Proposals for Housing & Transit

As City Council begins early discussions on the 2026 Budget, I want to share my perspective on two proposals that will shape Toronto’s financial footing and the daily experience of residents across Don Valley North: a proposed increase to the Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLTT) on homes over $3 million, and a proposal to move the newly announced TTC fare-capping threshold from 47 rides to 40 rides per month.

My focus is ensuring that suburban communities — where demographics, housing patterns, and travel needs differ from the downtown core — are well served by the decisions we make at City Hall. That means taking a thoughtful, measured approach rather than committing to changes before we have the evidence to support them.

MLTT: Responsible revenue planning for stable services

Toronto’s MLTT plays a major role in funding our services, and I support a tax structure in which those with the strongest financial capacity contribute more. But responsible budgeting means understanding the limitations of this particular tool — particularly its volatility.

High-value home sales fluctuate dramatically depending on market conditions. Over the past few years, we’ve experienced both record highs and sudden slowdowns, and the City’s reliance on this revenue swing has made long-term planning increasingly difficult. Snow clearing, recreation programs, libraries, and policing don’t rise and fall with the real estate market — but our MLTT revenue does.

In suburban communities like Don Valley North, homes that now fall into the $3 million range are often long-held family properties, not “luxury estates,” and further increases risk discouraging healthy housing turnover. When families feel pressured to stay put because selling becomes too costly, it slows the market for younger families trying to move into our neighbourhoods.

I worry that tinkering with the current MLTT structure distracts us from focusing on more stable, predictable revenue sources that really could address our fiscal gap.

Fare capping: A brand-new system that needs time before we go further

The Mayor’s recent announcement that Toronto will introduce monthly fare capping in 2026 represents a major modernizing step for our transit system. Until now, if you couldn’t afford to purchase a monthly pass upfront, you couldn’t access the savings it provided. Fare capping changes that by allowing riders to “earn” those savings over the course of the month.

This is a positive and long overdue update, and I fully support the implementation of the 47-ride cap that has just been announced.

However, there is already a suggestion that Toronto move even further, lowering the cap to 40 rides before the initial system has even launched. I believe that would be premature.

We have not yet seen how riders will interact with the new system, how revenues and ridership patterns will shift, how fare capping will affect TTC operating pressures, or how it will intersect with ongoing concerns around reliability, crowding, and safety.

For suburban riders in particular, reliability and travel time are just as important as affordability. People in Don Valley North don’t have multiple route choices or short trips — when service is reduced or overwhelmed, they feel it immediately.

Given that fare capping is only just being introduced, it is too early to make commitments about expanding it before we even have baseline data. The responsible path is:

• Introduce fare capping at 47 rides,

• Monitor its effects over the first full year, and

• Base any further changes on real evidence and a clear plan to maintain service quality.

This approach protects affordability while ensuring that riders — especially in the suburbs — still receive the level of service they rely on.

Don Valley North residents expect clear, responsible planning — revenue choices that are steady enough to fund services in both strong and slower economic periods, transit decisions that balance affordability with the reliability suburban riders depend on, and housing and tax policies that reflect how families in established neighbourhoods actually move through the market. These are the principles that will guide my decisions as Council begins its work on the 2026 Budget, and I welcome your thoughts on both the MLTT proposal and the newly announced fare capping system, as budget decisions shape the daily lives of our residents and your feedback is essential.

Statement on Antisemitism - Mezuzah Removal Follow-up

Last weekend’s reports of mezuzahs being removed from the doorways of Jewish seniors in a North York seniors housing building have shaken many in our community. These are deeply personal symbols of identity and faith, and their removal is not a harmless act — it is a targeted violation of people’s homes and sense of safety. I remain grateful that 32 Division and the Hate Crime Unit are investigating this incident with the seriousness it demands, and my thoughts continue to be with the residents affected.

Over the past several weeks, I have heard from many Don Valley North residents who are deeply troubled by the rise in antisemitism in our city and who have asked me to speak plainly about it. I want to acknowledge those conversations. They reflect not only fear and frustration, but also a sincere desire for our civic leaders to be unequivocal in defending the safety and dignity of Jewish Torontonians.

For many months now, the ongoing situation at Bathurst and Sheppard has been a source of real fear and exhaustion for nearby residents. What is happening there needs to come to an end. Targeting neighbourhoods — whether through intimidation, demonstrations that spill into residential life, or repeated acts of hate — is wrong, regardless of intent. These are people’s homes, and they deserve the same expectation of peace and safety as every other corner of Toronto.

Many residents have also asked me to address comments made by the Mayor a couple of weeks ago. I have heard clearly that those remarks caused real concern and contributed to a sense of division at a time when our city needed steadiness and unity. While the Mayor speaks for herself, I want to reaffirm that my focus remains firmly on supporting Jewish neighbours who are experiencing unprecedented levels of fear and on ensuring that our institutions respond with seriousness, respect, and accountability.

At the same time, it is important to recognize when meaningful steps are taken. This week’s announcement of the Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Grant is one such step. I want to acknowledge Mayor Chow and Councillor James Pasternak for advancing this program, which will help at-risk community organizations — including synagogues and cultural institutions — strengthen their physical protections in the face of rising hate-motivated threats. This is the type of practical, safety-focused initiative residents have been asking for, and it is welcome progress.

Learn More

This week also marks the Strong Cities Network Global Summit, hosted right here in Toronto. I was proud to work with Councillor Pasternak earlier this year to help secure the funding that made this possible. Bringing together local leaders from around the world to share strategies for countering hate and strengthening community resilience is timely and important, especially as our own neighbourhoods grapple with these challenges. Toronto should be a city that both contributes to — and learns from — global efforts to keep people safe and supported.

Antisemitism is unacceptable in any form — whether it appears as hateful vandalism, the removal of mezuzahs from seniors’ homes, or the persistent targeting of predominantly Jewish neighbourhoods. I will continue working closely with the Toronto Police Service, community partners, and local leaders to ensure that our city responds with empathy, firmness, and action.