Don Valley West

Don Valley West is a federal riding in central Toronto, stretching from the affluent neighbourhoods north of Eglinton Avenue down through the Don River valley. The riding includes the communities of York Mills, the Bridle Path, Sunnybrook, Leaside-Bennington, Thorncliffe Park, and the eastern portion of Lawrence Park. It is bounded roughly by Highway 401 to the north, the Don Valley Parkway corridor to the east, and Yonge Street to the west.

Candidates

John Carmichael (Conservative) — Carmichael was a Toronto-born businessman who owned and operated City Buick Pontiac Cadillac GMC Ltd., a car dealership in the city. He had run as the Conservative candidate in Don Valley West in both the 2006 and 2008 federal elections, losing to Liberals John Godfrey and Rob Oliphant respectively. The 2011 campaign was his third consecutive attempt to win the riding.

Rob Oliphant (Liberal) — Oliphant was the incumbent MP, first elected in Don Valley West in 2008. An ordained United Church minister, he studied commerce and art at the University of Toronto before earning a Master of Divinity from the Vancouver School of Theology. Before entering federal politics, Oliphant worked in the Ontario government, serving as executive assistant and chief of staff to two provincial ministers under Premier David Peterson. He later served as a minister at Eglinton St. George's United Church in Toronto, one of the largest congregations in the United Church of Canada, before seeking the Liberal nomination in 2008.

Nicole Yovanoff (NDP) — Yovanoff was the New Democratic Party candidate in Don Valley West for the 2011 election.

Georgina Wilcock (Green Party) — Wilcock was the Green Party candidate in Don Valley West.

Dimitris Kabitsis ran for the Communist Party.

About the Riding

Don Valley West contains some of the sharpest socioeconomic contrasts of any Toronto riding. The Bridle Path and York Mills are among the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Canada, with large estate homes and high average household incomes, while Thorncliffe Park is a densely populated, lower-income community of high-rise apartment towers home to a large and diverse immigrant population. Leaside, a well-established residential neighbourhood, features a mix of single-family homes, local shops along Bayview Avenue, and strong community institutions. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, one of Canada's largest hospitals, is a major employer and landmark within the riding. The Don Valley ravine system provides extensive green space, while the Don Valley Parkway serves as both a transportation corridor and a geographic divider. By 2011, transit investment was a significant local issue, particularly debates about the Sheppard subway extension and the proposed Eglinton crosstown light rail line. Development pressures along major corridors and the preservation of neighbourhood character in established residential areas were ongoing concerns.