By News Team
For Ryerson University students who live downtown, it’s almost like the municipal elections on Oct. 22 never even took place. Both the mayor and the councillor who oversees Ryerson’s ward were re-elected. Nevertheless, here are the incumbents who will implement policies that affect Ryerson students over the next four years:
Toronto mayor John Tory
After winning 64 per cent of votes cast in the election, John Tory will resume his position as mayor of Toronto. He won 40 per cent more votes than the city’s former chief planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, who came in second place.
Tory’s resume boasts implementing free transit for kids under 12 and discounted TTC rates for low- income residents. He has also spent the last four years working on expanding transit in Toronto to create relief lines in the city.
As for the future, Tory has promised to create 40,000 new affordable rental homes over the next decade. He wants to follow through with his council-approved transportation expansion, including adding more GO stations and light rail rapid transit lines. Tory also plans to match the province’s $25 million towards fighting gun violence, advocate for a handgun ban in the city and hire more police officers.
Fun fact: Tory wants to create a city-wide public art plan and vowed to declare 2020 the year of public art.
Ward 13 councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam
Both the number of her ward and of her constituents—a population almost double its previous size due to council being downsized—are different, but Kristyn Wong-Tam’s status as a councillor for Toronto’s downtown ward will be the same next term.
Wong-Tam secured a seat on council by a landslide. She won 50 per cent of the votes cast for Ward 13 candidates, which is three times as many as runner-up George Smitherman.
Pushing for affordable housing units and investments in public parks downtown are among her accomplishments as Ward 27 councillor.
Wong-Tam campaigned on promises to lobby the province to invest in mental health and addictions funding. She will also advocate for a ban on the sale of handguns in the city, as well as the preservation of green spaces and cultural landscapes.
Fun fact: An active biker herself, she plans to continue advocating for more bike lanes and bike-sharing services downtown.
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