Policy
Beaches–East York deserves a councillor who comes to City Hall with a clear understanding of our community’s priorities, from transit, cycling, and housing to parks, public spaces, and local businesses. The ideas outlined here are the priorities I’m committed to championing: shaped by conversations with neighbours, informed by local realities, and focused on making everyday life better in Beaches–East York.
Transit
We need to eliminate slow zones, improve weather preparedness, and push for full or partial platform doors. I fully support RapidTO and will advocate for expanded bus and streetcar priority so service is actually on time.
We have three streetcar routes in our ward and they should feel like a real option for getting downtown. More dedicated lanes, better signal priority, and streamlined stop placement would cut travel times and reduce the bunching that frustrates so many riders.
Riders deserve to feel safe on every trip. Visible staffing and consistent enforcement across the network can shift the culture. Better communication during disruptions matters too, so riders know what's happening and can plan accordingly.
Transit should be affordable enough that people actually choose it. I support keeping fares frozen and the fare capping program rolling out in 2026, with further reductions in future years. That saves riders money and makes navigating the city less stressful.
Active Transportation & Safe Streets
I will be an unwavering advocate for a connected cycling network in Beaches–East York and across Toronto. That means building and maintaining permanent protected bike lanes, closing gaps in the network, and standing up for the City's ability to make evidence-based decisions that improve safety for everyone on our streets.
Bike Share Toronto keeps growing and we should build on that success. Faster station expansion, a quicker rollout of incentives for riders to help manage the bike inventory, and more concierge services at major events would make this a service people can truly count on.
Beyond bike signals and infrastructure, we need clearer rules around e-bikes dominating bike lanes and sidewalks, ticketing and in extreme cases confiscating e-bikes that blatantly break the law. I would also promote the idea of adopting Quebec's law letting cyclists proceed on the pedestrian walk signal, which helps traffic flow and is safer for everyone.
I would support raised intersections and crossings in our neighbourhoods, especially near schools and community hubs. In addition, I believe curb extensions improve sightlines for pedestrians interacting with the street, and Dutch-style protected intersections that reduce conflict points are worth pursuing where the street layout supports it.
Streets should be designed to support their posted speed, not just signed for it. Features like street trees, narrower lane widths where appropriate, safer intersections, and clear road markings naturally encourage more attentive driving. When a street feels consistent with its intended speed, drivers are more comfortable and confident, and speed limits are easier to follow. The result is a safer, more welcoming street for everyone.
Community & Wellbeing
Food bank usage is at record highs and there is no good reason for usable food to go to waste. I want to empower organizations like Daily Bread and Second Harvest to partner with local businesses and build the kind of city-wide collection and distribution system that makes a real difference.
Installing TPL lending kiosks at subway stations and busy public spaces would bring books closer to people, support our libraries, and add a bit of character to shared spaces. This idea has worked well in other cities and I would like to see a proper trial here.
Foot and bike patrols build genuine relationships between officers and residents in a way that cruisers simply cannot. I would also support trialling UK-style Battenburg markings on police vehicles as other communities in Ontario have done, which signal visibility and approachability rather than intimidation.
Housing & Development
When landlords evict tenants for family occupancy or renovations, the city should keep a public record. Transparency discourages abuse and makes it much harder for landlords to re-rent a unit without honouring the conditions that justified the eviction.
A growing city cannot depend entirely on one-bedroom units. Gradually expanding the Growing Up Guidelines to encourage more family-sized homes reflects the character of our neighbourhood and gives families real options.
The city should keep clarifying standards and simplifying how projects get approved. With large-scale construction slowing, now is a good time to clear backlogs and build a system that is fairer and better aligned with our actual goals.
Gentle density fits BEY and gives homeowners real flexibility. Bringing existing informal suites into the legal system also opens the door to environmental retrofits and creates quiet but meaningful community benefits.
Local Business & Vibrancy
Growth along transit corridors is important but it should not erase the small storefronts that define Danforth and Queen East. I want clearer guidelines for developers, narrower retail bay requirements, and real effort to keep small businesses in redeveloped buildings.
Too often storefronts on our main streets sit empty while the owner of the commercial property either looks for a new tenant to pay the highest rent, or while a property is waiting to be redeveloped. A surcharge on empty retail spaces would incentivize landlords to retain or rent to new local businesses or incentivize developers to expedite their projects to maintain the actvitiy and interaction along our main streets.
It should be easier for BIAs and local organizers to put on recurring community events. I also want to simplify and reduce costs for small businesses participating in CafeTO, because those programs benefit the whole neighbourhood when they are accessible.
Parts of our ward are well suited to partial or seasonal pedestrianization. Giving community events and groups more room to grow supports local business and makes the neighbourhood more vibrant. I would continue advocating for this approach in appropriate areas of the ward and beyond.
Environment & Parks
We live in a city that has real winters. I support the Park Washroom Enhancement Program and want to see year-round facilities that let residents fully enjoy our parks no matter the season.
Community safety audits are more useful when neighbours have real input on what gets fixed. I also want to encourage more "Friends of" park groups, which do a remarkable job supporting upkeep and programming.
Expanding tree cover where it is thinnest helps fight the Heat Island Effect and makes streets more pleasant for everyone. I want to grow the Urban Forestry Grants and Incentives Program and explore tax incentives for private tree planting in areas that need it most.
The Toronto Green Standard should gradually get stronger. Developers who go above baseline requirements deserve meaningful incentives, and the homes they build will be better for it: more efficient, lower maintenance, and more desirable long-term.
Governance
Provincial rules currently block municipal voting reform, but I would strongly support ranked-choice voting if that changes. It produces fairer outcomes and gives every voter a more meaningful say in who represents them.
Everyone who works for the City of Toronto should earn enough to actually live here. That is good for workers, good for service quality, and good for building a workforce that is genuinely invested in the city's future.
The City of Toronto has been subjected to years of meddling by Queens Park which has inhibited our ability to follow through on the democratic wishes of Torontonians. I would like to add my voice to the growing list of proponents of this complex but ever more relevant idea.