Etobicoke Centre

Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma sought a third term in Etobicoke Centre, a riding she first captured from the Liberals in 2018. Located in Toronto’s west end and anchored by the Kipling and Dundas corridor, the riding includes Markland Wood, Thorncrest Village, and the Islington-City Centre West area. During the 2022–2025 term, Surma oversaw the province’s broadband expansion program, managed Ontario’s real estate portfolio, and played a central role in the Ontario Place redevelopment file. Her expanded mandate as infrastructure minister made the riding a bellwether for public opinion on the government’s major capital projects.

Candidates

Kinga Surma (Progressive Conservative) — Born in Poland, Surma immigrated to Canada at age four and grew up in Ottawa. She studied public policy, business, and commerce at the University of Guelph and spent a year studying economics in France. Appointed Minister of Infrastructure in June 2021, she championed the province’s efforts to connect rural and northern communities to high-speed internet, finalizing agreements totalling over $2.4 billion for broadband projects across Ontario.

John Campbell (Liberal) — Campbell is a former Toronto city councillor who represented Ward 4 (Etobicoke Centre) from 2014 to 2018. Before entering municipal politics, he worked as a sales and marketing consultant and served as a trustee and chair of the Toronto District School Board. He holds a political science and economics degree from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business.

Giulia Volpe (NDP) and Brian Morris (Green Party) also sought office in the riding. Mario Bilusic (New Blue Party), Paul Fromm (Canadian Constitution Party), Richard M. Kiernicki (None of the Above Direct Democracy Party), and Signe Miranda (Pauper Party) also ran.

Local Issues

Transit infrastructure dominated local debate during the term. The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which would extend rapid transit 9.2 kilometres from Mount Dennis to Renforth Drive through largely underground tunnels, advanced through its procurement stages. Surma had fought to ensure the major portion of the line would run underground, a key community priority. By late 2024, a request for proposals had been issued for the stations, rail, and systems contract. Residents also tracked redevelopment of the former Six Points Interchange lands near Kipling, where plans for mixed-use development including affordable rental housing were taking shape.

The rapid pace of residential intensification concerned many in the riding. New condominium and high-rise proposals raised questions about whether schools, hospitals, and emergency services could keep pace with population growth. Etobicoke Centre remained one of four centres targeted for intensification under Toronto’s Official Plan, and balancing new housing supply against demands on local infrastructure was a recurring campaign theme.