‘Development pressures’ are a big concern
Only four council candidates are seeking seat in Davenport
The Star identified several “Wards to Watch” in a 47-ward race. Now that new legislation has made it a 25-ward race, we have determined all of the wards are worth watching. This is one in a series of articles. The election is Oct. 22. Advance voting begins Oct. 10.
After a weeks-long shuffle that saw the size of council shrunk to 25 wards, reversed to 47 and then back to 25 wards again, the Ward 9 Davenport race has been reduced to just four candidates — the least of any race. The new ward stretches from Eglinton Ave. W. in the north to GO rail tracks in the south on the west side of what was mostly part of the former City of Toronto. It includes communities like Corso Italia, the
Junction Triangle, Bloordale Village and part of West Queen West populated by condos.
After an unexpected, lastminute exit from the race by longtime Councillor Cesar Palacio — who said in a statement “it is time to invest my energy in a new direction” but didn’t get into specifics about the end to 15 years of representing Ward17 (Davenport) — Councillor Ana Bailao, who has represented the old Ward 18 (Davenport) since 2010, no longer faces an incumbent challenger.
With parts of the ward seeing intense development and younger families moving into changing neighbourhoods, housing and transportation issues, as well as access to green space are of issue to residents and businesses, those representing community and advocacy groups told the Star.
Residents are also concerned about broader city issues like building a one-stop Scarborough subway for more than $3.35 billion and pedestrian and cyclist safety.
“Affordability and the change in the community is still a big issue,” Bailao said. “The development pressures that we’re having, how we’re going to manage that” and making sure people aren’t pushed out are of top concern, she said.
Having a new GO station — which is part of the existing provincial plan — to provide some transit and traffic congestion is also important, she said, noting residents have long been deal- ing with trains passing through without the benefit of being able to get on them.
Since Palacio dropped out of the race, she said her campaign hasn’t changed much except allowing time for more “indepth” conversations at the door.
There are three other candidates running for the seat, including single father Nahum Mann.
“Like the majority of people here, my rent is well over a third of my total income, so housing, I’d say, is probably the biggest issue facing the ward, facing the city,” he said. Having been homeless in the city in his youth, Mann said he knows first hand the question of affordability is about more than just building homes at average market rent or even 80 per cent of that average — what is still un- affordable for many. Fixing and expanding the availability of public housing is also important, Mann said. He also noted that half the city’s residents are tenants, but none of the current council members are renters.
“It seems the city’s strategy is, let the private sector solve all our problems here,” he said. “I really believe in this city but I’m just finding watching the direction that Toronto is going in, it’s just becoming harder and (less) affordable to live.”
Mark Balack says he is running to support local businesses. The Scarborough resident, who has run for council several times in that suburb, once worked at the Nestle factory on Sterling Rd. in the Davenport ward, he told the Star.
“My passion to run in Davenport is mostly to work with the small businesses,” he said “And to get the residents to know and support the local businesses.”
Troy Young is also running for the Davenport seat.