N環球 
Toronto Election One Week Out: Scarborough's Six Wards Turn Into Battlegrounds
With one week to go before Toronto's Oct. 26 municipal vote, Scarborough's six wards have become the city's most volatile battlegrounds over transit, zoning and public safety; Mayor Olivia Chow and Brad Bradford spar over housing affordability as the Scarborough Busway opens about six months early.
Why it matters
Toronto's municipal election is one week away, on Oct. 26. Scarborough's six wards — home to more than 600,000 people — have emerged as the city's most volatile political battlegrounds, with candidates drawing sharp battle lines over transit infrastructure, neighbourhood zoning and public safety.
The Scarborough fight
In Scarborough Southwest (Ward 20), incumbent Parthi Kandavel is positioning himself as a defender against downtown-centric transit policies, explicitly opposing priority transit lanes he argues would squeeze local vehicle traffic. The ward became an ideological battleground after Gary Crawford resigned in 2023, and a distinct group of independent 'grievance' candidates is channelling alienation from the City Hall status quo.
Transit and housing clashes
Scarborough is often described as a 'transit desert.' The TTC has opened a four-kilometre Scarborough Busway connecting Kennedy Station and Scarborough Town Centre, replacing Line 3 train service shut down after a derailment more than three years ago — about six months ahead of schedule. But the Scarborough subway extension is still years away, and the 18.6-km Eglinton East LRT remains in the design phase. In the mayoral race, incumbent Olivia Chow and challenger Brad Bradford are clashing over housing affordability and shelter placement: Chow says her approach to homelessness is working, while Bradford proposes more supportive and transitional housing.
Sources
Toronto Business Journal (Oct. 19); Buildups (Oct. 14).
💬 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!