Residents of Ward 15 – Don Valley West will elect a new city council member today to replace the late Jaye Robinson, who died in May.
There are 16 candidates on the ballot, but a Liaison Strategies poll done in October says former mayoral candidate Anthony Furey is leading Rachel Chernos Lin in a close race.
Other contenders include Lesley Stoyan and Sam Robinson, Jaye Robinson’s son.
READ MORE: Toronto city councillor Jaye Robinson has died
Furey is a former columnist and editor of the Toronto Sun who has been endorsed by Ontario’s Conservative Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce as well as Kevin Vuong, independent Member of Parliament for Spadina- Fort York.
Furey might be a familiar name for constituents as he ran in last year’s mayoral race in Toronto, coming in fourth place with nearly 36,000 votes.
Chernos Lin, a Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustee, has gained the backing of Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, who’s the representative for Don Valley West in the House of Commons.
“@rchernoslin has lived in our community for 22 years & served us well throughout,” Oliphant wrote on X on Sunday.
In a final push ahead of election day, both candidates were out canvassing over the weekend.
Chernos Lin was also joined by Josh Matlow who has represented Ward 12 Toronto—St. Paul’s since 2010.
Her campaign is centred around magnifying local voices, strengthening tenant protections, managing traffic and creating accessible community spaces, including parks and recreational facilities.
Meanwhile, Furey says he is committed to getting traffic moving by increasing enforcement laws, countering the city’s spending of tax dollars on “pet projects,’’ like renaming Yonge and Dundas Square to Sankofa Square, and tackling crime.
In a video on X on Monday, he urged constituents to cast their votes.
“Send me to city hall to advocate for common sense, practical solutions,” he said, while joined by his wife, three sons, and dog.
Hi Don Valley West, I am asking for you to vote for me TODAY to be your city councillor!! Thank you!! pic.twitter.com/m0BqAXP9yZ
— Anthony Furey (@anthonyfurey) November 4, 2024
According to David Valentin, principal at Liaison Strategies, Furey is leading by five points among decided voters, with a 38 to 33 per cent split in his favour.
“Furey’s lead is not insurmountable but if all things remain equal he is well positioned to win on November 4th,” Valentin wrote on Oct 21.
Stoyan is the only other candidate to crack double digits with 11 per cent of the vote, while Robinson, is in fourth place with six per cent of the vote, according to the poll.
While Chernos Lin is the preferred choice among voters aged 65 and over (41 per cent to Furey’s 32 per cent), Furey leads convincingly among those aged 18-34 (55 per cent to Chernos Lin’s 19 per cent), the survey says.
Polling stations are open until 8:00 p.m. in various locations throughout Ward 15. Find polling stations and more information here.
