What you need to know about the race in Ward 19 – Beaches-East York

When first elected in 2018, Beaches-East York Coun. Brad Bradford was one of the youngest people to sit on Toronto City Council.

Four years later, Bradford, who is now 36 years old and the father of a young daughter, is hoping to make a return to city hall to “keep realizing the promise of Beaches-East York, for our families, friends, and neighbours.”

Endorsed by John Tory, Bradford is facing a field of six other candidates: Sébastien Auger, Donna Braniff, Frank Marra, Adam Smith, Steven Thompson, and Jennie Worden, an activist, community builder, and avid cyclist who ascribes to the core values of “civic engagement, justice, and equity.” Worden, who lives in East York, said on her website that she’s “particularly interested and invested in housing (with a focus on tenants' rights); cycling and active transportation; the arts; and social justice.”

Braniff, Marra, and Smith have all previously run in the ward, while Auger, Thompson and Worden are first-time candidates in Beaches-East York, which is bounded by the East Don River and Sunrise Avenue to the north, Coxwell Avenue to the west, Victoria Park Avenue to the east, and Lake Ontario to the south.

In the 2018 election, Bradford won with 14,286 votes or 38.56 per cent of the vote. Former local MP Matthew Kellway came in a close second with 13,998 votes or 37.78 per cent of the vote. Bradford, who prior to being elected worked as an urban planner for the City of Toronto, succeeded now-MPP Mary-Margaret McMahon, who committed to serving a maximum of two terms as a city councillor.

Smith, who finished in seventh place in the 2018 contest in Ward 19, got 708 votes or 1.91 per cent of the vote, while Marra came in 12th with 142 votes or 0.38 per cent of the vote.

Smith, who describes himself as “staunchly non-partisan”, is focusing his campaign on three areas, being a community voice, safe and efficient transportation, and responsible development. Marra, meanwhile, said he’s someone who is “progressively aware and engaged in many of our local issues, such as housing development, community interests, transportation management, and improving our crime/policing policies.”

Ward 19 map

Beaches-East York is home to several highly desirable neighbourhoods including The Beach, Upper Beach, The Port Lands, Taylor-Massey, East Danforth, O'Connor–Parkview, Woodbine Heights, Woodbine Gardens, and parts of Olde East York.

Some of the key issues in the ward include affordable housing, road and community safety, climate change, public transit, and government accountability.

BEACHES-EAST YORK AT A GLANCE

Population: 109,465

Average number of people per household: 2.36

Median age: 40.4

Population growth over the last decade: 4.4 per cent (Toronto-wide average is 9.1 per cent)

Visible minorities: 34 per cent of population (Toronto-wide average is 51 per cent).

Average household income: $104,123 (Toronto-wide average is $102,721)