York Centre

York Centre is an urban riding in the northern part of Toronto, encompassing the North York neighbourhoods of Downsview, York University Heights, Bathurst Manor, Clanton Park, Wilson Heights, and Armour Heights. The riding is bounded roughly by Steeles Avenue to the north, Yonge Street to the east, Highway 401 to the south, and Jane Street and Keele Street to the west. The seat had been held since 2018 by Roman Baber, who was elected as a Progressive Conservative but was removed from the PC caucus by Premier Doug Ford in January 2021 over his public opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns. Baber sat as an independent for the remainder of the term and chose not to seek re-election provincially, leaving the riding as an open contest.

York Centre is one of the most ethnically diverse ridings in the province. The Filipino community is particularly prominent, with 17 percent of residents identifying as Filipino according to census data, the highest proportion among all City of Toronto ridings.

Candidates

Michael Kerzner (Progressive Conservative) — A York Centre resident of over 25 years and an entrepreneur in the technology and bioscience fields. Kerzner graduated from York University with a B.A. (Honours) in 1986 and worked in the construction industry before moving into genetic testing, founding DNALabs Canada in 2015.

Shelley Brown (Liberal) — A retired employment and human rights lawyer who practised for 22 years at Steinbergs LLP. He was described as a community advocate.

Frank Chu (NDP) — The New Democratic candidate in the riding.

Alison Lowney (Green) — The Green Party candidate in the riding.

Other candidates included Nick Balaskas (Ontario Party), Don Pincivero (New Blue), Mark Dewdney (None of the Above), Lionel Wayne Poizner (Pauper Party), and Parviz Isgandarov (Ontario Moderate).

Local Issues

The future of the Downsview area was a major topic in York Centre during the 2018–2022 term. The former Bombardier aerospace manufacturing facility at Downsview Airport was undergoing a historic transition, with Bombardier agreeing to sell the airport and manufacturing plant to the Public Sector Pension Investment Board. In 2020, Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research (DAIR) was incorporated to develop an aerospace innovation hub on the site, working out of the Bombardier Centre for Aviation and Aerospace at Centennial College's Downsview campus. The transformation of the Downsview lands raised questions about future land use, employment opportunities, and transit connectivity for the surrounding communities.

The riding's history with its former MPP also lingered over the race. Roman Baber's removal from the PC caucus over his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns had divided opinion in the riding, with some residents sympathetic to his stance and others supportive of the government's public health measures. Baber's departure opened the field for a new PC standard-bearer in Kerzner, and the contest tested whether the PC brand remained strong in the riding after a turbulent term.

Housing affordability and community development were also key concerns. York Centre features a mix of older low-rise residential neighbourhoods and areas undergoing intensification, and residents raised concerns about the pace of development, the availability of affordable housing, and the adequacy of public transit service in connecting the riding's communities to employment centres.