What they said. What's true. What they can actually do.
City council · updated 13 Oct 2026
Ward 25 Scarborough–Rouge Park
Who is running for Toronto City Council in Ward 25 Scarborough–Rouge Park in the October 26, 2026 municipal election: how the 10 certified candidates differ, what they have committed to, and whether the City could deliver it. Information as of 13 Oct 2026.
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 more homes be allowed on residential streets? (Housing)
Yes, low-rise up to three storeys; no high-rise condos: Fernando
With inflation and population (Build Canada): Casinathen
No position found: Kaneshapillai, Lumley, Robinson, S'ree Jr
Little disagreement, or few spoke: Homelessness, Roads and cycling, City services, Flooding and infrastructure, Parks and waterfront, Environment, Small business, Community services. Policing and safety, and governance, each split on one Build Canada question. See Issue by issue.
The candidates
10 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: CCRA News profile, Build Canada, TTCriders survey, TTCriders pledge, Environmental Alliance pledge, Cycle Toronto.
Shawn Allen
Owns mortgage, real-estate and private-lending businesses; third in the 2025 by-election. Leads on an HOV lane, freezing utility costs and property taxes, finding savings, upkeep and safety; his five commitments add spending oversight, transit, the Rouge, the Vacant Home Tax and accessibility.
Lifelong Scarborough resident; entrepreneur and corporate leader who began in music and audio engineering. Leads on practical leadership, stronger services, reliable transit, public spaces and accountability.
“”Self-reported
Top commitments
8 on record, 1 firm.
Get the Eglinton East line built (◐Possible but hard; Supports). Sources
Ward 25 resident for 26+ years; past president of the West Hill–Highland Creek Lions Club and former Surrey Place board director; ran for this seat in 2022 and 2025. Leads on accessibility, inclusion and putting residents first.
“”Self-reported: residence, Lions Club
Top commitments
11 on record, 3 firm.
TTC accessibility for disabled people and seniors (∼Vague; Supports). Sources
No platform found. Her campaign site says the campaign is about stronger neighbourhoods, safer communities, better opportunities and a council voice for everyday people.
Top commitments
2 on record, 0 firm.
Residents involved in bike-lane decisions (●Realistic; Supports). Sources
Elected school trustee for Scarborough–Guildwood in 2018 and 2022, later board vice-chair; realtor and business owner; fifth in the 2025 by-election. Leads on affordability, respect for tax dollars, safer communities and responsible growth.
“”Self-reported: business
Top commitments
26 on record, 25 firm.
Review City fees and charges for affordability (∼Vague; Will push for). Sources
Ward 25 councillor since winning the September 2025 by-election; earlier a councillor in 2017–18 and chair of the Toronto District School Board. Leads on a safe Scarborough, infrastructure, transit, neighbourhoods, homes and affordability, and jobs.
Top commitments
25 on record, 2 firm.
A new Scarborough fire station (◐Possible but hard; Supports). Sources
Lifelong Scarborough resident who sells life insurance; first in his family to earn a college diploma. Leads on police, fire and ambulance services, no new homeowner taxes, and housing money from other governments.
“”Self-reported
Top commitments
4 on record, 0 firm.
Back police, fire and ambulance services (∼Vague; Supports). Sources
Patel: Will push for consultation before major development and infrastructure that keeps pace with growth; says growth should be planned with residents.. Sources
Shan: Supports homes where infrastructure exists, keeping neighbourhood character, and heritage status for Highland Creek Village; opposes big development in its core.. Sources
Fernando: Supports bus lanes at rush hours only, open to drivers 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; will seek a TTC Board seat. TTCriders: No to RapidTO elsewhere.. Sources
Shan: Supports Scarborough East Rapid Transit to Malvern and holding TTC fares; voted to make the line Council's top unfunded transit-expansion priority.. Sources
No position found: Kaneshapillai, Lumley, Robinson, S'ree Jr.
Taxes and budget
Allen: Will push for line-item transparency on every Ward 25 capital project; pledges a property-tax freeze and runs a "No New Tax Increases" petition.. Sources
Casinathen: Says the repair backlog can't be paid for by raising property taxes; on Build Canada chose taxes growing with inflation and population.. Sources
Fernando: Build Canada: property-tax revenue should grow more slowly than inflation; would close budget gaps by cutting administration and contract costs.. Sources
No position found: Kaneshapillai, Lumley, Robinson, S'ree Jr.
Other issues
Homelessness: Allen, Casinathen and Fernando would require people to leave park encampments once indoor space is offered (Build Canada). Fernando and Stavrev back shelters and supportive housing (TTCriders).. Sources
Roads and cycling: Build Canada: Allen, Casinathen and Fernando said No to road pricing, though Casinathen wants tolls for entering the city. Cycle Toronto: Lumley abstained, Stavrev said Yes. Shan supports traffic calming.. Sources
Policing and safety: Build Canada safety pick: Allen police and by-law presence, Casinathen lighting and upkeep, Fernando mental-health response. Patel will push for visible policing; Shan supports more officers; Stavrev backs emergency services.. Sources
City services: Allen will attend police liaison meetings and runs a mobile office; Fernando wants consultations every two months; Shan says he is hiring more by-law officers.. Sources
Flooding and infrastructure: No flooding proposals found. Allen, Casinathen and Fernando chose a dedicated maintenance levy for the repair backlog (Build Canada); Shan supports a bigger capital share for local roads.. Sources
Parks and waterfront: Allen will stand up for the Rouge; Patel will push for parks investment; Shan points to park upgrades and is pushing for Rouge Beach to reopen and a Centennial rink.. Sources
Environment: Allen says data-centre proposals must be judged by their energy and water demands. Fernando and Shan signed the Environmental Alliance pledge.. Sources
Small business: Allen names growing a youth entrepreneurship program 50% by 2029 as his Build Canada measure; Shan would advocate more Business Improvement Areas and supports less red tape and protecting employment lands.. Sources
Community services: Patel will push for youth, seniors and recreation programs; Shan supports jobs for 1,000 local youth and tackling grocery surveillance pricing.. Sources
Governance: Build Canada: Allen, Casinathen and Fernando back publishing capital-project budgets; Casinathen and Fernando would leave strong-mayor powers unused, Allen would use them for staffing. Patel will push for project reporting.. 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
Constituency service promises: Allen, Fernando
Public dashboards for capital projects: Allen, Casinathen
Seek TTC Board seat; rider surveys: Fernando
Consult before street changes: Lumley
◐Possible but hard
Build Scarborough East LRT: Casinathen, Shan. Decides: City Council and TTC, with provincial and federal funding.
Tougher contractor accountability: Casinathen. Decides: City Council.
More supportive and rapid housing: Fernando. Decides: City Council, with provincial and federal funding.
New Scarborough fire station: Shan. Decides: City Council through the Toronto Fire Services capital budget.
More heritage designations and conservation districts: Shan. Decides: City Council, within provincial limits.
→Outside City control
More neighbourhood officers or local police units: Casinathen, Patel. Decides: Police Service Board and Chief of Police.
∼Vague
Value for tax dollars (no measure named): Allen, Casinathen, Patel
Accessibility-first policy (no measure named): Fernando, Lumley
Keep taxes or bills down (no target named): Patel, Stavrev, Allen
Growth should come with infrastructure and services: Patel
Fair share for the area (no measure named): Shan
More safety resources (no measure named): Stavrev
More affordable housing (no measure named): Stavrev
Better cycling network (no measure named): Stavrev
Timely road maintenance (no measure named): Shan
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.
Allen: 18 on record, 12 firm. Realistic 3 · Possible but hard 7 · Already exists 1 · Vague 7
Casinathen: 8 on record, 1 firm. Realistic 1 · Possible but hard 2 · Outside City control 2 · Vague 3
Fernando: 11 on record, 3 firm. Realistic 2 · Possible but hard 4 · Outside City control 1 · Already exists 1 · Vague 3
✕Inaccurate: Allen: the average bill rose $905, to $5,517. The City's 2026 example for that home is $5,311, about $699 more than 2023; he applied City increases to the education share.. Sources
?Unverifiable: Fernando: has lived in Ward 25 for 26+ years. No residence record exists; his 2022 profile said over 22 years, consistent with this.. Sources
?Unverifiable: Patel: took part in 200+ school-board disciplinary and expulsion hearings. They are held in closed session; no count was found.. Sources
?Unverifiable: Patel: helped raise $1M+ for Scarborough Health Network. A community campaign reports about $800,000 pledged toward $1 million; he is not named.. Sources
≈Mostly accurate: Shan: pushed to keep 2026 property taxes below inflation. The general levy rose 0.7%; with the City Building Fund, 2.2%, against 2.1% inflation.. Sources
Method: Built from 448 sourced rows read 12 October 2026: candidates' own materials, City records, dated news and organizers' surveys. Casinathen's and Fernando's sites are built by scripts and could not be fully read, so their positions come from the pages and records that could. 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: Allen's commitments list counts as pledges; the method line names two sites that could not be fully read; a bare "Work with" item reads Would advocate (Shan); tallies leave out opposed proposals; 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.