Uthish Ganesh

The Mayor and City Council

In my first 100 days of office I will be committing to securing 150 jobs for youth through intentional job fairs that will focus on hiring Scarborough residents. This program will expand to having 1000 youth hired every summer. As a teacher I have supported more than 300 families secure jobs in Scarborough. I will amplify existing programs that support Scarborough residents to secure jobs and their transition into the workforce. This will support our goal of showing Scarborough Centre they can work and live here.

Housing

In my first 100 days, every Toronto Community Housing building in Ward 21 gets inspected, with results published so residents can hold the City to a repair date. New developments must deliver real benefits, including a share of rent-to-own homes so families can stay and own here. I'll work with non-profit and community housing providers to build affordable rentals, and support fourplexes and basement suites for families already doubling up. Residents get consulted at the start, not after it's built.

Cost of Living

I'll fight to keep property tax increases in line with inflation and population, no more. Residents here went from a 9.5% hike in 2024 to 6.9% in 2025, and renters feel those increases too. Before asking anyone for more, the City should cut its own overhead and spend what it already collects properly. I'll also push to open unused community kitchens in TCHC buildings and connect local food banks through a ward food table, so families get relief within months, not years.

Safety in Public Spaces

People feel safe in places that feel cared for. In Ward 21, that means better lighting at bus stops and in parks, maintained sidewalks, and community spaces that are open and active, not empty. I'll grow Neighbourhood Community Officer programs, expand crisis response for mental health calls, and invest in youth programs and summer jobs, because prevention is safety spending too. I'll push for safety reviews of dangerous intersections like Birchmount and Lawrence. All of these actions will not warrant tax increases.

Getting Around the City

Fix what we have first. In Ward 21, a bus that comes every 25 minutes isn't serving anyone. I'll push the TTC for more frequent service on the Busway and our local routes, and fight to keep the Scarborough subway from slipping past 2033. On our roads, I'll push to open remaining bus lanes to carpools at rush hour and prioritize safety reviews at dangerous intersections like Birchmount and Lawrence. Drivers, riders, cyclists and pedestrians all deserve a city that works for them.

Confronting Hateful and Hostile Behaviour

Hate thrives when people don't know each other. In Ward 21, where more than 6 in 10 residents were born outside Canada, I'll bring neighbours together through faith communities, schools, libraries and local events. I'll make sure City services and updates reach people in the languages they speak at home, and push for anti-hate reporting and supports that are easy to find and act on. As a teacher, I've seen how quickly young people learn respect when adults model it.