Ward 20 — Scarborough Southwest

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: Little information is available online about Naser Kaid. Previously, he worked as a taxi driver and in 2016, he advocated against the taxi drivers’ strike, calling rideshare apps like Uber “healthy” competition. It’s unclear if Kaid is still a taxi driver. He ran for TDSB trustee in the ward in 2014, coming in last. In 2022, he ran for trustee again and came in seventh out of eight. In 2023, Kaid ran for councillor in the Ward 20 byelection, coming last out of 23 candidates.

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

Biography: Kandavel was elected in the November 2023 Ward 20 — Scarborough Southwest by-election. He was previously a math teacher at a Scarborough private school and a TDSB trustee from 2014-2022. The boards and committees he sits on include the Economic and Community Development Committee, the City-School Boards Advisory Committee, and the boards of TCHC and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

During his previous campaign, Kandavel took the “No Developer Money” pledge. He has expressed concern about plans to include a shelter at 2535 Gerrard St. E. and a high-rise at a former Beer Store location. He has generally opposed the various densification and “missing middle” planning changes implemented this term, such as permitting multiplexes, low-rises, and townhouses along major streets, and mid-rise development on streets designated Avenues.

Kandavel has put forward successful motions about expanding parking at Scarborough GO Station, stemming the crowds at Bluffer’s Park, advancing the West Scarborough Rail Trail, “preserving the character” of Cliffcrest, and addressing concerns about a planned data centre expansion, and data centres more broadly.

In May, Kandavel announced he was being investigated by the OPP. The Toronto Star has reported that anonymous sources claimed Kandavel requested large payments to “third parties” while their developments were in the approval process. Kandavel recused himself from decisions about developments in his ward.

Platform: Kandavel says he will improve service on crowded transit routes and add traffic calming “where it’s needed”. He also mentions new parks and sports facilities and securing funding for public art made by local artists. He wants local growth to be paired with the expansion of community resources.

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: Sharmina Nasrin describes herself as a former public servant. On LinkedIn, she says that she worked as MPP Lorne Coe’s constituency assistant. In March, Nasrin sought the Ontario Liberal nomination for MPP during a provincial by-election in Scarborough Southwest, but withdrew before the vote and later threw her support behind Ahsanul Hafiz after he won the nomination.

Platform: Nasrin promises to protect tenants by fighting renovictions, pushing for stronger bylaws, getting RentSafeTO to enforce higher standards, and support development that would maintain the “feel” of local streets. On transit, Nasrin says that, if elected, she would advocate for more frequent and reliable bus service on well-used routes, Vision Zero safety upgrades at busy intersections and school zones, more accessible sidewalks and ramps, and more Wheel-Trans service in the ward.

Nasrin also makes a slew of promises having to do with youth development, including more employment services and job fairs in the ward and opening pathways for newcomers’ credentials to be recognized (though this falls under the purview of the provincial government). She says that she would also advocate for city services in more languages, more cultural centres, and community hubs where residents can get paperwork done without going downtown. Nasrin also says that she would fight for more around-the-clock crisis response and mental health supports in the ward.

Biography: According to his LinkedIn, Mohammad Ali Reza is the owner of Ad & Design Square Inc., a local company that makes custom signage for businesses.

Platform: In a Facebook post, Reza says that he wants to provide seniors with more programming to stay active, give children more sports and recreation opportunities, help people find employment, support local businesses, fix roads, and end construction delays.

Biography: Kevin Rupasinghe is an advocate with a background in civil engineering. Rupasinghe’s LinkedIn lists him as the 2025-26 interim executive director of Unlock Democracy Canada, a non-profit focused on electoral reform. He was also a campaigns manager for Cycle Toronto from 2019 to 2022 and advocated for bike infrastructure around the city, including the West Scarborough Rail Path.

In 2022, Rupasinghe ran for council and came third out of eight. He ran again in the Ward 20 2023 by-election and came in second out of 23 candidates.

He has been endorsed by Progress Toronto and the Toronto & York Region Labour Council.

Platform: Rupasinghe wants to make Scarborough’s streets safer by adding more sidewalks in residential streets. He also wants to use his position as a city councillor to make Toronto more climate-resilient by building more housing rather than “bulldozing over the greenbelt,” and improving the transit system.

Rupasinghe is also pushing for a pause on the STACK data centre expansion in the ward, calling out the fact that the City hasn’t finished updating its zoning rules and reviews process to apply to data centres, and that it’ll likely go through before rules are in place. Rupasinghe is also calling for a moratorium on all new and expanded data centres until the regulatory framework and review process is updated. Progress Toronto has expressed support for Rupasinghe, and he has been endorsed by the Toronto & York Region Labour Council.