What you need to know about the race in Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York

When two-time councillor Joe Cressy announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking re-election, he set off a veritable rat race to fill the open council seat in the densely populated downtown ward of Spadina-Fort York.

While former councillor Joe Mihevc stepped into the role on a temporary basis, he is not running for the permanent job. But 12 others are.

They include lawyers Rocco Achampong and April Engelberg (who finished 2^nd in 2018), former Toronto District School Board Trustee Ausma Malik and marketer and former broadcaster Karlene Nation.

The list also includes Arber Pucci, Kyle Enslen, Robb Cooke, Peter George, Laura-Maria Nikolareizi, Igor Samardzic, Stephanie Soltermann, and Andrei Zodian.

The fast-growing ward is one of the most densely populated parts of Toronto, stretching roughly from Dufferin Street in the west to the Don Valley Parkway in the east. It includes the Toronto Islands, much of the city’s waterfront, as well as the bustling area south of Dundas Street, between Dovercourt Road and Bay Street.

Anyone who lives in the ward knows that you can’t toss a pebble without hitting a new condo development and the area continues to grow rapidly. From 2006 to 2016, the ward’s population more than doubled and from 2011 to 2016, population growth in the area (40 per cent) was almost 10 times that of the city average (4.5 per cent).

Issues in the ward include the rising cost of living –especially housing – as well as green space (many area residents were hoping Rail Deck Park would be built to add much-needed park space), noise and minimizing the disruption caused by the construction of three future subway stops in the area.

Achampong has suggested a congestion fee for vehicles coming downtown to help ease traffic in the area, while Engelberg would like to build a pedestrian bridge to Ward’s Island to help residents access the green space there.

SPADINA-FORT YORK AT A GLANCE

Population: 115,510

Average number of people per household: 1.68

Median age: 32.4

Housing type: 85 per cent live in apartment buildings with at least five storeys (Toronto avg. is 44.3 per cent)

Population growth over the last decade (2006-2016): 102.3 per cent

Visible minorities: 42.8 per cent of population (Toronto-wide average is 51.5 per cent).

Average household income: $103,047 (Toronto-wide average is $102,721)