“Talk About Affordability and Housing”: GTA Voters Send a Clear Message to Candidates.  

October 12, 2026, Toronto, Ontario. If one soundbite captures the top voter concerns across the GTA in the upcoming municipal elections, it comes from Sr. Ilham Saydna, a Toronto resident for over 30 years. She shared her thoughts with the press:

“I am waiting to see which candidate will present a sound platform for food security because many people are hungry right now. They are relying on food banks and cannot even afford to pay rent,” she said.

As a tenant, Saydna believes the city must do more to support renters, including redefining what affordable housing actually means. “Like me, many people in the city are struggling financially and will vote for anyone whose top priority is to make life more affordable,” she added.

While some voters have expressed concerns about public safety, Saydna argues that “If people are not properly housed and are left to live on the streets, you can’t blame them for trying to survive in any way they can. That’s what fuels crime. But if we tackle poverty and people’s needs, crime will go down.”

Well said, sister!

Terry Chamberlain, a Don Mills resident, emphasized the need for the city to encourage new housing construction. “As long as the development is done responsibly and fits into the area, I’m all for it,” he stated. He noted that his neighborhood urgently needs a community center and more facilities for children, which should be a priority.

Regarding public transit, he feels it is “quite good” and reliable where he lives, but believes the city should lobby the province to extend the 15.6-kilometer Ontario Line subway, currently under construction, beyond Eglinton Avenue.

Ross Rowlands, who lives in the Beaches, said he would vote for a candidate who stands up to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, criticizing him for controversial decisions such as banning municipal speed cameras and removing bike lanes on major city roads.

Rowlands advocates for the next mayor to invest in preventive measures for crime and mental health rather than spending money on what he describes as reactionary policing.

The homelessness crisis is another pressing issue in the municipal elections across the province. Toronto’s 10-year plan to open more shelters, including some outside the downtown core, has drawn mixed reactions, particularly from residents in communities slated to host them, who raise safety concerns.

Patty Wegrzyn, a Scarborough resident, is unhappy about a shelter built near her home two years ago. “Everybody has a right to have a home,” she said, “but do not place homeless shelters where there are small children and families.”

Peter Formica, a Scarborough resident living in senior co-operative housing, suggested that the city could sell its underused, high-value properties to help address affordable housing for seniors. He also recommended increasing affordable housing supply by freeing up larger, underused units.

Context: More than 50 candidates are vying to become Toronto’s next mayor in the upcoming municipal elections. However, polls indicate a two-way contest between incumbent Olivia Chow and councilor Brad Bradford.

Chow, one of the few politicians in the city to call the Gaza genocide what it is, has been clear about her platform. Key promises include lowering grocery prices, providing free lunches in schools, and building more affordable housing units. Her closest rival, Brad Bradford, has gained support from pro-Zionist media following Chow’s stance on the Gaza genocide. He has pledged to freeze property tax rates in his first year as mayor and eliminate the land transfer tax for homes priced under $1.1 million.