About the Ward
Don Valley West is roughly bordered by the 401 to the north, Leslie street to the east, the Don River to the south, Yonge Street to the west. It is one of the wealthier wards in the city, with an average household income of $216,158 (more than double the city average). While the ward contains rich neighbourhoods like the Bridle Path and Mount Pleasant West, it also includes low-income communities like Thorncliffe Park. Incumbent Jaye Robinson has served on city council since 2010.
Where the Candidates Stand
There are three candidates running against Robinson this year. Her opponents include a longtime TDSB employee and the founder of an architecture firm focused on designing low-carbon buildings.
The matrix below provides a head-to-head comparison of where council candidates stand. The Local combed through city council records to review all the decisions made over the last four years and identified a dozen votes that are the most telling on key issues: homelessness, transportation, housing, policing, taxes, and the environment. We then sent the challengers a survey asking them how they would have voted on those same 12 motions, and compared the results to what we know about how Robinson voted.
None of the new candidates responded to our survey. So let’s use this as an opportunity to revisit Robinson’s voting record and where she stands on the key issues.
Here Are the Takeaways
- Robinson aligned with Mayor Tory in opposing an increase in taxes, voting against higher property taxes and against considering a personal vehicle tax. The only increase Robinson would consider are a stormwater charge and an industrial waste surcharge.
- Unlike Tory, Robinson voted against banning above guideline rent hikes for Housing Now units, and against renting portable toilets for encampments.
Read Our Election Stories:
Toronto Election 2022
Ongoing coverage of Toronto’s 2022 municipal election. In-depth features on the issues at stake, hyper-local coverage of competitive ward races across the city, and a Candidate Tracker tool to keep you informed this fall.
Everything You Need to Know About School Trustees
We don’t elect people to oversee any other specific public service. But maybe we should?
Call the Police… Then Wait
The Toronto Police take three times longer than they should to get to the most urgent emergencies. Why a $1.1 billion force doesn’t come when you need them.
Pulled Off Wheel-Trans and Forced onto the Subway
Cost-cutting measures will push thousands of paratransit users onto the TTC, with disabled and elderly riders forced into gruelling bus and subway trips.
How Toronto’s Councillors Became Nearly Unbeatable
The numbers don’t lie: this city’s incumbency advantage is the worst in North America.
_____
Information in Candidate Tracker was compiled and written by The Local’s team of journalists and fact checkers. City council candidates were emailed a questionnaire asking for information about their history, experience, and plans. They were also surveyed about their stances on twelve key votes that took place in the 2018-22 council term. Not all candidates were reachable or responded. The Local also conducted its own research to independently source and verify information about each city council and school trustee candidate. If you’re a candidate whose information is not here, please email us at elections@thelocal.to. Last updated: October 22, 2022.
Contributors: Inori Roy, Ann Marie Elpa, Nikky Manfredi, Danielle Orr, H.G. Watson, Emma Buchanan, Dhriti Gupta, Zeahaa Rehman, Neville Park, Nicholas Hune-Brown, Tai Huynh, Craig Madho, Steve Combes, and Lia Mattacchione.