Roberto Curto

The Mayor and City Council

I want to move Toronto beyond the mediocrity we’ve accepted for too long. Sometimes it feels like we’re managing the city rather than actually taking it somewhere. Toronto is close to taking that next step. As someone from a younger generation, I feel like our voices and the kind of city we want to inherit aren’t always being heard. I am willing to question how we do things, listen when a better argument comes along, and push for bigger ideas alongside practical fixes.

Housing

More housing types. I would allow more options like multiplexes, townhomes and courtyards housing across the city. We need to be a stronger partner in affordable housing, stop concentrating growth in a handful of areas, and also scale supportive housing. My plan includes partnering with colleges and universities to build more campus housing and creating a supportive housing complex that brings housing, mental health and addictions support together in one place. A new approach that moves us away from temporary shelters is needed.

Cost of Living

The city can’t control every cost people are facing, but we can make everyday life in Toronto more affordable. I would prioritize keeping things like transit and recreation affordable and expanding the Fair Pass program for low-income residents. But affordability is also about value. Toronto has become an expensive city, and people are increasingly feeling like they aren’t getting enough in return. Our transit, public’s spaces and services should be good enough that living here actually feels worth the cost.

Safety in Public Spaces

People deserve to both be and feel safe in our public spaces. Police have an important role when there are genuine safety threats, but not every problem requires a police response. I would expand crises response and ACT teams so people experiencing mental health or addiction crises get the right help, while investing in supportive housing to stop the cycle. Safety also starts with the spaces themselves: better lighting, cleaner and more active public spaces, and fixing the small things that make an area feel neglected or unsafe.

Getting Around the City

I would prioritize making the transit system we already have work better. I want to encourage more TTC ridership, across all modes. That means improving TTC reliability and accessibility: speeding up street cars signal through priority and better stops, among other practical fixes. I also want to expand BRT where it can work, improve way finding, introduce 24 hour subway service on Friday and Saturday nights, and set a goal to significantly reduce the share of Toronto neighbourhoods that still lack sidewalks.

Confronting Hateful and Hostile Behaviour

One of the things I love most about Toronto is how many different communities call this city home. People whose cultures, religions or countries have histories of conflict elsewhere live beside one another here, and for the most part we do it remarkably well. We should remind ourselves of that more often. I would support community organizations and events that bring people together, while making sure communities targeted by hate have the resources and support to feel safe and look into strengthening safety grants for at risk communities.