Poverty, crime and lack of business opportunities tackled by four candidates

In the last four years, York South-Weston has seen businesses close their doors, well-paying jobs lost, and poverty remain an issue.

That’s what community members and local organizations had to say as they discussed issues relevant to Ward 11 for the Oct. 25 municipal election.“Our area has seen a lot of meaningful jobs disappear over the years,” said David McBride, chair of the Weston Village Residents Association, which formed earlier this year looking to improve the community of Weston. “That’s one of the problems particularly for younger people. Coupled with that, there’s no recreational outlet for them.”

In turn, crime seems to be an ongoing issue, McBride added.

Mike Sullivan voiced similar concerns.

“The riding still has no job hope in it,” said the Weston resident and co-chair of the Clean Train Coalition. “There’s not very much creative or investment-type solutions being proposed by anybody.”

Instead, the stores that do pop up are the check-cash establishments that take advantage of low-income residents, noted Suri Weinberg-Linsky, who owns a stationery business near Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue.

The people who live in the neighbourhood don’t have money and those who are affluent don’t shop in Weston.

“It’s a vicious circle,” she said.

Yasmin Haq-Khan, community planner for Social Planning Toronto, agreed that not much has changed.

“Many of the issues are still the same,” Haq-Khan said. “We are still a very poor community.”

As part of a working group studying poverty rates across the city, Haq-Khan said a higher priority needs to be put into investing in social services, especially in places like York South-Weston.

“Health issues are linked with poverty rates,” she noted. “Poverty impacts the well-being of society as a whole.”

The four candidates vying for the council seat to represent Ward 11 each suggested ways to improve the economic development of Ward 11, a riding that has been labeled one of the poorest in the Greater Toronto Area.

Incumbent candidate Frances Nunziata touted her involvement with the community and promised to continue working on bringing new development into the area.

“I got a good track record and I’m proud of it,” said Nunziata, citing that she recently wrote a letter to the Toronto Transit Commission, advocating on behalf of the community to look into using the former Kodak lands in Mount Dennis for its maintenance work.

With plans for an Eglinton LRT coming into the former city of York, Nunziata said that’s another incentive for businesses to return and for developers to look into the vacant lands and think about revitalizing the community.

She also suggested lowering the development fees to provide additional incentive to promote industry and provide high-paying jobs for residents.

Candidate Fulvio Sansone, however, noted that vacant lands in the ward are minimal. Much of his focus would instead be on revitalizing the business corridors in Ward 11.

“I want to establish a ward-wide BIA (business improvement area),” said Sansone, explaining his vision to include and invest in such business corridors as those along Jane Street and Weston Road. “That is going to bring in industrial and commercial members.”

Sansone also said he’d work closely with community groups and ratepayers associations while taking a leadership role that is expected in a councillor to be the voice for the ward, something he is confident he can do with his experience as a “lifetime bureaucrat” previously working in all three levels of government.

Leo Marshall, a candidate with a degree in political science, said priority must be on reversing the decay and general decline of the area.

“It really needs a good clean-up,” said Marshall, adding that establishing a clean and safe environment will encourage businesses to come into the neighbourhood.

That includes improving the living conditions of some of the buildings, providing more police to patrol the community, and increasing services within the public sector, she said.

Marshall added she’d be a more active voice on council, noting that currently York South-Weston is being “neglected.”

Abdi Hashised agreed. He said he is running for council because of his frustration at the lack of positive change in the ward.

“I’m not happy. There’s crime, business is down and nothing’s happening,” said Hashised, a resident of York South-Weston for almost 20 years. “Four years from now, I want to see improvements in this area.”

On his agenda is to do what he can to lower taxes for small business owners and work with the different level of governments to provide financial stimulus packages for them. Hashised also promised to continuously consult with the community on such issues as public transportation.

Other key developments that Ward 11 constituents are looking for leadership in from the next councillor include the possible establishment of a George Brown College campus in Weston and the redevelopment of the Weston and Lawrence area with a GO Transit station in the works.

“They need to take the task at hand and do everything they can to help these projects move along,” said McBride. “And to make sure we’re heard and not forgotten.”

Residents will be able to question the candidates themselves at a public debate scheduled for Oct. 13 at the Mount Dennis Legion, 1050 Weston Rd. from 7 to 9 p.m.

- Clark Kim

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