Biography: Little information is available online about Alexander Artamonov. A petition started by someone of the same name argues against the removal of bike lanes in the city. The Local is unable to confirm if this is the same person seeking candidacy.

Platform: According to Artamonov’s Instagram, his priorities include “free unlimited wifi” to his voters, not increasing property taxes, and to sell land for “50 per cent less.” He also lists having “secret and uniformed patrols to catch all criminals” at the TTC.

[Updated: Oct 5, 2026.]

Biography: Conroy Irving’s LinkedIn says that he’s the president of private security company Irving Security Corps. His website says that he dropped out of high school and is a self-published author.

Platform: According to his website, his priorities include keeping taxes affordable, supporting affordable housing, park infrastructures, and better planning for “major event impacts.” He also says he will “work with residents, police and community organizations” to create safer spaces.

Biography: James Pasternak is the current city councillor for York Centre, having held that position since 2010. He’s the chair of the North York Community Council. Prior to being councillor, Pasternak was a TDSB trustee from 2006 to 2010.

Since becoming councillor, Pasternak has advocated for fixing flooding in his ward, preserving parking spots at subway stations, and easing traffic caused by construction closures. He has proposed the “North York Relief Line”, a subway line that connects Sheppard West station (formerly Downsview) to Sheppard-Yonge station, and called for better crowd control and noise control at Rogers Stadium.

Pasternak also proposed giving more resources to police as a result of hate crimes spiking upwards in 2020.

In 2023, Pasternak opposed the city’s Alcohol in Parks Pilot Program, claiming that the city didn’t have enough resources to collect beer cans and public education on alcohol and park rule etiquette.

In 2025, Pasternak and fellow councillor Mike Colle were under scrutiny for taking a trip to Israel as part of a “Canadian political leadership mission.” The trip took place in November, just over two months after a United Nations Commission of Inquiry found that Israel was committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. In December 2025, Pasternak and Colle disclosed to the city’s integrity commissioner that Israel had paid almost $10,000 in travel costs for them. This year, Pasternak and councillor Brad Bradford called for an injunction to stop the annual Al-Quds Day rally.

Platform: If elected, Pasternak says he will work on making housing affordable, improving parks and recreation programs, and hosting town halls to collaborate on transit safety, student nutrition and youth opportunities.

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: According to his website, Brandon Choi has worked in community engagement in the offices of Mayor Olivia Chow and a local councillor. Prior to this, Choi says he worked at ALPHA Education, a non-profit focused on teaching the history of WWII in Asia in local schools. He is endorsed by the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, and by Toronto Education Workers/Local 4400, a division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Platform: Choi’s platform mentions advocating against cuts to education in the TDSB, including cuts in special education, model schools, cafeteria services, and elective classes. He wants to address hate crimes and bullying, bring back speed cameras in school zones (speed cameras have been eliminated from the city by the provincial government), and support an evidence-based curriculum. He would like to advocate for class sizes to be capped, improve access to trades and arts classes, tech, and mental health supports. He advocates for better fiscal accountability and community transparency.

Biography: Little information is available online about Anthony Delpero. According to his LinkedIn, he is a landscaper at Hawksdale Landscaping.

Platform: Delpero does not have a platform available online at the time of publication. In response to questions from the Toronto Public Library’s Know Your Vote guide, he says he has zero tolerance for bullying, would “bring back and promote” Olympic wrestling to build students’ confidence, and focus on reducing class sizes.

Biography: Weidong Pei was first elected as a trustee in 2022. A co-chair of the school council at Claude Watson School of the Arts, he gained traction in the community for his opposition to changing the admission criteria for specialized schools to a lottery system (a measure which was aimed at providing equitable access to programming, but which was criticized for neglecting prior experience or merit in the admissions process). In 2022, he became the only candidate to defeat an incumbent in the race, ousting former TDSB Chair Alexander Brown.

Since being elected, Pei has voiced his support for bringing police back into schools, and has opposed the planned renaming of three schools named after Sir John A. Macdonald, Egerton Ryerson, and Henry Dundas. After the passing of Bill 33, which stripped trustees of their responsibilities and appointed a provincial supervisor for boards including the TDSB, the renaming plan was scrapped. Pei has also published a number of op-eds, including in the Toronto Sun, voicing his support for provincial supervision and the overhauling of the trustee system, writing that trustees “don’t serve any real purpose.”

Platform: Pei’s platform mentions supporting student achievement, safe schools, and accountable governance. He believes that “strong academics, literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking” should be prioritized in schools.

Biography: According to his website, Gianfranco Cristiano has worked at GFL Environmental, a waste management company. Cristiano has posted on Instagram thanking Premier Doug Ford and local Progressive Conservatives MPP Michelle Cooper for their support at an annual BBQ in his neighbourhood.

Cristiano previously ran for TCDSB trustee in Ward 5 in 2018, and then in 2022, most recently coming second out of four candidates.

Platform: Cristiano’s platform has three main pillars. The first is to ensure that classrooms have the supplies and programs that teachers need. The second is ensuring there are effective programs to help students struggling in math and English. Finally, Cristiano says that he will “listen, then deliver” on what schools are missing. On Instagram, Cristiano says that he wants parents to know that children are safe and supported.

Biography: Maria Rizzo is the incumbent TCDSB trustee for Ward 5. She was first elected in 2003. During her tenure, Rizzo has been chair and vice chair of the TCDSB and she’s sat on multiple committees, including the student achievement, governance, corporate services, audit, and parent involvement committees.

In 2011, Rizzo was one of seven trustees who voted for the TCDSB’s Equity and Inclusive Education Policy. In later years, as board chair, she supported the TCDSB’s 2018-2021 Equity Action Plan. In 2019, she supported a motion to amend the board’s code of conduct to include gender-inclusive terminology, speficially terms “gender identity” and “gender expression.” In May 2026, she launched a campaign to rally the provincial government to reinstate the board’s weekday international languages program, which was cut starting the current school year. The program offers students lessons during the school day in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Filipino (as stated on their website), Ukrainian, or Mandarin.

Previously, Rizzo was a North York city councillor, serving two terms starting in 1991.

Rizzo has been endorsed by the Toronto & York Region Labour Council as well as the unions representing Toronto Catholic elementary and secondary school teachers.

Platform: This candidate does not have a platform available online at the time of publication. However, she has posted extensively on Instagram about bringing back the International Languages program.

Biography: Benoit Fortin is the incumbent trustee for Conseil scolaire Viamonde Ward 2 – Toronto Est, having held the role since 2018. He is running unopposed for the Viamonde ward, and is therefore elected by acclamation. He was previously elected by acclamation in 2022.

Fortin is also a founding member of SkyPower, a global solar energy company, where he is vice president of development for Africa and India. He is listed as a board director of L’Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario and the chair of the Conseil scolaire Viamonde.

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

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.