Ward 1 (Etobicoke North) Vincent Crisanti, a real-estate broker, is taking a second run at Suzan Hall, who beat him in the last election by 97 votes. Mr. Crisanti represented the area before amalgamation.
Ward 6 (Etobicoke Lakeshore) Jerry Smith has the endorsement of former councillor Irene Jones, but he faces tough competition from others on the crowded ticket. The only candidate who has held public office is Diane Cleary, a former school trustee. Berardo Mascioli has the endorsement of mayoral candidate Barbara Hall.
Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) Six contenders are chasing David Miller's old seat. Mr. Miller has endorsed Stan Kumorek, who works for the Catholic Children's Aid Society and sits on the Toronto Parking Authority Board. Teacher Bill Saundercook served for a total of 15 years as a councillor before Mr. Miller defeated him in 2000. Others are Henry Calderon, Carol Jamieson, Margo Duncan and Caryl Manning.
Ward 14 (Parkdale-High Park) Well known as a volunteer, Ed Zielinski has the endorsement of former councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, whose recent retirement from politics left the seat open. He faces a tough fight from former city solicitor Sylvia Watson.
Ward 16 (Eglinton-Lawrence) Long-time incumbent Anne Johnston is in a fight to keep her job. Karen Stintz has the backing of a group of residents who are upset with Ms. Johnston's support for the proposed Minto condominium development in the trendy Eglinton Avenue and Yonge Street area.
Ward 17 (Davenport) Cesar Palacio used to work in former councillor Betty Disero's office and has her endorsement, but there are many challengers. His strongest opponent, Alejandra Bravo, has been endorsed by former Toronto mayor John Sewell. Three other candidates are running as well.
Ward 18 (Davenport) Adam Giambrone, 26, gave former councillor Mario Silva a serious scare in a close 2000 election and is now a clear front-runner. Mr. Silva left to represent Davenport for the Liberals in the next federal election. He is backing Ana Bailao.
Ward 25 (Don Valley West) A wide-open race where eight newcomers are running to fill Joanne Flint's old seat. Some say Clifford Jenkins, a 12-year president of the York Mills Ratepayers Association, is the front-runner, but other candidates are not far behind.
Ward 30 (Toronto-Danforth) Two strong candidates on the left may split the vote to make way for the more conservative Maureen Gilroy. School trustee Paula Fletcher and Kyle Rae's executive assistant, Chris Phibbs, are running on left-of-centre platforms.
Ward 31 (Beaches-East York) A rematch of the December, 2001, by-election in which conservative councillor Michael Tziretas beat left-winger Janet Davis by 54 votes. Liberal school trustee Gail Nyberg helped to split the vote in that race, and both sides are staking claim to her supporters this time around.
Ward 33 (Don Valley East) Previous councillor Paul Sutherland left to run as a Tory provincially. He lost to Liberal David Caplan, but his seat remains open. Front-runners in the race to replace him are school trustee Shelley Carroll and ex-councillor Rob Davis.
Ward 37 (Scarborough Centre) Michael Thompson, executive assistant to former councillor Lorenzo Berardinetti from 1998 to 2001, faces off against Laura-Maria Nikolareizi, an aide to Mayor Mel Lastman and a well-connected provincial Liberal. Andrew Schulz, an outspoken community activist, is also in the mix. Mr. Berardinetti left to become a Liberal MPP in the recent election.
905 REGION
Mississauga Ward 5 Clifford Gyles was sentenced to 2½ years in prison and was removed from Mississauga Council for taking bribes, but he is still running to get his seat back. Twenty others will be on the ballot for councillor as well in the Malton-area ward.
Brampton (Regional seat, wards 7/8) Two political veterans, Gael Miles and Dick Metzak, are going head to head for one regional seat. Ms. Miles has been in council since 1998 at both the city and regional levels. Mr. Metzak has served as a city councillor since 1982.
Richmond Hill: Mayor Incumbent Bill Bell is facing a credible challenge from former mayor William Lazenby, who is opposed to building on the Oak Ridges Moraine and has the support of a local residents group that is endorsing a slate of candidates based on that issue. Mr. Lazenby also opposes council's decision to build a new theatre complex in the old town centre.
Pickering: Mayor An open race, given mayor Wayne Arthurs left office to become the area's Liberal MPP. Business owner and former regional councillor Doug Dickerson opposes development on the Duffins Rouge Agricultural Preserve. His sole rival, Councillor Dave Ryan, argues that development should be allowed.
Halton Hills: Mayor Four well-known candidates are fighting for the mayor's chair in Halton Hills. Incumbent Kathy Gastle recently told a municipal newsletter the race is "fairly tense." Others on the ticket are previous mayor Marilyn Serjeantson and regional councillors John Day and Rick Bonnette.
A head-to-head look at the candidates running neck and neck in local municipal elections
Transit:
Barbara Hall
Freeze fares in 2004 and implement the TTC 10-year plan to boost ridership. Extend Spadina subway line to York University and work with senior governments to get transit funding.
David Miller
Implement the TTC 10-year plan. Add 100 new buses on major routes and add rights-of-way for buses on major routes. Reduce cost of transit passes. Work with senior governments on transit funding.
John Tory
Implement TTC 10-year growth plan. Extend Spadina subway line to York University. Supports regional transit authority and road-related measures to ease gridlock. Work with senior governments on transit funding.
Law and Order
Barbara Hall
Add 100 police officers and get provincial funding for several hundred more. Wants provincial rules to bar plea bargains for gun-related crimes. Will sit on the Police Services Board.
David Miller
Would reorganize police staffing to put more front-line officers on the street for community policing.
John Tory
Would add 400 police officers over three years, with 300 of them funded with help from the province. on the streets, shut down drug houses, curtail panhandling, curb dangerous driving, and put a moratorium on locating any more sexual offenders in the city.
Taxes and User Fees
Barbara Hall
Tax increase under the rate of inflation through 2005. Sell or lease under-used city assets. Boost city revenue by selling air rights above transit stops. By 2006, negotiate a new fiscal arrangement with the provincial and federal governments.
David Miller
Tax increases at or below the rate of inflation. Lift the freeze on commercial and industrial property taxes. Establish new tax class for small business and retail. Review user fees, with some made lower or higher.
John Tory
Tax increase under the rate of inflation in 2004. Freeze taxes in 2005 and 2006.
Budget Crisis
Barbara Hall
million in savings in the 2004 budget, freeze non-essential hiring and cut mayor's office budget by 20 per cent. Sell or lease under-used city assets.
David Miller
Review contracted-out city services, particularly snow-ploughing, to assess value for money. Break up city departments into smaller units to ensure oversight of city government. Reorganize city's debt.
John Tory
Full review of all city programs to find efficiencies. Introduce "managed competition" so public and private sector compete to supply non-core city services. Impose hiring freeze, cut budget of the mayor and councillors by 20 per cent. Sell non-essential assets.
Integrity
Barbara Hall
Hire the province's integrity commissioner to oversee city government. Limit gifts from lobbyists and those selling to the city to a $5 maximum if meeting with politicians and civil servants. Set up a lobbyist registry and "the toughest code of ethics of any city in North America."
David Miller
Name an integrity commissioner at city hall, institute a lobbyist registry and make senior city staff sign a statement of ethical practices.
John Tory
Establish a lobbyist register, an ethics and integrity commissioner, a tough code of conduct and conflict of interest policy. Former councillors would have a cooling-off period before returning as lobbyists at city hall.
Housing and Homelessness
Barbara Hall
End current reliance on shelter beds with permanent housing for those with mental and drug problems. Develop specialized programs to coax homeless off the streets. Work with senior governments to add to city's supply of affordable housing.
David Miller
Work with senior governments to boost the supply of affordable housing. Expand the city's "Let's Build" to spur construction of housing on city land.
John Tory
Establish 1,000 new units of affordable housing a year over the next three years. Create a data base on those who use the shelter system to provide better supports. Crack down on panhandlers.
Island Airport
Barbara Hall
Supports construction of the proposed bridge to the Toronto City Centre Airport. Proposes a new agency of local citizens and city politicians to ensure no condominium and commercial development.
David Miller
Vows to stop the construction of the bridge, though the current federally-owned airport would continue to operate.
John Tory
Supports the construction of the bridge, but says the current money-losing airport should not continue over the long term if it cannot make a profit.
Improving Services
Barbara Hall
Negotiate a master agreement with city school boards allowing increased use of school facilities for services such as recreation programs in return for the the city providing services, such as waste collection, at no cost to the board.
David Miller
Wants to set clear guidelines and standards for the delivery of city services, and would look for ways, such as making parking permits available on-line, to make services more easily accessible to the public.
John Tory
Bring in new technology for improved on-line services.
Urban Development
Barbara Hall
Supports the new Official Plan that promotes denser urban development, increasing population growth in the city and reducing urban sprawl in the GTA. Plant one million trees by 2010.
David Miller
Supports the new Official Plan but wants more citizen involvement in the planning process.
John Tory
Opposes construction of big high-rise residential buildings north of Bloor St. and Danforth Ave, but otherwise supports the Official Plan.
Garbage
Barbara Hall
Promote a massive clean-up of the city next spring. Speed up introduction of the green bin program. Opposes new technology incineration to deal with the city's waste.
David Miller
Toughen the enforcement of the city's anti-litter bylaws, and encourage business and community groups to help the city in the fight against mess on the streets. Opposes incineration as a solution to the garbage problem.
John Tory
Would hire 1,500 students to help pick up litter. Speed up introduction of green bin program. Promotes new technology incineration as one of the alternatives to shipping waste to Michigan .