Willowdale

Willowdale is an urban riding in the heart of North York, Toronto, defined by its dense mix of high-rise condominiums, residential neighbourhoods, and one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the city. Liberal incumbent Ali Ehsassi won re-election in 2025, continuing a Liberal hold on the riding that has persisted through multiple election cycles.

Candidates

Ali Ehsassi (Liberal) -- Born in Geneva, Switzerland, to an Iranian diplomatic family, Ehsassi moved to North York as a teenager and became one of the first Canadians of Iranian heritage elected to federal Parliament when he won Willowdale in 2015. A lawyer specializing in international trade, he holds degrees from the University of Toronto, the London School of Economics, and Osgoode Hall Law School. He served briefly as Minister of Government Transformation, Public Services and Procurement in the spring of 2025.

James Lin (Conservative) -- A second-generation Canadian who grew up in Willowdale and attended the University of Toronto, Lin works in the public sector on transit and housing development projects. He ran on a platform of economic management and public safety.

Christy Kheirallah (NDP) -- An immigrant who came to Canada as a teenager, Kheirallah studied political science and equity studies at the University of Toronto. She has worked to bring mental health resources to immigrant communities affected by conflict and focused her campaign on housing affordability and fair wages.

About the Riding

Willowdale stretches along the Yonge Street corridor in North York, encompassing some of the city's most rapidly densifying neighbourhoods. The area around the North York Centre subway station has transformed into a cluster of condominium towers, while quieter residential streets of single-family homes persist further from the main arteries. The riding has the highest proportion of Iranian and Korean residents of any riding in Toronto, alongside significant Chinese, South Asian, and Jewish communities.

The riding's diversity shapes its political conversations. Issues of immigration, cultural identity, and international affairs carry particular weight, while the bread-and-butter concerns of housing costs, transit congestion, and access to family doctors matter deeply to residents across all backgrounds. The Yonge North Subway Extension, which will eventually bring higher-order transit further into York Region, has generated both anticipation and concern about intensification along the corridor.

Ehsassi's strong showing in 2025 reflected the riding's continued alignment with the Liberal Party, even as other parts of the GTA shifted Conservative. His background in international trade and law, combined with deep ties to the Iranian-Canadian community, gave him a durable base of support.