Sarah McVie

The Mayor and City Council

I will release unused or underused public buildings into cooperative ownership for housing, grocery stores, recreation, cultural spaces and artist live/workspaces. I will increase the Vacant Home Tax to 7% to discourage property owners from leaving dwelling spaces empty. Investment should prioritize neighbourhoods experiencing inequity in services, failing infrastructure, poor transit and a lack of affordable food. Community-led planning will put power and money back in residents’ hands so their needs aren’t lost in the City’s process.

Housing

The housing and affordability crisis must be treated like the emergencies they are. I’ve lived around the poverty line throughout my career, working multiple jobs to survive. That lived experience motivates me to fix this issue first. I will create permanently affordable cooperative housing, community-led food security, infrastructure jobs, and implement new revenue sources. As an actor, playwright, educator and community organizer, my skills build unity and social cohesion so that, together, we can solve our biggest issues.

Cost of Living

I will immediately inventory all City-owned buildings and release unused assets into cooperative ownership for housing, grocery, vertical farming, artist live/work and community spaces. The City must offer an alternative to the private market that can’t be lost or neglected when a new politician gets elected. By using our collectively owned assets and giving them over to cooperative ownership, residents, non-profits, land trusts and other social organizations can work together to provide long-term stability and permanent affordability.

Safety in Public Spaces

Let’s get people housed and connected with social supports so they are not left to seek out public spaces merely to exist. When we see people experiencing poverty or a healthcare crisis in public, no one feels safe. We need to build unity and social cohesion through clear communication, public education and neighbourhood cooperation. Helping residents understand resources like 211, the role of community police officers and how to respond to unsocial behaviour will reduce fear, strengthen connections and help keep everyone safer.

Getting Around the City

Torontonians spend roughly 98 hours a year stuck in rush-hour traffic. If more people took transit, we could relieve that pressure. We need reliable public transit, safe bike lanes, effective traffic control, and innovations to reduce construction delays. We must modernize the TTC with better real-time data sharing, signal priority, fewer slow zones, bus priority lanes where feasible, and digital reporting displays at stops. Our proposed “Free TTC Fridays” will encourage residents and tourists to explore the city by transit.

Confronting Hateful and Hostile Behaviour

Fear and anger are fed by rising insecurity and economic scarcity. We need sustainable, cooperative models for housing, food and gathering places that have residents working together on shared goals. My career in the arts has shown me how storytelling can foster mutual understanding and acceptance. Through public education and community-led planning, we can build unity and empower residents to work across differences. Toronto’s diversity requires leadership that creates opportunities for connection and ensures residents’ voices are heard.