Don Valley North

Don Valley North occupies the northeastern quadrant of the former city of North York in Toronto, bounded roughly by Steeles Avenue to the north, Highway 404 to the east, Highway 401 to the south, and Bayview Avenue to the west. The riding encompasses the neighbourhoods of Bayview Village, Bayview Woods–Steeles, Henry Farm, Hillcrest Village, Don Valley Village, and Pleasant View. With a 2021 population of approximately 111,000, it is a densely populated suburban riding characterized by a mix of high-rise apartment towers, townhouse complexes, and single-family residential streets.

Don Valley North is among the most ethnically diverse ridings in the country. According to the 2016 Census, 32.4% of residents reported Chinese ethnic origin—the most common ancestry in the riding—followed by European origins at 29.3%. Mandarin and Cantonese together account for nearly a quarter of home languages spoken. Persian, Korean, Tagalog, Arabic, and Russian are also spoken widely. Roughly 40% of residents identify as Christian, while 34% report no religious affiliation, 12% identify as Muslim, and smaller populations are Hindu, Jewish, and Buddhist.

Candidates

Han Dong (Liberal) Born in Shanghai, Dong immigrated to Toronto with his family at age 13, settling in the Parkdale neighbourhood. He became involved in Liberal politics as a teenager, eventually working for nine years at Queen's Park as a liaison to Ontario Liberal cabinet ministers. He was elected to the Ontario legislature in 2014 as the MPP for Trinity–Spadina, defeating veteran NDP incumbent Rosario Marchese. After losing his provincial seat in the 2018 election, he entered federal politics and was elected MP for Don Valley North in 2019. He sought re-election in 2021.

Sabrina Zuniga (Conservative) Zuniga holds a PhD in Higher Education, a Master of Education, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry. She taught biology and chemistry in the Toronto District School Board and in adult education before becoming an entrepreneur, creating and operating an ESL school and later a private career college. She served as Vice Chair of the Board of the Breast Cancer Society of Canada and sat on the Board of Trustees for the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

Bruce Griffin (NDP) A film director, musician, and pilot, Griffin edited for CBC's "The 5th Estate" during the 1980s before moving to directing drama, documentaries, and music videos. He produced two music CDs and plays in several bands across the Greater Toronto Area. A community volunteer, he served as administrator of the Hillcrest Oldtimers Hockey League and was a former artistic director of a children's theatre group.

Jay Sobel (PPC) A Chartered Industrial Designer with 35 years of experience in telecommunications, defence, healthcare, and consumer products, Sobel is a graduate of Carleton University and the University of Toronto. He holds 29 patents and 34 design awards. A nearly lifelong resident of Don Valley North, he has more than 30 years of volunteer experience coaching competitive lacrosse teams in the Ontario Lacrosse Association.

About the Riding

Don Valley North's commercial character centres on its role as a suburban retail and professional services hub. Bayview Village, an upscale shopping centre, anchors the western portion of the riding, while strips of small businesses, restaurants, and professional offices line Sheppard Avenue and Finch Avenue. The neighbourhood's multilingual character is visible in the storefront signage—Chinese, Korean, and Persian businesses are prominent throughout the commercial corridors.

Transit connectivity has been a significant concern for residents. The Sheppard subway line serves the southern edge of the riding, and the planned extension of bus rapid transit along Finch Avenue has been a topic of discussion for years. Many residents commute by car along Highway 404 and the Don Valley Parkway, and traffic congestion is a persistent issue.

Immigration and settlement services are important features of the riding's social landscape. Many residents are first-generation Canadians who arrived through economic immigration streams. Language barriers, credential recognition, and access to affordable housing are ongoing concerns. The riding's condominium and rental apartment stock has grown considerably as developers respond to demand, but affordability pressures have intensified, particularly for families in the high-rise rental towers concentrated around Finch and Sheppard avenues.