What you need to know about the race in Ward 15 - Don Valley West

A person can be seen above at a City of Toronto voting location. (CTV News Toronto)

Don Valley West could prove a challenging Ward for anyone looking to topple longtime incumbent Jaye Robinson.

Robinson has served on city council since 2010 and has represented Ward 15 (Don Valley West) since its creation in 2018. Robinson has chaired the Toronto Transit Commission board since 2018, and previously on the Gallery of Ontario Board of Trustees and the Canadian Film Centre Board of Directors

On her website, Robinson points to her track record as councillor, highlighting that she’s helped secure “record-setting” investment for the TTC, introduced Toronto’s first Road Safety Plan, delivered new public parks, and spearheaded improvements to make participation at the Committee of Adjustment more accessible for residents. Before running for office, Robinson held a position as a senior manager in economic development at the city for more than two decades.

Boundaries for Don Valley West - Ward 15

The three hopefuls running against Robinson are David Ricci, Sheena Sharp, and Gregory Vaz.

Ricci has worked as a caretaker at the Toronto District School Board for more than a decade. As someone who suffered life-altering injuries after being hit by a car, Ricci is advocating for safer streets. His platform also speaks to the need for affordable housing and community mental health support.

The founder of Coolearth Architecture, a firm that designs low carbon buildings, Sharp’s platform largely focuses on decarbonizing Toronto and Don Valley West’s energy consumption, and switching the city’s heat source from natural gas to electricity. She holds her Masters of Architecture from the University of Washington.

In 2021, Sharp ran as the Green Party of Ontario candidate for Don Valley West in the provincial election. The riding went to Liberal Stephanie Bowman with 43.9 per cent of votes.

Gregory Vaz is also running, but does not have a publicly available platform. He did not respond to requests for comment and was not present at an October All Candidates meeting.

DON VALLEY WEST AT A GLANCE

Population: 102,510

Average number of people per household: 2.56

Median age: 40 years

Population growth over last decade: 8.4 per cent

Visible minorities: 42 per cent

Average household income: $216, 158 (Toronto average is $102,721)