What you need to know about the race in Ward 12-Toronto-St. Paul’s

Old and new faces at Toronto city hall Hours after being re-elected to a third term, Toronto Mayor John Tory vowed to address transit and housing with his new mandate.

Incumbent Josh Matlow is aiming to snag his fourth term as Toronto-St. Paul’s city councillor and it appears that little may be standing in his way.

After a head-to-head battle with popular incumbent Joe Mihevc last election after the Ford government slashed the number of wards in the city, Matlow managed to sway 51.6 per cent of the votes in his favour.

In 2010, Matlow was among a cohort of rookies – alongside Doug Ford, now the premier of the province – who swung the city hall doors open by grabbing vacant seats and booting out long-time incumbents.

Since then, Matlow has become a well-known supporter of progressive issues, often voting oppositional to incumbent Mayor John Tory, such as for an inquiry into the city’s clearing of park encampments.

He has reckoned with a decade’s worth of Eglinton Crosstown LRT drama and pushed for a pilot project that would allow the consumption of alcohol in Toronto parks and on beaches.

Three other candidates are running for city councillor in Toronto-St. Paul’s. Only one of the three candidates has a website to host their campaign.

Bryan Ashworth describes himself as a born and raised Torontonian who is seeking to focus his efforts on affordable housing, easing congestion and maintaining public parks.

Antonio Corpuz and Bob Murphy are also listed as Toronto-St. Paul’s candidates, although neither one has a bio or platform readily available online.

Toronto-St. Paul’s at a glance

Population: 107,900

Average number of people per household: 1.97

Population growth over the last decade: 3.8%

Household visible minorities: 28%

Average household income: $155,470