Part 1 of 3 focusing on the Scarborough-Rouge Park by-election. The city’s most eastern ward is looking for a new councillor to represent them after former councillor, now Liberal MP, Jennifer McKelvie took the leap to federal office in the spring. Twenty candidates are vying for that seat and are looking to fight for Scarborough-Rouge Park or Ward 25, a ward that’s often overlooked or “neglected” when it comes to municipal matters.
“There’s a sense, and that is based on real lived experience that, you know, some of these things are not being taken care of fast enough and are not given the priority it deserves,” says former councillor and the Toronto District School Board’s current chair Neethan Shan whose looking to make his return to City Hall this fall.
Other candidates in the race include Ontario Liberal candidate Walter Alvarez-Bardales whose supporting affordable housing projects, for example the one at 25 Sewells Rd.
By-election day is September 29. There will be two days of advance voting on September 20 and 21.
Additional reporting and fact-checking for this series is done by Kinza Zafar. Met Radio has reached out to all candidates in Ward 25.