Close race for council seat as suburban Willowdale grapples with urban problems

The race for a city council seat in north Toronto could be one of the most competitive in this fall's municipal election.

And two candidates, who at one time both had endorsements from the retiring incumbent, are squaring off against each other in a bid to represent Ward 18, Willowdale. 

Markus O'Brien Fehr said he can feel it as he canvasses on one of the suburb's tree-lined streets south of Finch Avenue, west of Yonge Street.

"I think we're gaining momentum, certainly at this point," said the chief of staff to retiring Coun. John Filion. 

"And we're feeling very confident. But it is statistically, by some of the measures that have come out, an incredibly close race. So, we're not taking anything for granted."

Even a canvass out in the rain isn't out of the question on this day, as O'Brien Fehr and a pair of campaign volunteers, armed with flyers and clipboards move from door to door. 

He estimates they have covered 50,000 doors in the community but still have work to do canvassing the 170 high-rise buildings. He bought a new pair of Brooks running shoes and he's putting them through their paces.

"I was having trouble with my joints and everything," he said, hustling down a sidewalk. "So, I went to the Running Room and said, 'I'm running, just not the kind that you're used to. What have you got for political candidates?'"

The ward has been struggling with its own aches and pains in recent years; the challenges of development, growing levels of homelessness, and the increasing cost of living.

"Willowdale is no longer really a suburban community. We are becoming a dense, urban core," O'Brien Fehr said. "And I think some of the issues that might be more historically linked to downtown Toronto are starting to be seen here more frequently." 

One of the most polarizing issues of the local campaign is a city-approved project at 175 Cummer St., which would house 59 seniors who are experiencing, or who are at risk of experiencing, homelessness.

The project, which sits adjacent to a seniors' home, has drawn anger from some residents who oppose the plan to locate it in their neighbourhood.

Candidate Lily Cheng said she understands the concerns some residents have about the modular housing project. She wants more communication from the city about it and, more generally, homeless shelters in the ward. 

She'd also like Toronto to provide services differently to people experiencing homelessness, including ensuring housing is available in smaller settings with a maximum of 10 people, as opposed to larger congregate settings.