Addressing Misinformation

Some of our neighbours have received a fake flyer impersonating me with misinformation and false claims. I’m disappointed that some are using dirty political tactics during this campaign and I want to be clear that it is not from our team and is deliberately meant to mislead our neighbours.

Our city has serious issues, and addressing them will require serious leaders, and engaged, thoughtful residents. Our campaign is about creating a positive vision for Scarborough. I live here, I believe we can build a better future, and I am grateful that thousands of our neighbours believe in me.

I’d like to clarify my position on some issues, and I invite you to reach out and get in touch with me if you’d like to share your thoughts.

I have strived to be a thoughtful and engaged community leader and advocate, and I look forward to continuing that work at City Hall.

“Do you believe that Ward 20 would be safer if the budget for Toronto Police was decreased and the money was allocated to other community support programs?”

Yes –Allocating some funds from policing to community safety programs, traffic wardens, and automated speed enforcement are some ways we could reduce the burden on our police officers and allow them to focus on more crucial tasks such as violent crime and auto theft.

The $1 billion+ police budget is the City’s single biggest budget line item and needs attention and accountability so all of us feel safe.

"Will you allow supervised injection sites to the ward?"

Yes – I’m not aware of any plan to open a supervised injection site in Scarborough Southwest. However, if the Medical Officer of Health recommends that we need a safe injection site to save lives in the community, I will follow that advice. These sites are a lifesaving measure and access to them diverts those who use substances from doing so in public spaces, such as transit and parks.

If a site were recommended for Scarborough Southwest, I would work with the community and experts to come up with a comprehensive safety plan.

“As councillor, will you work to introduce more buses and bus lanes?”

Yes – Scarborough has been left behind on transit for too long, we need buses that are not stuck in traffic, that come often, and are reliable. More trips taken on transit and fewer cars on the road will make it easier for everyone to get around, including folks who drive.

I have been a strong advocate for the Scarborough RT dedicated busway, to get the replacement buses off the road until the subway extension opens, and I will make sure we invest in transit in Scarborough.

“Specifically here in Scarborough Southwest, will you support the City of Toronto’s plan to add 100 km of paved bike lanes with protected curbs?”

Yes – The 100 km plan was adopted by City Council in 2021, with an overwhelming majority of 20 to 2, and the implementation across the city is already almost complete.

Scarborough already has some examples of very high quality cycling infrastructure – we can do even better to make streets safer for everyone. Two examples great are on Ellesmere near Markham (next to Woburn Collegiate) and near Kingston Road near Glen Everest (next to Rosetta McClain Gardens).

There is a much broader conversation about making Scarborough’s streets safer for everyone, especially for pedestrians, and we need to consider all the tools in the safe streets toolkit – including safer pedestrian crossings at bus stops and schools, more speed cameras, speed bumps and other traffic calming measures.