate development and supports a Scarborough subway line—particularly a Sheppard subway extension to Port Union Road. Internicola says, in an interview with Beach Metro, that he will identify cost-saving measures like partnerships with local businesses to avoid increasing taxes.

Biography: Little information about Syed Jaffery is available online, and his descriptions of himself vary between sources: on a prior campaign website, he described himself as working in real estate, doing two years of medical school, and volunteering in local politics. In a 2023 interview with Beach Metro Community News, he described himself as a scientist. He told Modern Mississauga that he is “highly educated with doctoral degrees.” In 2018 and 2022, Jaffery ran for city councillor in Mississauga—he came third of five and fifth of eight respectively. In 2021, he ran for federal office in Toronto Centre for the People’s Party of Canada, finishing fifth of seven. In the 2023 Toronto mayoral by-election, Jaffery won 147 votes.

Platform: When asked by Beach Metro how he would respond to increasing density and the tearing down of affordable housing along Kingston Road, Jaffery says he will consult with local residents. He also says that “tax increase is a natural process” and that steps can be taken to conserve resources. He did not elaborate on either answer. He added that he would want to bring in more festivals and cultural programming if elected.

Biography: Little information is available online about Naser Kaid. He has previously worked as a taxi driver; in 2016, he advocated against the taxi drivers’ strike, calling Ubers “healthy competition.” It’s unclear if he is still a taxi driver. Kaid ran for TDSB trustee in the ward in 2014, coming last, and in 2022, where he came seventh of eight.

Platform: Kaid has not released his platform at the time of publication.

Biography: Parthi Kandavel describes himself as a longtime resident of Scarborough. He is a teacher by profession, and was the TDSB trustee for Ward 18 between 2014 to 2022. During his time as trustee, Kandavel was the chair of the budget committee between late 2020 and 2022. He advocated for equity initiatives, including an overhaul of the special arts schools application process—which was found to skew in favour of wealthy, white students—and the introduction of more equitable learning materials in classrooms. He’s also been an advocate for public education, serving as director of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association from 2014-19, including a term as vice president of enrollment from 2016-17. In the 2022 municipal election, Kandavel came in second of eight in Scarborough Southwest. He subsequently filed a complaint with the integrity commissioner over robocalls made by John Tory in support of incumbent Gary Crawford, who won the election.

Platform: Kandavel’s priorities include planning and building affordable housing in tandem with the City, increasing bus frequency, tackling congestion and traffic, and demanding transparency on the delayed Eglinton LRT. He also says that he will push for a separated busway in the ward with a dedicated right-of-way to help alleviate traffic on Midland and Kennedy. He wants to prioritize neighbourhood safety to address the root causes of crime, advocate for better local services, and demand accountability and transparency in governance. He hasn’t yet laid out specific plans to accomplish these priorities. Regarding local green spaces, Kandavel proposes protecting the Scarborough Bluffs and other nearby parks, and wants to build a sidewalk down the steep road to Bluffers Park. He has also proposed revitalization efforts for Cliffside.

In an interview with Beach Metro Community News, Kandavel says that he opposed the “demoviction” of Lenmore Court and will support development where “the zoning makes sense” and city funding and services are proportionally available to residents. He also proposes decreasing city spending on external consultants, increasing taxes on vacant properties, and implementing a foreign buyer land transfer tax to combat the city’s deficit.

Kandavel is endorsed by waterfront advocacy group Toronto Lakefront Community, as well as TDSB Scarborough trustees Manna Wong, Yalini Rajakulasingam, and Neethan Shan.

Biography: Little is available about Walayat Khan online. He describes himself as a realtor, car workshop owner, and veteran labour rights activist. In a Q&A with Beach Metro Community News, he says he advocated for labour rights for 30 years with licensing authorities at City Hall, and he appears to previously have been a member of the Taxi Advisory Committee. He ran for mayor in 2023, earning 109 votes. He also ran for city councillor in Scarborough-Agincourt in 2021, coming 16th of 27.

Platform: Khan told Beach Metro he’s committed to creating more after-school programs for youth, working with private developers to build affordable housing, and creating measures to combat gun violence. When asked about densification on Kingston Road that would replace affordable housing with condos, he says that he welcomes the densification but is also in favour of a public consultation process.

Biography: Information about this candidate could not be found at this time.

Biography: Md Abdullah Al Mamun says in his campaign material that he is a health care worker. Little else is available about him online. He does not provide any specifics or anecdotes to substantiate his claims that he is “skilled in negotiating for support from various government levels” and has “in depth political knowledge.”

Platform: Al Mumun’s platform is focused on better housing, affordability, improved resources and programs at the public library, transit accessibility, and community safety—though he doesn’t elaborate on how he’ll achieve these platform priorities.

Biography: Suman Roy is a chef-turned-food advocate who is active in his community and across the city. He’s the founder of food security and community health initiative Feed Scarborough, the chair of the board at Scarborough Arts, a member of the community advisory panel for the Toronto Police Services’ Race-based Data Collection strategy, and has previously served as chair of the Board of Directors for FoodShare Toronto. He’s currently on leave from his position as a member of the Board of Health for the City of Toronto, which works with the city and council to implement public health programs and more. He was also on the Toronto Food Policy Council. Roy began his career working in hospitality catering and as a  corporate chef, and was co-owner of Wild Burger, a now-closed burger restaurant in Toronto.

On November 29, The Trillium reported that Suman Roy had been accused by former employees and volunteers of dubious financial dealings through his charity Feed Scarborough, saying that only 18 cents for every dollar went to actual charitable purposes. The Roy campaign attributed the costs to capital expenses on new space, and said the food bank “ensures that every dollar and every item of food has its maximum impact on the community.” Roy was also accused of misallocating grant funding and spending on inappropriate purchases, like an $8,000 pizza oven, while the food bank’s programs were struggling. There are other allegations of misuse of funds meant for food bank clients, re-selling of donated food, improperly storing food, and overworking and bullying employees. The campaign denied some allegations and did not address others, and told The Trillium people should “focus on what is important and not wild accusations and hearsay.”

Platform: Roy’s platform includes working with the city to find solutions for the housing crisis, eliminating food waste from grocery stores as a way to tackle food insecurity, advocating for fairer working conditions, and “denser employment land to cut down long commutes.” He also wants to educate drivers on how to protect their cars from theft, develop safer pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, improve services and mental health supports for youth, create community spaces and programs to address “the root causes of crime,” and “work with police and the community to find the right solutions.” He also promises to make community consultation more accessible, and respond to all requests sent to his office within 72 hours.

Roy told Beach Metro he hopes to advocate for comprehensive master plans and thorough consultations when it comes to development, hold regular town halls in the ward, and ensure local services match increasing density along Kingston Road in Scarborough Southwest.

He is endorsed by city councillor Jennifer McKelvie.

Biography: Kevin Rupasinghe is a community advocate and transportation planner with a background in civil engineering. He has worked as campaigns manager for Cycle Toronto, and is a co-founder of Danforth-Kingston For All, a volunteer cycling and pedestrian infrastructure improvement group. Rupasinghe has also advocated for the creation of the West Scarborough Rail Path, a six-kilometre trail using old rail lines between Kennedy Road and Victoria Park Avenue, as well as pedestrian safety initiatives including placing speed cameras at busy intersections. He’s co-chair of Unlock Democracy, a charity that works towards election reform, and has advocated for ranked ballots in Toronto’s municipal elections—a system where voters rank candidates according to their preference instead of choosing one. Rupasinghe ran in the 2022 election and came in third out of eight in Scarborough Southwest. 

Platform: Rupasinghe’s platform focuses on safer streets, building “affordable and sustainable housing,” creating more accessible transit and jobs, creating “climate responsible” city policies, and working to mend social connections post-pandemic.

To create more affordable housing in the ward, Rupasinghe says he will turn to city-owned land to build affordable housing, work with communities and builders to develop neighbourhoods, and incentivize below-market units quickly, among other promises. He also says he will invest in preexisting community housing and shelters, allow for different types of housing (like midrise apartments) and support non-profit options. In a video posted to his X (formerly Twitter) profile, Rupasinghe says that, if elected, he’ll fight for rent control, enforcing stricter penalties on negligent landlords and hiring a tenant organiser for his office.

A key part of Rupasinghe’s platform is safer streets. He hopes to modernize road design, enhance green spaces, and ensure snow maintenance. His safety plan includes expanding the ward’s slate of speed cameras from 3 to 30, improving safety in school zones and community hubs, creating a 10-minute bus network across the ward, and hiring more traffic wardens to replace police officers for traffic enforcement.

To improve transit, Rupasinghe wants to build an SRT replacement busway on the now-decommissioned Line 3’s tracks, among other TTC improvements. He says he will also work to get funding for a bridge replacement over Taylor-Massey Creek, and make Kingston Road a “main street” to support local businesses. His platform also includes funding and fostering arts and culture in the city, the implementation of a commercial parking levy to raise funds (which city council is already considering), and voting reforms. Rupasinghe also wants to ensure that there’s one integrated fare for TTC and GO Transit, and has endorsed the One-Fare Program that is being implemented on the TTC in 2024, where transfers from the TTC to Go Transit will be reimbursed.

Rupasinghe’s platform also includes climate—he says he will develop incentives to transition the use of natural gas out of existing buildings, retrofit homes, createand maintain green spaces, improve the city power grid’s environmental resilience, and conduct an environmental review of city policies. In a video posted to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Rupasinghe says that the climate crisis is connected to issues like affordable homes and groceries and that the city could build new homes that are zero emission and are built on land that’s been developed already (rather than clearing green spaces). He also advocates for the use of Community Benefits Agreements so that residents in Scarborough Southwest can find employment while working on sustainable infrastructure.

In an interview with Beach Metro Community News, Rupasinghe says that if elected, he will protect affordable housing by fighting against demolitions and strengthening laws around rental replacements. He also promises to fight for a diverse set of revenue tools in the city to generate income, including the commercial parking levy, which he advocated for as a speaker at a city meeting in August 2023.

Rupasinghe is endorsed by city councillors Amber Morley and Shelley Carroll, and MPPs Kristyn Wong-Tam and Bhutila Karpoche. He’s also been endorsed by the Toronto and York Region Labour Council.

Biography: ​​Little is available online about Sudip Shome. He told Toronto.com he is an entrepreneur. On his website, he says he wants to “reconsider the City’s current direction when it comes to bike lanes and safe injection sites,” referring to them as “‘progressive’ pet projects” and implying they’re a waste of city funds.

Platform: Shome says he wants to expand policing, eliminate wasteful spending, invest in businesses, promote needs-based development with community consultation, and improve city services like the TTC and 311. He promises responsiveness and hopes to hear from constituents more regularly through townhalls.

Shome says on his website that he is endorsed by former ward councillor Gary Crawford.

Biography: Anna Sidiropoulos is a community advocate and leader. She has advocated for safer schools in Scarborough after incidents of violence at her children’s school, where she previously served as chair for the council. She made media appearances to call on the TDSB to improve security measures—including greater parent consultation, a safety audit, and fixed security cameras—and has said some parents she’s spoken to want police in schools in the aftermath of violent incidents. Sidiropoulos is a self-described small business owner and entrepreneur: according to her LinkedIn, she owns the commercial cleaning company Associated Pro Cleaning Inc., and is the founder of the Bluffs Women in Business Association, a group that connects female small business owners in the area. Sidiropoulos previously ran for TDSB trustee in 2022, coming second of eight, and in 2018, coming third out of 10.

Platform: Sidiropoulos’s platform prioritizes community safety through increased policing, including on the TTC, and “real penalties” for gun violence and vehicle theft, alongside community and road safety planning for schools and parks. She wants more timely and regionally integrated transit services, and advocates for improved local transit and Wheel-Trans services for seniors, as well as affordability and safety in long-term care homes. She aims to “oppose development that doesn’t fit out neighbourhoods,” though she doesn’t specify what she means. She also proposes improved environmental protections for the Scarborough bluffs.

In an interview with Beach Metro Community News, Sidiropoulos says that if elected, she plans to vote against all new taxes. She wants to establish 20 tenant associations in Ward 20, return all calls to her constituency office within 24 hours, and conduct a “listening tour” in her first 100 days in office to hear from residents.

Biography: Little information is available online about Sandeep Srivastava. In a 2023 interview with Beach Metro Community News, he described himself as a project management professional. His website from a previous campaign listed him as a computer scientist. His campaign materials have appeared to contain plagiarism on multiple occasions: in 2014, he was accused of plagiarism after his campaign website appeared to have copied content from three or four other council candidates’ pages, though he denied the allegations. In the 2023 mayoral by-election, Srivastava’s affordable housing page contained material directly copied from the city’s existing HousingTO policy. He ran for mayor in 2022, finishing 15th of 31, and in 2023, earning 166 votes. He ran for city councillor in 2014, 2017 and 2018, consistently finishing last or close to last.

Platform: Srivastava’s platform includes affordable housing, improved public transit (like an expanded subway network), and environmentally sustainable policies and infrastructure in Scarborough. He wants to invest in education and afterschool opportunities for youth, and create safer neighbourhoods through prevention-focused initiatives. He advocates for better access to healthcare and improvements in local infrastructure, and wants to champion local diversity. His website also mentions economic prosperity through local jobs and businesses, and accountability for government officials through community engagement. In an interview with Beach Metro, Srivastava says that he will support programs that improve neighbourhood safety and foster a closer relationship between police and residents, establish neighbourhood watch programs, and look into means to lower the city’s budget deficit that don’t involve tax increases, like private-public partnerships.

Biography: Limited information is available online about Trevor Sutton. A candidate by the same name ran as an independent in Scarborough Southwest during the 2006 federal election and came fifth out of six. This candidate listed themselves as a former chef turned hotel worker.

Platform: In an interview with Beach Metro Community News, Sutton says that developers behind new housing developments in the ward, like the proposed condos along Kingston Road, should be ensuring that some units go to “those who need assistance.” He also proposes increased traffic ticketing to address the city’s deficit and lead to safer streets.

Biography: Reginald Tull is an advocate for at-risk youth and a community activist. Tull independently published Memoirs of a Bad Boy, which details his life growing up “during the rise of crack cocaine and the effects on [Toronto’s] most dangerous housing projects – Regent Park.” Tull also volunteers for the Ontario Prison Ministry, which provides spiritual guidance and support for incarcerated individuals. Tull has previously made transphobic tweets and retweeted conspiracy theories relating to COVID-19 and the 2023 mayoral by-election. He ran in the 2023 mayoral election, coming 21st of 102. He also ran in 2022, finishing 10 of 31, and ran for MPP as an independent candidate in the 2023 Scarborough-Guildwood by-election, finishing seventh of 12.

Platform: Tull’s platform includes supporting job creation and small businesses, investing in mental health resources to reduce homelessness and crime, and improving TTC services in Scarborough. He is against “unreasonable” tax raises. He wants to improve emergency response times, advocate for homeowners and tenants, create affordable housing and facilitate affordable childcare for parents in need. Tull has also said that he wants to get rid of the “foolish red lanes” in Scarborough, which appears to be a reference to the dedicated bus lanes. Tull has not elaborated on how he will achieve these platform promises. When asked by Beach Metro about the impending replacement of affordable housing on Kingston Road with condos, Tull says that he is in favour of building condos below nine storeys, adding that they will increase property values and bring new business to the area. (Some of these developments will replace low-rise, low-rent buildings in the area, thus making affordable housing inaccessible, which he did not address.)

Biography: Not much is known about Manny Zanders; someone with the same name is a board member at Our Greenway, a group that wants to create a 40 km network of parks along roadsides and through ravines, available to cyclists and pedestrians. On the organization’s website, Zanders is described as an urban planner. He also sat on the Anti-Black Racism in Planning task force at the Ontario Professional Planners’ Institute.

Platform: Zanders’ platform could not be found at the time of publication.