What they said. What's true. What they can actually do.
City council · updated 13 Oct 2026
Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre
Who is running for Toronto City Council in Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre in the October 26, 2026 municipal election: how the 3 certified candidates differ, what they have committed to, and whether the City could deliver it. Information as of 13 Oct 2026.
3 candidates: Jennifer Alexander, Katie Andrachuk, Stephen Holyday. Incumbent: Stephen Holyday.
The mayor and 25 councillors each have one vote; most decisions need a majority, so one councillor cannot change a by-law or the budget alone.
The mayor proposes the budget, can veto council's budget changes and some by-laws (two-thirds of council overrides), and can pass by-laws on provincial priorities with one-third support.
Council sets property tax, the budget, zoning and by-laws, and runs services such as roads, parks, water, shelters and libraries.
Developers can appeal planning decisions to the Ontario Land Tribunal, a provincial body council cannot overrule; since 2024 most residents cannot appeal.
The Province decides rent control and evictions, new schools, GO trains and the Ontario Line, highway tolls, bike lanes that remove a traffic lane, and election rules.
Council sets the police budget total and the TTC subsidy; the police board and Chief decide how policing works, and the TTC Board runs transit.
Where they differ
Candidates grouped by what they have said.
More homes in existing neighbourhoods, such as multiplexes (Housing)
Yes, gentle density where it fits, with services to match: Andrachuk
Opposed six-plexes; voted against 2024 major-street housing and the 2025 multiplex report: Holyday
No position found: Alexander
Bus-priority lanes (RapidTO) in the ward (Transit)
Yes to a route in the ward by the end of next term (TTCriders): Andrachuk
No to a route in the ward by the end of next term; Yes in other wards (TTCriders): Alexander
Bike lanes that take road space from cars (Roads and cycling)
Keep and rebuild the Bloor, Yonge and University lanes (Cycle Toronto): Andrachuk
Opposes closing car lanes for bike lanes, including on Bloor: Holyday
No position found: Alexander
Little disagreement, or few spoke: Homelessness, Policing and safety, Taxes and budget, City services, Flooding and infrastructure, Parks and waterfront, Environment, Small business, Community services, Governance. See Issue by issue.
The candidates
3 certified, in alphabetical order. Each card counts the commitments on record and how many are firm (pledged, or “will push for”), then shows the 3 they lead with. Counts reflect how much a candidate has published and how they phrase it; more is not better. Chips show how feasible each is and how firmly it was stated. Surveys and forums counted: Build Canada, TTCriders survey, TTCriders pledge, Environmental Alliance pledge, Cycle Toronto.
Jennifer Alexander
Etobicoke Centre resident who founded The Etobicoke Voice newsletter and podcast; says she has spent about ten years in community advocacy. Leads on safer streets, a stronger community voice, neighbourhoods that work and community safety.
“”Self-reported: background
Top commitments
8 on record, 2 firm.
Safer crossings and street design (∼Vague; Supports). Sources
Former policy advisor to Etobicoke Centre councillor John Campbell; says she has spent 17 years on Toronto housing, transit and public-space projects. Leads on services for tax dollars, homes for every stage of life, getting around, everyday needs close to home and greener streets.
“”Self-reported: background
Top commitments
23 on record, 4 firm.
Follow up until broken services are fixed (∼Vague; Pledges). Sources
Ward councillor since 2014 and deputy mayor under John Tory. Leads on affordable government, community safety, strong neighbourhoods, infrastructure and his attendance record.
Top commitments
6 on record, 1 firm.
Lower taxes and spending restraint (∼Vague; Supports). Sources
Holyday: Says he refused a six-plex and major-street planning changes; voted against the 2024 major-streets plan and the 2025 multiplex report.. Sources
Alexander: TTCriders: Yes to 17 of 18 questions, No to a RapidTO route in the ward; commits to working with everyone on more reliable, safer service.. Sources
Andrachuk: TTCriders: Yes to all 18 and signed its pledge; will advocate for stable TTC funding from other governments while keeping decisions local.. Sources
Holyday: Moved 2026 budget motions to end the fare freeze, raise fares and charge fares for children (all lost); voted against RapidTO in 2024.. Sources
Andrachuk: Yes to all five Cycle Toronto pledges; her priority is filling cycling gaps between neighbourhoods, transit, trails and main roads.. Sources
Homelessness: Alexander and Andrachuk said Yes to TTCriders on more shelters and supportive housing. Holyday voted to start removing encampments near schools and playgrounds within 24 hours of reports (Nov 2025).. Sources
Policing and safety: Alexander leads on prevention and root causes of crime; Andrachuk wants police for violence and crisis workers for other needs on transit; Holyday says he opposed defunding the police.. Sources
Taxes and budget: Holyday cites lower taxes and spending restraint; voted against the 2024, 2025 and 2026 tax rates. Andrachuk says spending the minimum costs more when repairs wait. No position found: Alexander.. Sources
City services: Andrachuk will follow up until problems are fixed; Alexander wants better local services and community spaces; Holyday pressed to restore mechanical leaf collection (lost in 2024, 2025 and 2026).. Sources
Flooding and infrastructure: Holyday lists basement-flooding and sewer upgrades, a motion on flooding hotspots and support for larger flood-prevention grants. No flooding proposals found from Alexander or Andrachuk.. Sources
Parks and waterfront: Holyday lists Centennial Park work and the Etobicoke Greenway trail; Andrachuk wants the Greenway connected into neighbourhoods and investment in parks; Alexander lists stronger public spaces.. Sources
Environment: Alexander took the Environmental Alliance pledge; Andrachuk wants to rebuild the tree canopy. No environment proposals found from Holyday.. Sources
Small business: Andrachuk wants neighbourhood plazas with local shops and services. No small-business proposals found from Alexander or Holyday.. Sources
Governance: Alexander pledges to serve at most two terms and wants residents heard early; Holyday cites never missing a Council meeting since 2014.. Sources
Could the City actually do it? Each proposal is rated once, the same way in every race. A rating is about the proposal, not the candidate.
●Realistic
Earlier and deeper community consultation on development: Alexander
◐Possible but hard
Wider multiplex and medium-density zoning: Holyday (opposes). Decides: City Council.
✓Already exists
Multiplexes, laneway suites and gentle density: Andrachuk
Oppose cuts to the police budget: Holyday
More street outreach and crisis-response workers: Holyday
∼Vague
Safer streets (no measure named): Alexander
More accountability and transparency: Alexander
Protect or improve services (no measure named): Alexander, Andrachuk
Community programs or support (no measure named): Alexander
Growth should come with infrastructure and services: Andrachuk
Smoother travel (no measure named): Andrachuk
Keep taxes or bills down (no target named): Holyday
Value for tax dollars (no measure named): Holyday
Every catalogued commitment, by candidate
Alphabetical. Firm: pledged, or “will push for”. Counts reflect how much each candidate has published and how they phrase it; more commitments is not a better platform. Proposals a candidate opposes are not counted.
Up to two checked figures per candidate, and every checked claim about a rival, compared with official records or dated news.
Figures candidates cite
✓Accurate: Holyday: never missed any of 140 Council meetings since 2014, with over 8,900 recorded votes. City attendance and voting records match.. Sources
Method: Built from 133 sourced rows read 12 October 2026: candidates' own materials, City records, dated news and organizers' surveys. This race uses the lighter research profile: each candidate's own site and the organizers' surveys, plus the incumbent's key council votes. Each proposal is rated once, the same way in every race. Positions are recorded only as firmly as stated. An agent that did not draft the page checked it before publication. Labels appear only on facts that are not confirmed. The rubric defines ratings and strength words. Source dates shown without a year are in 2026.
Corrections: 13 October 2026: Cross-ward check: housing is now shown under Where they differ; tallies leave out opposed proposals.
Researched and drafted with AI, checked against linked sources. To report an error: corrections@spinfilterto.ca.
This guide is independent and non-partisan. It does not recommend, rank or score candidates.