Parkdale—High Park

Parkdale—High Park is a diverse urban riding in Toronto’s west end, stretching from the gentrifying streetcar neighbourhood of South Parkdale through established residential areas around High Park and Roncesvalles Village. NDP incumbent Bhutila Karpoche, the first person of Tibetan descent elected to public office in North America, had won the seat convincingly in 2018 and was seeking a second term. The riding had traditionally alternated between the NDP and Liberals, with the latter hoping to reclaim it after their collapse in 2018.

With approximately 87 percent of South Parkdale households being renters—far above the Toronto average—the riding’s politics are heavily shaped by housing affordability, tenant rights, and the pressures of gentrification. Karpoche had used her first term to establish herself as a vocal advocate on these issues at Queen’s Park.

Candidates

Bhutila Karpoche (NDP) — Born in Nepal to Tibetan refugee parents, Karpoche grew up stateless before her family settled in Parkdale’s Little Tibet community. She became a Canadian citizen in 2008. She holds a bachelor of science from the University of British Columbia and a master of public health in epidemiology from the University of Toronto. During her first term, she introduced private members’ bills on children’s mental health wait times and maternal mental health.

Karim Bardeesy (Liberal) — Bardeesy was the co-founder and Executive Director of the Ryerson Leadership Lab and a columnist for the Toronto Star. He had previously served as policy director to Premiers Kathleen Wynne and Dalton McGuinty, and had worked as a journalist at The Globe and Mail and Slate.

Monika Frejlich (Progressive Conservative) — Frejlich was a second-generation Canadian with Polish roots in Roncesvalles, raised in a household that worked in the trades.

Patrick Macklem (Green Party) also ran, along with Danielle Height (New Blue Party), Craig Peskett (Ontario Party), Gunes Agduk (Communist), and Oliver Roberts (People’s Political Party).

Local Issues

Housing affordability and tenant protections were the foremost issues in Parkdale—High Park. South Parkdale had experienced waves of gentrification, with rising rents, renovictions, and above-guideline rent increases displacing long-time residents. A major rent strike in 2017 had drawn national attention to the neighbourhood’s struggles with corporate landlords, and the community continued to push for stronger tenant protections and more purpose-built affordable housing. The Parkdale Hub project, which would create 173 new housing units and expand social services, was a focal point for community development efforts.

Mental health and addiction services were also prominent concerns. Karpoche had introduced a private member’s bill to cap wait times for children’s and youth mental health services at 30 days, which received all-party support but was allowed to expire by the government. She also tabled Bill 176 on maternal mental health, calling on the province to develop an action plan. The riding’s mix of vulnerable populations—including newcomers, low-income renters, and individuals experiencing homelessness—made access to mental health care and harm reduction services an ongoing priority for residents.