What you need to know about the race in Ward 11 - University-Rosedale

Without incumbent Mike Layton’s name on the ballot and a bounty of high-profile progressive candidates in an arms race to take over his seat, University-Rosedale is shaping up to be a ward to watch in the municipal election.

In July, Layton – who has represented the ward for 12 years – announced he would not be seeking re-election. At the time, he said he would be stepping away from politics to focus on fighting climate change and spending more time with his family.

Layton is among a group of seven incumbents who have chosen not to run in this election.

While his departure from city council makes way for a new voice, three of the hopeful candidates are already well-known in the city.

Twelve candidates will be on the ballot, including Dianne Saxe, Ontario's former environment commissioner and an environmental lawyer.

Running against her are Norm Di Pasquale, a Toronto Catholic District School Board trustee, and Robin Buxton Potts, currently councillor for Ward 13 following the resignation of Kristyn Wong-Tam.

These three candidates have signaled housing affordability, fighting climate change and building more accessible neighbourhoods as key platform issues. However, they all say it’s their experience that sets them apart.

“I speak the language, and understand the needs of most City stakeholders including elected officials, public servants, businesses and community groups,” Saxe said on her campaign website, nodding to her experience as the head of a law firm focussing on the climate crisis and a candidate for the Green Party of Ontario in the last provincial election.

Di Pasquale was elected as a school board trustee in University-Rosedale in 2018. Before taking on his current role, he was known as a prominent voice in the movement advocating against allowing jets to fly at the Toronto island airport.

Following the municipal election, which saw long-time city councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam step into provincial politics with Ontario’s New Democratic Party, Buxton Potts took Wong-Tam’s vacant city seat. Prior to the interim role, Buxton Potts was Wong-Tam’s chief of staff.

Ward 11 - University-Rosedale (City of Toronto).Other names on the ballot include Axel Arvizu, Michael Borrelli, David Fielder, Adam Golding, Andrew Layman, Peter Lovering, Alison Pang, Heather Shon and Pierre Therrien.

University-Rosedale at a glance

Population: 104,310

Average number of people per household: 1.96

Population growth over the last decade: 12.6%

Household visible minorities: 33%

Average household income: $170,832