Sindia Vijayarajan

The Mayor and City Council

Early last year, our current Councillor voted for an increase in property taxes which has resulted in an almost 20% increase since 2023. I will vote against another increase if such a motion comes forward. A Scarborough City Councillor Candidate said, "Scarborough already sends more property tax revenue downtown than it gets back in service and capital spending. New city revenue has a long history of funding projects in other parts of Toronto. Voting for a tax increase without first fixing that math means Scarborough pays twice." I fully agree.

Housing

The city's rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing has over 104,000 active households. Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) stopped taking new direct applications for its own separate rental waiting list in June 2019. Average wait times for TCHC and RGI units generally range from 10 to 15 years depending on the size of the unit and applicant priority. These wait times are ridiculous for a something that is considered a human right. I fully support a cut to other services to address this issue. I also propose building a shelter in this ward.

Cost of Living

The TTC is underfunded after $5 billion was cut from the Canada Public Transit Fund. I pledge to restructure the funding in our budget. I will work with our MPP to get to the bottom of the unjustifiable cost for the Ontario Line. This will allow future proposals that help Scarborough-Agincourt residents receive the routes we need. Disorderly patrons are the main cause of delays. People also purposely avoid fares. This is why the quality of service has decreased. We need more fare inspectors/security guards who can fine disruptive individuals.

Safety in Public Spaces

I believe in defunding the police. I hold a degree in criminology and have learned that restitution is far more effective than retribution. I would encourage Toronto Police Services to be more present in the community. Patrolling on foot and using bicycles instead of motor vehicles at all times makes them a more trusting presence. I will aim to make The Auxiliary Officer Program and learning about the Adult and Youth Volunteer Program mandatory for police officers to complete within two years of graduating from the Toronto Police College.

Getting Around the City

I will propose a subway station in this ward. For people who drive motor vehicles, I will have the bus lane on the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) serve as a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. Traffic is an issue for many people who drive on the freeway, especially during rush hour, and this will help traffic flow better for many of our residents who use the DVP. Electric vehicles are also currently able to use HOV lanes. This will encourage more people to go green if they want to save on their commute time, which in turn helps save the environment.

Confronting Hateful and Hostile Behaviour

Recently in this ward, a Muslim woman wearing a hijab was punched in the face and suffered a concussion. Section 2 (a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of conscience and religion. Harassment and protesting near places of worship is a direct violation of this freedom. No one should ever feel unsafe practicing their beliefs. Holy places are not meant to acknowledge such disruption. Targeting these spaces knowing a particular demographic attends this place is blatant discrimination and intentional fear mongering.