What you need to know about the race in Ward 16 - Don Valley East

A voter is shown attending an advance poll in Toronto ahead of the municipal election. (Scott Lightfoot)

For 22 years Denzil Minnan Wong was the voice of Don Valley East on city council, regularly racking up double digit victories on election nights.

But the longtime city councillor and current deputy mayor is one of seven incumbents who have chosen not to run in this election.

That, in turn, has created a rare open race in a part of the city not typically accustomed to them.

There are a total of 11 candidates vying to be elected in Don Valley East as a result, making it the fourth most crowded ballot across Toronto’s 25 wards.

A map shows the boundaries of Ward 16 - Don Valley East. (City of Toronto)

John Burnside who previously represented Don Valley West at city hall but was defeated in 2018 following a reduction in the size of council, is probably the most high-profile name.

He has been working as Toronto’s Manager of Strategic Initiatives since his defeat but is looking to make a return to the political realm and has been given an endorsement by mayoral candidate John Tory.

On his campaign website, Burnside promises to promote the increase of development fees in some communities “where further intensification would be harmful” and push for more mid-rise development as a way to build more housing. The former police officer is also promising to increase the number of officers in the Toronto Police Service’s community policing program and step up patrols in local neighbourhoods.

At least one Forum Research poll has suggested that Burnside has a “moderate lead” in Don Valley East.

But he could be challenged by Don Mills Residence Inc. President Stephen Ksiazek, who has the backing of the Liberal Member of Parliament for Don Valley East (Michael Coteau).

Ksiazek also ran in 2018 but finished a distant third to Minnan-Wong with just seven per cent of the vote.

On his campaign website Ksiazek vows to restore city services levels, which he says are “getting worse year after year.” He also says that he would push to ensure money from development fees and charges is kept local/

“More transparency means money collected in neighbourhoods affected by development will go to improving services and infrastructure in the same neighbourhoods,” he writes.

Other names on the ballot include Jonathan Mousley, Walter Alvarez-Bardales, Stella Kargiannakis, Alim Samina, John Simms, Dimitre Popov, Nick Pachis, Colin Mahovlich and George Asimakis.

 

Don Valley East at a glance

Population: 94,580

Average number of people per household: 2.45

Median age: 40.9

Population growth over the last decade: 5.7 per cent (Toronto-wide average is 9.1 per cent)

Visible minorities: 58 per cent of population (Toronto-wide average is 51 per cent).

Average household income: $80,648 (Toronto-wide average is $102,721)