Biography: Abraham Abbey is an intake worker at the Salvation Army Maxwell Meighen Centre, a homeless shelter and social services provider for men downtown, according to his LinkedIn. Abbey is also on the board of Rexdale Community Hub, a space that provides hot meals, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) clubs for youth, and a discounted grocery market.

In 2022, Abbey ran for council in Ward 1, and came 10th out of 16 candidates. He also applied to fill the position of city councillor left vacant by Michael Ford the same year, but lost to another candidate.

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

Biography: Ala’a Adib is the founder of the non-profit organization Smile for Sache, created in honour of Adib’s brother who was killed in a shooting at age 21. Smile for Sache provides programs in the GTA including girls’ basketball camps, drop-in sports, and March Break camps. The organization also offers “Feed the Fasting,” which provides meals to food-insecure families after their daily fasts during Ramadan.

She is also a board member at Elephant Thoughts, a non-profit organization focused on education resources for under-serviced schools. She has previously worked as a communications specialist at the House of Commons, according to her LinkedIn.

Adib is endorsed by the Toronto & York Region Labour Council and supported by Progress Toronto.

Platform: Ala’a says her priorities are improving city services, and supporting young people and families. She wants to further the city’s student nutrition goals, improve community spaces, build more affordable housing, and better enforce rental housing standards.

Biography: Saima Babar says she is a “community leader, entrepreneur, and advocate.” She is one of two Toronto vice presidents for the Ontario Women’s Liberal Commission, representing York, North York, and Scarborough.

Platform: Babar says that she wants to create safer neighbourhoods with cleaner streets and reliable transit, and mentions jobs and training for youth and free transit for seniors.

Biography: Chloe Brown is a policy analyst. As a member of the Toronto Youth Cabinet, Brown says she co-authored the framework for the Rexdale-Casino Woodbine Community Benefits Agreement. The agreement requires the owner of the Rexdale casino to hire local workers, procure supplies from local businesses, implement responsible gambling measures and provide space for child care and community events. Over half of the roughly 2,500 jobs created at the casino have gone to local residents or “equity deserving individuals,” the city says, and in 2025, $115.6 million has been spent at “diverse or local” businesses.

According to her LinkedIn, Brown previously worked in the office of former city councillor Pam McConnell, as well as at Toronto Metropolitan University and George Brown Polytechnic (formerly George Brown College).

Brown previously ran for mayor in 2022 and 2023. In the most recent contest, she placed seventh out of 102 candidates. In 2022, a Toronto Star columnist wrote that Brown’s campaign was “an astounding win” for its solid result on a shoestring budget.

Platform: Brown told the Toronto Star she wants to “drag Doug Ford into the ground.” She proposes installing bike lanes outside Ford’s constituency office in Etobicoke if elected.

Brown says she’d negotiate a deal with Woodbine Racetrack similar to the Woodbine Casino agreement that guarantees local jobs and infrastructure, including child-care centres and public grocers.

Brown has outlined detailed policy proposals for the ward’s arts and culture, transit and congestion, revitalizing vacant malls and storefronts,

On transit and roads, Brown wants to deploy traffic agents on major thoroughfares during peak hours, and use signal priority, dedicated bus lanes and expanded service hours to improvement streets in the ward.

She also wants to redirect money from the city’s mounted police unit to crisis services in Etobicoke, and install Toronto police “community hubs” in malls like Albion Mall.

Biography: Vincent Crisanti is the current councillor for Etobicoke North. Crisanti was elected three times to City Council before losing to Michael Ford, the premier’s nephew, in 2018. He subsequently returned to office in 2022. Crisanti is considered a political ally of Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his late brother, former Toronto mayor Rob Ford.

The councillor has written articles critical of Mayor Olivia Chow in the Toronto Sun, arguing that her property tax increases have “made Toronto a more expensive city to live in.” He has called on Council to stop operating its bike-share program at a loss and to crack down on fare evasion on the TTC. He supports more policing and the return of police officers to schools. Crisanti has called for a “review” of bike lanes and said that Toronto taxpayers “should not be footing the bill” for a school food program. He has criticized Chow’s luxury home tax, saying, “the people who buy luxury homes also make very important investments, the types of investments that create jobs.”

One ongoing project Crisanti supports is the redevelopment of the Woodbine Racetrack, which would reportedly bring more than 20,000 units of housing to the area. On his website, Crisanto lists the fixes his office has participated in this term, including improvements to infrastructure.

This year, he asked the city to address residents’ concerns about energy consumption and noise associated with Microsoft’s proposed data centre at 48 Lowe’s Place.

In May, a Toronto Star columnist reported that Crisanti had missed more council meetings than all but one of his colleagues, having been absent for 332 votes since 2022.

Platform: Crisanti says he is running to bring “experienced and proven leadership that delivers real results and stands up for our community’s priorities.” On his map of completed and ongoing projects, Crisanti mentions advocating for the addition of a new GO station in the community, connecting the Finch West LRT with Woodbine GO, and making state-of-good-repair investments in community spaces.

Biography: According to his website, Norman Hamilton is the owner of a truck repair company in Etobicoke North, Truck Repair Hotline Inc.

Platform: Hamilton says his policies will revolve around specific demographics of his future constituents, including youth, seniors, mothers, immigrants, people in need of a job. He says he’ll focus on violence prevention, mentorship, and skills training for young people, as well as support for small businesses and practical resources for newcomers.

Biography: Joseph Martino is currently the TCDSB trustee for Ward 1, a position he’s held since 1986, when the board was the Metropolitan Separate School Board. Martino was the Chair of the Board from 1998-1999 and again in 2020-2021.

Martino supported a motion in 2019 to amend the Board’s code of conduct to include 2SLGBTQ+-inclusive language like “gender identity” and “gender expression” to its Code of Conduct. In 2021, he voted in favour of a motion for the TCDSB to recognize June as Pride month and fly the Pride flag at schools.

During the 2022 municipal election, Martino won by just one vote.

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

Biography: Nathen Masri (who spells his name as Mazri in his campaign material) was the co-founder of GarfieldEATS, a former chain of Garfield-themed restaurants in Toronto that closed in 2021.

In 2025 Mazri announced that he was running as the People’s Party Candidate for the federal election, specifically for the MP seat in Toronto Centre. He told Toronto Today that he faced extensive trolling when he launched GarfieldEats, which he says partially contributed to him aligning with the far-right party. Mazri ended up placing fifth out of eight candidates.

He says he plans to run for Mayor of Toronto in 2030.

Platform: If elected, Mazri says he will “roll back recent hikes” on property tax for properties in Ward 1. He also says he will lock the rate at zero percent for four years. He says he would introduce a “one-unit maximum” for residents who wish to register a unit for “short-term rentals.” He wants to create a levy for resource-intensive tech businesses establishing offices in Ward 1, and cycle those funds directly into the community.

On his campaign website, Mazri also says he will advocate for transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness.

Biography: According to LinkedIn, Hard Parmar is a customer service supervisor at gas company Esso. His LinkedIn also says that he’s had internships at the Region of Peel and Metrolinx, with a background in civil engineering.

Platform: Some of the goals on Parmar’s campaign website include ensuring that potholes and street infrastructure are repaired within 30 days, speeding up approvals to build more homes and small businesses, and demanding Metrolinx provide an opening date for the anticipated Woodbine GO station. Parmar wants to streamline the building process for transit.

Biography: Little information is available online about Kristian Santos. He ran for councillor in 2022, and came in seventh of 16.

Platform: According to his website, Santos’ platform prioritizes better neighbourhoods, which includes safer streets and support for homeowners and seniors. He wants stronger community spaces and resources, and more opportunities within the ward. He also wants to improve road and sidewalk maintenance and increase flooding prevention measures. Santos also points to getting a North Rexdale community recreation centre built as a priority—the proposed centre has been identified as a community need since 2004.

Biography: Rosemarie Bryan’s LinkedIn says that she was a community employment lead at the Catholic Community Services of York Region. Bryan was also the community and family service manager at the Salvation Army.

In 2022 Bryan was appointed Ward 1 city councillor under the recommendation of Michael Ford, who left the post to work at Queen’s Park. Hours after being appointed, Bryan resigned, due to anti-LGBTQ+ posts she shared online between 2015 and 2019. At the time, Bryan wrote in a written statement that she was “devastated that past social media posts” she wrote were “being thrown against” her years of “commitment to the community.”

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

Biography: Antonius Clarke is the founder of Friends in Toronto Community Services, a charity that offers social service programs for Indigenous and racialized youth.

Clarke ran for city councillor in Ward 8 Jane-Finch during the 2010 election, placing third out of eight candidates. During that campaign, Clarke mentioned that there shouldn’t be more police, but more effective policing in the city, as well as discussing the need for more co-op housing and mixed housing.

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

Biography: Matias de Dovitiis was the TDSB trustee for Humber River-Black Creek before the provincial government took over some major GTA school boards, suspending the role of school trustee.

De Dovitiis was first elected to the position during the 2022 election. De Dovitiis is also a professor at George Brown College.

Prior to these roles, de Dovitiis was Chief of Staff for incumbent city councillor Anthony Perruzza and was executive director of the Duke Heights BIA.

In 2021, de Dovitiis ran as the NDP candidate during the federal election for the MP seat in Humber River-Black Creek. He came in third out of six candidates.

As a TDSB trustee de Dovitiis has criticized the provincial government’s decision to oversee the school board, calling it unrealistic. He also told The Local that the government makes its decisions in “secrecy.”

De Dovitiis is endorsed by the Toronto & York Region Labour Council. Progress Toronto, and by Toronto Education Workers/Local 4400, a division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication. On his website, he talks about the funds being cut from schools in low-income neighbourhoods of the city.

Biography: Dennis Hastings was elected as the Ward 1 TDSB trustee during the 2022 election. (By decision of the province, which has placed the TDSB and other boards under supervision, the TDSB is shrinking from 22 wards to 12; this means some incumbents will be running against one another.) Hastings previously ran for the TCDSB Ward 12 trustee role in the 2018 election, coming in last out of five candidates. Realtor.ca shows that Hastings is a real estate agent.

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

Biography: Little information is available online about Amberley Ryan Henry. His LinkedIn profile shows that he is the president of an organization called 360 Step Training Corporation and an employment services organization called Aces & Guides, both of which have little to no online presence.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication. He has posted videos relating to his candidacy on his Instagram, where he mentions the need for job creation.

Biography: Realtor.ca shows that Lakhan Kang is a real estate agent. His LinkedIn profile shows that he is the founder of a nonprofit called The Lakhan Kang Foundation, the mandate of which is unclear.

Platform: In an Instagram video, Kang says his priorities as trustee are to have stronger communication with parents and better support for students. On his website, Kang says he’ll aim to bring more resources for students, create safe school environments, and support TDSB staff and teachers.

Biography: No information could be found online about this candidate at the time of publishing.

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

Biography: Jennifer Di Francesco is listed as a representative at Primerica, a financial services company. She was also the former TCDSB Catholic School Parent Council chair. During her time as chair, Di Francesco vocalized the need for more enforceable rules regarding using social media at school. She also criticized the provincial government’s steps in removing TCDSB trustee powers, saying that parents had no one to reach out to about school issues. Though not chair anymore, Di Francesco still criticizes the provincial government’s supervision of the TCDSB. In February this year, she was critical of the provincial board supervisor’s plans to install a controversial ‘in-floor’ air conditioning system at a new Etobicoke elementary school to save money compared to a more expensive conventional AC; she said at the time that “education is not all about the dollars and cents.” She also said that the TCDSB eventually reversed its decision because of advocacy done by more affluent neighbourhoods, whereas other areas, like Rexdale and North Etobicoke, didn’t have the means.

Di Francesco is endorsed by CUPE Local 4400, Ward 1 TCDSB Trustee Joseph Martino, and Ward 2 TCDSB Trustee Markus de Domenico.

Platform: Di Francesco lists five priorities on her campaign website: “student achievement and well being,” more support for special education programs, providing a voice to parents, and having “clear communication” and “accessible représentation” to be more accountable and transparent. She also lists “nurturing Catholic education” as one of her priorities.

Biography: Robert Pella is listed as a real estate agent on Realtor.ca and has described himself as a lecturer and a Catholic retreat leader. He is also the states squires director of the Columbian Squires of Ontario, a Catholic youth program for boys ages 10-18. In 2022 Pella ran for TCDSB trustee for Etobicoke North and lost to Joseph Martino by one vote, following a “court-ordered recount.”

Platform: Pella’s campaign website says he will push for smaller classroom sizes, higher results in literacy and math, and show transparency on how students are performing. He also lists student mental health and school safety as a priority, as well as promoting “Catholic identity, service, respect and faith in everyday school life.”

Geneviève Oger is the incumbent trustee for Conseil scolaire Viamonde Ward 4 – Toronto Ouest. Oger ran unopposed for the Viamonde ward and has therefore been elected by acclamation.

Biography: Oger has served in the role since 2018, when she unseated current Ward 3 candidate Jean-François L’Heureux. She subsequently won the 2022 election by acclamation as a result of running unopposed. She was elected vice-chair of the school board from 2019 to 2021 and chair from 2021 to 2024. In addition to working within Conseil scolaire Viamonde, Oger also works as a bilingual communications manager within Ontario’s Ministry of Francophone Affairs.

Platform: Oger lists her priorities as consulting with parents, and creating inclusive environments for francophone students from any background. She wants to create opportunities for parents to pass down francophone culture to their children.

Biography: Josiane Aboungono is a tenant council member of Toronto Community Housing, representing Champlain Place. Aboungono also says she’s worked as an executive assistant to the parliamentary assistant within the province’s francophone affairs department. Her campaign website also says that she volunteered at Matthew House Toronto, an organization that provides shelter and support to refugee claimants.

Platform: On her website, Aboungono says she wants to strengthen Catholic identity in schools as one of her priorities, alongside hiring French-speaking staff. Aboungono also wants to showcase francophone culture through supporting “cultural, artistic and sports activities in French.” She pledges to be transparent with decision-making, while also listening to the input of staff, parishes, and parents.

Biography: Yelena Nichilo says she’s worked in the financial services sector for over 20 years and has two children attending École élémentaire catholique du Sacré-Cœur. Nichilo is the president of the parent council at her children’s school, where she has advocated for things including transparency from the school board regarding changed design plans for the school’s soccer pitch. In her role at parent council, Nichilo also says she led a parent engagement survey which led to more community events, free snacks for students, more French-language extracurricular programs, and parent communication groups for each classroom.

Platform: If elected, Nichilo says she will prioritize transparency, communication, and consultation with parents. She mentions responsible management of public funds, and meaningful accountability at every level of the school board.

Biography: Angela Ogang is a lawyer who practices in both English and French. She runs her own law firm and her website says she teaches at Université de l’Ontario français. Ogang sits on the steering committee of the National Association of Women and the Law, was the 2025-2026 chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Women Lawyers Forum. She served as the director of communications for the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers. Ogang also says she provides legal services for Pro Bono Ontario, Ontario Action Against Violence Against Women, Southwestern Ontario Women’s Network, and the Law Society of Ontario’s mentoring network.

Platform: Ogang says she is running because she wants children to be able to “fully exercise their language rights.” She supports French education as a means to protect the language, but also to promote and transmit francophone culture, and help students develop a francophone identity and a sense of belonging in the community. Ogang promises to put students at the heart of her decisions and create opportunities to genuinely consult parents. She places an emphasis on meeting the needs of diverse francophone families, including if they are new to Canada or have one non-francophone parent.