Ward 4 — Parkdale–High Park

Parkdale–High Park stretches from the Humber River east to Dufferin Street, taking in some of Toronto's most politically engaged and economically diverse neighbourhoods. High Park and the Bloor West Village anchor the ward's northern half with tree-lined residential streets, independent shops, and the 161-hectare urban park that gives the area its name. To the south, Parkdale is one of Toronto's most diverse and lowest-income neighbourhoods — a historic landing ground for successive waves of immigrants, currently home to large Tibetan, South Asian, and East African communities alongside long-time Portuguese and Eastern European residents. Roncesvalles Village, with its Polish heritage storefronts and young-family culture, bridges the two halves. The ward's population of roughly 120,000 is predominantly renter-occupied, with large stocks of aging rental apartment buildings in Parkdale that have been flashpoints for tenant organizing.

Parkdale–High Park was one of Olivia Chow's strongest wards. Chow captured 50.0 percent of the vote (19,569 votes) — one of only two wards outside the downtown core where she reached or exceeded 50 percent, alongside Toronto-Danforth (51.9 percent). Bailão finished a distant second at 26.0 percent (10,181), a margin of more than 9,300 votes. Josh Matlow took third with 5.2 percent, followed closely by Mark Saunders at 4.8 percent. Turnout was strong at 39,170 ballots — the third-highest total of any ward. The ward's left-leaning character has deep roots: the provincial riding has been held by the NDP since 2006, when Cheri DiNovo won a by-election, and the area's CCF/NDP tradition stretches back to the 1940s. Councillor Gord Perks, a veteran progressive who had represented the ward since 2006, endorsed Chow.

Municipal Issues

Parkdale's housing crisis was the defining local issue. The neighbourhood's stock of privately owned rental apartment buildings — many dating to the 1960s and 1970s — had become a target for corporate landlords pursuing renovictions and above-guideline rent increases. Tenant associations in buildings along Queen Street West and Jameson Avenue organized some of the most visible anti-eviction campaigns in the city. Chow's pledge to build 25,000 rent-controlled homes and her opposition to using strong mayor powers resonated with a community that viewed municipal government as a last line of defence against displacement.

The Ontario Line's planned western terminus at Exhibition, combined with the long-delayed reconstruction of the Gardiner Expressway along the ward's southern waterfront edge, raised concerns about years of further construction disruption. Meanwhile, the 2023 TTC service cuts hit Parkdale hard — routes along Queen Street and King Street that residents depended on for crosstown travel saw reduced frequency. The combination of service cuts, rising transit fares, and a string of safety incidents on the TTC made transit a galvanizing issue in a ward where many residents cannot afford to drive.