What they said. What's true. What they can actually do.
City council · updated 13 Oct 2026
Ward 5 York South–Weston
Who is running for Toronto City Council in Ward 5 York South–Weston in the October 26, 2026 municipal election: how the 9 certified candidates differ, what they have committed to, and whether the City could deliver it. Information as of 13 Oct 2026.
9 candidates: Sharmarke Ali, Matthew Boateng, Daniel Di Giorgio, Maryama Farah, Ahmed Mawel, Frances Nunziata, Nekpen Obasogie, Chiara Padovani, Sileen Phillips. Incumbent: Frances Nunziata.
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.
Encampments in parks: how should the City respond? (Homelessness)
Remove them and place people in shelters: Nunziata
Outreach-led; clearing alone only moves people: Phillips
No position found: Ali, Boateng, Di Giorgio, Farah, Mawel, Obasogie, Padovani
Commit now to keeping the fare freeze and lowering the fare cap? (Transit)
Remove them; put lanes on residential streets: Nunziata
No position found: Ali, Boateng, Di Giorgio, Farah, Mawel, Obasogie, Phillips
Little disagreement, or few spoke: Housing, 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
9 certified, in alphabetical order. Each card counts the commitments on record and how many are firm (pledged, or “will push for”), then shows the 4 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.
Sharmarke Ali
Says he has a background in computer science; no earlier Toronto candidacy found. Leads on housing, local business, youth safety, responsive City Hall and transit.
“”Self-reported: background
Top commitments
34 on record, 21 firm.
Sensible rent controls (→Outside City control; Will push for). Sources
Music teacher and ordained minister who says he supervised a Toronto shelter during the refugee crisis; no earlier Toronto candidacy found. Leads on affordability, community safety, youth, local jobs, seniors and community infrastructure.
“”Self-reported: background
Top commitments
36 on record, 35 firm.
Affordable rentals on City land, priced to ward incomes (✓Already exists; Will push for). Sources
Catholic school board trustee since 2018 and the Liberal runner-up here in the 2025 provincial election. Leads on crime, traffic, transit, property taxes, parks and development.
Says he has worked as a legislative assistant at Queen's Park and holds a computer-science degree; running as an independent. Leads on housing, property taxes, transit, newcomers and parks.
“”Self-reported: background
Top commitments
10 on record, 1 firm.
More affordable and accessible housing (∼Vague; Would advocate). Sources
Councillor for this area since amalgamation and Speaker of Council since 2010; earlier Mayor of York. Leads on safety, housing, parks, encampments and renters.
Top commitments
25 on record, 2 firm.
No cuts to the police budget (✓Already exists; Pledges). Sources
Author and founder of NEBO TV Canada; says she is a social worker and University of Toronto PhD candidate. Leads on family programs, local business, housing, infrastructure and safety, inclusion and a community centre.
“”Self-reported: social worker, PhD candidate
Top commitments
6 on record, 1 firm.
Programs and supports for families (∼Vague; Would advocate). Sources
Food bank social worker and founder of the York South-Weston Tenants Union; runner-up in 2022 by 94 votes. Leads on road safety and transit, flooding, youth, housing and tenants, and main streets.
“”Self-reported: food bank work
Top commitments
43 on record, 36 firm.
Safety fixes at dangerous ward intersections (✓Already exists; Will push for). Sources
Church youth and family coordinator who says she spent 25 years in federal public service; no earlier Toronto candidacy found. Leads on housing, local business and artists, youth and safety, seniors and flooding.
“”Self-reported: background
Top commitments
52 on record, 17 firm.
Stronger tenant protections (∼Vague; Would advocate). Sources
Nunziata: Supports the Province removing bike lanes that take a traffic lane (undated interview); in 2024 voted to oppose that provincial law.. Sources
Housing: All who spoke want more affordable housing or tenant protection. Ali, Padovani and Phillips back forms of rent control; Di Giorgio and Nunziata opposed North Park Plaza plans.. Sources
Policing and safety: Ali and Boateng put prevention, youth programs and non-police crisis response first. Di Giorgio supports tackling crime, his top priority, with no measure. Nunziata wants more officers and no police cuts.. Sources
Taxes and budget: Boateng says most of his plan redirects existing funding; Di Giorgio supports controlling property taxes and Mawel responsible tax decisions, neither with a target. Nunziata voted for the 2024–2026 tax rates.. Sources
City services: Ali wants City service requests tracked and answered faster; Nunziata wants the suburbs to get the same City investment as downtown.. Sources
Flooding and infrastructure: Boateng and Padovani pledge flood action in Rockcliffe-Smythe; Padovani lists a Building Code change and wider subsidies. Phillips supports flood protection. Nunziata cites $323 million for Black Creek.. Sources
Parks and waterfront: Nunziata backs leasing Weston Lions Arena to MLSE as a youth hub. Others name park upkeep; Phillips adds off-leash enforcement and dog-area upgrades.. Sources
Environment: Padovani and Phillips signed the Toronto Environmental Alliance pledge; Ali will advocate for more tree canopy and urban agriculture.. Sources
Small business: All who spoke support local business. Ali and Boateng propose youth entrepreneur grants and less red tape; Padovani proposes penalties on landlords of illegal cannabis stores and a vacant-storefront tax.. Sources
Community services: Ali, Boateng, Padovani and Phillips propose youth mentoring, jobs or after-school programs; Ali and Boateng also name child care and seniors' programs.. Sources
Governance: Boateng pledges and Phillips proposes published ward reports; Phillips also proposes a ward advisory panel and says people with family ties to developers should not serve as councillors.. 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
Youth mentorship network: Boateng
◐Possible but hard
Open schools after hours: Padovani. Decides: School boards (TDSB, TCDSB) with City funding.
→Outside City control
Broader rent control: Ali. Decides: Province of Ontario.
Allow sewage ejection pumps: Padovani. Decides: Province of Ontario (Building Code).
Limit above-guideline rent increases: Padovani. Decides: Province of Ontario.
More home-support services for seniors: Phillips. Decides: Province of Ontario (Ontario Health atHome).
✓Already exists
More non-market housing on City land: Boateng
Community benefit agreements: Boateng
Oppose cuts to the police budget: Nunziata
Multiplexes, laneway suites and gentle density: Nunziata
MLSE LaunchPad at Weston Lions Arena: Nunziata
Stronger enforcement against negligent landlords: Nunziata
Safer crossings, school zones, traffic calming: Padovani
∼Vague
Support main streets and local businesses: Ali, Obasogie, Phillips
Community programs or support (no measure named): Ali, Mawel, Obasogie, Phillips
Prevention-first approach to crime (no measure named): Ali, Boateng
Update City IT (no measure named): Ali
Smoother travel (no measure named): Di Giorgio
Transit goals with no mechanism named: Di Giorgio, Mawel
Keep taxes or bills down (no target named): Di Giorgio, Mawel
More affordable housing (no measure named): Mawel, Obasogie
Value for tax dollars (no measure named): Mawel
Catch up on repairs (no measure named): Obasogie
Stronger tenant protections: Phillips
Safer public spaces (no measure named): Di Giorgio
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.
Ali: 34 on record, 21 firm. Possible but hard 7 · Outside City control 4 · Already exists 4 · Vague 19
Boateng: 36 on record, 35 firm. Realistic 4 · Possible but hard 6 · Outside City control 2 · Already exists 10 · Vague 9 · Not rated 5
Nunziata: 25 on record, 2 firm. Realistic 1 · Possible but hard 5 · Outside City control 4 · Already exists 8 · Vague 5 · Not rated 2
Obasogie: 6 on record, 1 firm. Vague 6
Padovani: 43 on record, 36 firm. Realistic 5 · Possible but hard 13 · Outside City control 4 · Already exists 8 · Vague 7 · Not rated 6
Phillips: 52 on record, 17 firm. Realistic 5 · Possible but hard 15 · Outside City control 7 · Already exists 8 · Vague 13 · Not rated 4
Numbers checked
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: Boateng: 16.8% of Toronto youth in the labour force were unemployed in April 2026. A City staff report using Statistics Canada data gives the same figure.. Sources
!Misleading: Di Giorgio: crime is rising. Canada's crime index rose to 2023 and fell in 2024 and 2025; CP24 reports Toronto's down 7% in 2025.. Sources
≈Mostly accurate: Di Giorgio: the City supports the tower's height and built form. Staff did not object to height, but the City opposes the application at the tribunal.. Sources
✓Accurate: Nunziata: moved Council's request for federal and provincial bail reform. Council records show her motion adopted 17-3 in October 2024.. Sources
?Unverifiable: Di Giorgio: Nunziata described the North Park Plaza meeting as about one tower only. Her words were not found; the plaza had two applications.. Sources
?Unverifiable: Nunziata: unlike her opponents, she will not defund the police. No current candidate's materials read propose police budget cuts.. Sources
≈Mostly accurate: Nunziata: her opponent calls the 2024 rent strike a huge victory. Striking tenants used the phrase; Padovani told CP the tenants won.. Sources
≈Mostly accurate: Padovani: Nunziata's 2022 campaign cheated. Council found in 2024 her campaign misused constituent emails; any effect on the result was not assessed.. Sources
≈Mostly accurate: Padovani: Nunziata backed selling public floodplain land. A 2018 report says she supported the sale; no record shows it was set aside for flooding.. Sources
≈Mostly accurate: Padovani: Nunziata has distributed under 3% of the Rockcliffe flood grant's $2 million annual budget. FOI figures match, but City staff, not the councillor, pay the grants.. Sources
Method: Built from 586 sourced rows read 11 October 2026: candidates' own materials, City records, dated news and organizers' surveys. 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: bare platform items now read Supports (Di Giorgio, Mawel, Obasogie, Phillips); Phillips's governance commitments read Pledges; tallies leave out opposed proposals and count merged duplicates once; some ratings updated.
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.