What they said. What's true. What they can actually do.
City council · updated 13 Oct 2026
Ward 23 Scarborough North
Who is running for Toronto City Council in Ward 23 Scarborough North in the October 26, 2026 municipal election: how the 8 certified candidates differ, what they have committed to, and whether the City could deliver it. Information as of 13 Oct 2026.
8 candidates: Shaun Chen, Han Dong, Sajawal Javed, Kevin Li, Jamaal Myers, John-Mark Oleh, Ronald Phen, Piravena Sathiyanantham. Incumbent: Jamaal Myers.
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.
Should Ward 23 keep allowing up to six homes on a residential lot? (Housing)
Council approved sixplexes in Ward 23 in February 2025; Myers voted for them. On Build Canada, Myers and Oleh both chose more multiplexes in nearly every neighbourhood.
Ask residents ward-wide; opt out if they say no: Dong
No position found: Chen, Javed, Li, Oleh, Phen, Sathiyanantham
Red bus-priority lanes (RapidTO) on ward roads (Transit)
Myers prefers centre-lane bus rapid transit to RapidTO as now designed. On Build Canada, Myers and Oleh both put car capacity and parking first where street space is short.
Yes to a RapidTO route in the ward (TTCriders survey): Javed, Myers
Not without a detailed plan and local consultation: Chen
Opposes taking a lane from drivers; faster buses instead: Dong
No position found: Li, Oleh, Phen, Sathiyanantham
How fast should property taxes rise? (Taxes and budget)
No position found: Chen, Javed, Phen, Sathiyanantham
Little disagreement, or few spoke: Homelessness, City services, Flooding and infrastructure, Parks and waterfront, Environment, Small business, Community services. Policing and safety, roads and governance each split on one Build Canada question. See Issue by issue.
The candidates
8 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.
Shaun Chen
Liberal MP for Scarborough North from 2015 until August 2026, when he stepped down citing health; earlier a Toronto school board trustee and chair. Leads on making sure Scarborough is not overlooked (the Sheppard subway), affordability, homes and transit, safety, and seniors and youth.
Top commitments
11 on record, 7 firm.
Extend the Sheppard subway east to Malvern (→Outside City control; Will push for). Sources
Former Liberal MPP for Trinity–Spadina (2014–2018) and MP for Don Valley North (2019–2025), an Independent from 2023. Leads on safety, streets, spending, neighbourhood issues including sixplexes, commutes (the Sheppard subway and Steeles widening) and a reachable councillor.
Top commitments
25 on record, 13 firm.
Lighting audit of every park, path and street (●Realistic; ◐Possible but hard; Supports). Sources
No campaign website or platform found. His published positions are his TTCriders survey answers: Yes to all 18 questions, with comments on TTC funding, RapidTO and safety.
Top commitments
7 on record, 0 firm.
More TTC autonomy, with clear accountability (→Outside City control; ●Realistic; Supports). Sources
Says he was an assistant to the late Councillor Cynthia Lai, and earlier a teacher and business owner. Leads on community safety, City services and spending, support for families, seniors and youth, and accountability at City Hall.
“”Self-reported: career
Top commitments
10 on record, 1 firm.
Keep neighbourhoods, parks and transit areas safe (∼Vague; Supports). Sources
Ward 23 councillor since 2022 and TTC chair since 2023; a lawyer before council. Leads on faster transit and safer streets, affordable homes, City services and assets, youth and seniors, and local business.
“”Self-reported: lawyer
Top commitments
23 on record, 0 firm.
Faster transit and safer streets (∼Vague; Supports). Sources
Says he grew up in Malvern and has volunteered locally. Leads on respect for tax dollars, transit, healthcare and community wellness, and Scarborough's fair share.
“”Self-reported
Top commitments
22 on record, 6 firm.
Review every budget with accountability (∼Vague; Supports). Sources
Dong: Pledges a ward-wide consultation on sixplexes and a vote to opt out if residents say no; supports a community meeting before major applications.. Sources
Myers: Supports Ward 23's sixplex rules. Build Canada: more multiplexes in nearly every neighbourhood, and more affordable and supportive housing.. Sources
Oleh: Build Canada: more homes as of right in every ward; cut development charges and approval times; will push for affordable housing with other governments.. Sources
Homelessness: Myers and Oleh would require people to leave a park encampment once suitable indoor space is offered (Build Canada). Chen, Javed and Myers back more shelters and supportive housing (TTCriders).. Sources
Roads and cycling: On Build Canada's road-pricing question, Myers said Yes and Oleh No. Dong opposes the posts and medians on Huntingwood Drive; Myers wants safer cycling infrastructure on Sandhurst Circle.. Sources
Policing and safety: On Build Canada's safety-spending question, Myers chose lighting, upkeep and active streets and parks; Oleh chose police, by-law staff and visible presence. Chen, Dong and Li back community policing.. Sources
City services: Most promise better service. Dong pledges 24-hour replies and supports a multilingual office open evenings and Saturdays and four town halls a year; Oleh pledges round-the-clock availability.. Sources
Flooding and infrastructure: No flooding proposals found. On Build Canada's repair-backlog question, Myers and Oleh would move money from new projects to existing assets.. Sources
Parks and waterfront: Dong will push for a maintenance standard for every park and consultation before changes; Myers wants an urban park ranger; Oleh supports more parks funding.. Sources
Small business: Myers and Oleh name support for local business without a measure. On Build Canada, Myers would speed up permits and Oleh would cut commercial taxes and fees.. Sources
Community services: Chen will push for recreation, jobs and mentorship for youth and seniors; Li wants more youth jobs; Myers names investment in youth and seniors; Oleh would advocate for healthcare partnerships.. Sources
Governance: Asked by Build Canada how to deal with the Province, Myers would press publicly for more powers and revenue; Oleh would align with provincial priorities where that brings funding.. 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
Ward-wide lighting audit: Dong
Earlier and deeper community consultation on development: Dong
Public reporting on TTC commitments: Javed
Council pay raises only next term: Li
◐Possible but hard
Better street lighting: Dong. Decides: City Council and Transportation Services / Toronto Hydro.
Brighter park paths: Dong. Decides: City Council (budget).
Take Ward 23 out of sixplex rules: Dong. Decides: City Council.
Faster streetcars and buses (signals, priority lanes): Javed. Decides: City Council and Transportation Services (signals, lanes); TTC (operations).
Specific TTC service changes: Javed, Oleh. Decides: TTC Board, within the subsidy Council approves.
→Outside City control
Extend the Sheppard subway east: Chen. Decides: Province of Ontario / Metrolinx.
More neighbourhood officers or local police units: Chen. Decides: Police Service Board and Chief of Police.
Keep TTC decisions local: Javed. Decides: Province of Ontario.
✓Already exists
Safer crossings, school zones, traffic calming: Dong
∼Vague
Value for tax dollars (no measure named): Chen, Dong, Oleh
Transit goals with no mechanism named: Chen, Javed, Myers
More housing (no measure): Chen
Protect or improve services (no measure named): Li, Myers
Community programs or support (no measure named): Li, Myers, Oleh
Safer streets (no measure named): Myers
More affordable housing (no measure named): Myers
Catch up on repairs (no measure named): Myers
Fair share for the area (no measure named): Oleh
Safer public spaces (no measure named): Li, Myers
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.
Chen: 11 on record, 7 firm. Realistic 1 · Possible but hard 1 · Outside City control 2 · Already exists 2 · Vague 5
Dong: 25 on record, 13 firm. Realistic 10 · Possible but hard 8 · Outside City control 3 · Already exists 2 · Vague 2
Javed: 7 on record, 0 firm. Realistic 1 · Possible but hard 2 · Outside City control 1 · Vague 3
Li: 10 on record, 1 firm. Realistic 3 · Possible but hard 1 · Vague 6
Myers: 23 on record, 0 firm. Realistic 2 · Possible but hard 5 · Already exists 3 · Vague 13
Oleh: 22 on record, 6 firm. Realistic 2 · Possible but hard 4 · Vague 16
Phen: 0 on record, 0 firm
Sathiyanantham: 0 on record, 0 firm
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
≈Mostly accurate: Chen: as school board chair in 2014, led a balanced $3 billion budget. A balanced budget of that size passed during his chairship, in 2015.. Sources
≈Mostly accurate: Chen: voted for Bill C-48, making bail harder for repeat violent offenders. It passed in 2023 without a recorded vote, so his own vote is not on record.. Sources
✓Accurate: Dong: crime near the Fairview Mall police hub he says he helped create fell 39% in a year. Police report that figure; the hub is outside Ward 23.. Sources
?Unverifiable: Li: has served Scarborough North for over eight years. No record of his dates was found; Councillor Lai was first elected in October 2018.. Sources
≈Mostly accurate: Myers: froze TTC fares three years in a row. TTC and City budgets kept fares frozen in 2024, 2025 and 2026, while he chaired the TTC.. Sources
!Misleading: Myers: the $471 million federal housing deal his sixplex pilot helped secure funds 11,780 affordable rental homes. The deal targets 11,780 added homes, including market rentals.. Sources
?Unverifiable: Oleh: Scarborough North residents have some of Toronto's longest commutes. No ward-level commute-time figures were found to compare wards.. Sources
!Misleading: Dong, on sixplexes: "Nobody asked you." The City mailed notices to every property and held a meeting attended by about 100 people.. Sources
?Unverifiable: Dong: some residents learned of the sixplex change only after it passed. No record shows what residents knew; notices went to every property.. Sources
Method: Built from 427 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: a slogan that names no rival is no longer listed as a claim about rivals; Oleh's "I will work with" reads Will push for; an entry counted twice in his tally was merged.
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.