Toronto—Danforth

Toronto—Danforth is a federal electoral district in the east end of Toronto, Ontario, encompassing diverse urban neighbourhoods along and south of Danforth Avenue. The by-election was called following the death of NDP Leader Jack Layton on August 22, 2011, from cancer. Layton had represented the riding since 2004 and had just led the NDP to Official Opposition status in the May 2011 federal election, winning his own seat with over 60 per cent of the vote.

Candidates

Craig Scott (NDP) — Scott was a professor of law at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, where he had taught since 2000 and served as associate dean from 2001 to 2004. He previously taught at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he earned tenure as an associate professor in 1994. He had served as law clerk to Chief Justice of Canada Brian Dickson from 1988 to 1989 and was a recognized expert in international human rights law.

Grant Gordon (Liberal) — Gordon was a political newcomer who headed a marketing firm that promoted ethical products and causes. He won the Liberal nomination defeating journalist Trifon Haitas and campaigned on childcare improvements, tax reductions for small businesses, pensions, and environmental protection.

Andrew Keyes (Conservative) — Keyes was a communications consultant and president of Armantus Inc., a web development company. A graduate of the Film and Photography program at Ryerson University, his firm had developed websites for clients including the Government of Ontario and Pattison Outdoor Advertising.

Adriana Mugnatto-Hamu (Green Party) — Mugnatto-Hamu ran as the Green Party candidate in the by-election.

About the Riding

Toronto—Danforth lies in eastern Toronto, bounded by the Don River and Don Valley Parkway to the west, Coxwell Avenue to the east, Lake Ontario to the south, and Taylor Massey Creek to the north. The riding covers approximately 21 square kilometres and includes the neighbourhoods of Greektown, Riverdale, Leslieville, East York, the Portlands, and Little India along Gerrard Street East.

The riding is known for its cultural diversity and progressive politics. Greektown along Danforth Avenue is home to one of the largest Greek communities in Toronto, with 7.3 per cent of the riding's population identifying as ethnically Greek. The area also includes significant Chinese and South Asian communities. Danforth Avenue is a vibrant commercial strip featuring restaurants, independent shops, and community spaces.

The riding has a mix of housing stock, from Victorian-era homes in Riverdale and Leslieville to post-war bungalows in East York and newer condominium developments in the Portlands area. Leslieville and Riverdale had been gentrifying rapidly in the years before the by-election, attracting young families and professionals. The riding has strong community organizations, active neighbourhood associations, and a tradition of left-leaning politics stretching back decades.