What to know
- Jason McDonald, owner of Casual Beauty Salon and former Little Jamaica BIA chair, is running for city council in Ward 8, Eglinton-Lawrence.
- He blames years of Eglinton LRT construction for driving away customers and forcing neighbourhood businesses to close, describing Little Jamaica as being in a “state of emergency.”
- McDonald wants to revive the neighbourhood through public art, community spaces, stronger tenant protections and greater accountability from developers.
- His campaign will challenge long-time incumbent Mike Colle and other candidates, with a broader platform that includes traffic management, road safety and neighbourhood care.
As he walks through Little Jamaica, business owner Jason McDonald says the neighbourhood looked much different 27 years ago.
“This was a vibrant community. We were always busy. It was a hub,” McDonald tells Now Toronto as he walks past the handful of businesses that remain.
McDonald, who owns Casual Beauty Salon, has witnessed the neighbourhood’s rise and decline firsthand. He attributes much of that decline to the 15 years of construction associated with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.
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The prolonged construction disrupted businesses, with many closing amid declining foot traffic and customers avoiding the area because of road closures, messy streets and ongoing construction.
For years, McDonald says, Little Jamaica lost its sense of community. Now, he wants to help bring it back, which is why he is running for city council in Ward 8, Eglinton-Lawrence.
“I am now taking a leave of absence from the Little Jamaica BIA chairman role, and I am now running for council,” he said.
McDonald says the decision to run was not his alone, but one driven by the community he has spent more than a decade advocating for. Despite the LRT now being open, he believes the neighbourhood’s challenges remain severe.
‘A state of emergency’ in Little Jamaica
“As we speak, Little Jamaica is in a state of emergency,” he said.
Beyond the damage caused by LRT construction, McDonald points to proposed and ongoing condominium developments in the area, arguing that developers are not giving enough back to the neighbourhood.
“I’m not against condominiums. What I am seeking is community assets,” he said. “We have to look at leadership and who negotiated all of these deals within Little Jamaica. This is why I seriously look at why we definitely need change, because these types of situations going forward cannot be happening.”
To bring about the changes he envisions for Little Jamaica and the rest of Ward 8, McDonald will have to unseat long-time incumbent Mike Colle.
As a long-time business owner in the ward, McDonald says he understands Colle’s policies and decision-making, but has not seen the level of support he believes the community needs.
“This is not me running against Mr. Mike Colle, this is us. It’s us against them,” he said.
McDonald will also face candidates Domenico Maiolo, Enzo Torrone, Daniel Trayes and Liz Grade.
Reviving Little Jamaica and putting tenants first
His vision for Little Jamaica includes restoring public art and murals, creating community hubs and bringing renewed energy to the neighbourhood. He also has broader priorities for Toronto, including public safety, traffic management and neighbourhood upkeep.
To address congestion, McDonald wants to introduce smart traffic signal management along major arterial roads, which he says could help ease traffic in the area.
He also plans to push for stronger tenant protection bylaws and funding for tenant legal advocacy clinics, putting renters at the forefront of his campaign.
For McDonald, success begins in the neighbourhood where he built his business and spent years advocating for the community.
“The success first to me would be bringing back the vibrancy to this community. This is a cultural heritage district, so we should treat it as such,” he said.
Restoring the businesses that helped define Little Jamaica is another key part of his vision.
“We should honour, preserve, and protect this place, and that’s what success looks like to me,” he said.
Toronto’s municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 26.
