September 11, 2026
For Immediate Release

PROGRESS TORONTO ANNOUNCES FIRST ROUND OF CANDIDATES THEY WILL CAMPAIGN TO ELECT IN TORONTO’S CITY ELECTIONS

Toronto, ON—With 45 days left in the city elections, Progress Toronto has announced its support for candidates running for Toronto City Council in key races across the city.

“This election is about moving forward, not back. That means focusing on building a stronger progressive coalition on council so we can push a bolder agenda and build a more affordable city. That’s why Progress Toronto has announced support for 6 city council candidates running in key wards. We will work on-the-ground and online to help these strong Progressive Champions win,” shares Executive Director Saman Tabasinejad.

In early September Progress Toronto asked candidates about their commitments to tackling key issues from affordable housing, faster and more reliable transit, and investing in services. Responses to these questions, alongside a ward-by-ward analysis, were a major factor in determining which candidates Progress Toronto will work to elect.

Progress Toronto has helped elect 6 progressive city councillors, Mayor Olivia Chow in 2023, and defeat conservative candidates like Mark Grimes and Anthony Furey. We’ve seen what a more progressive council can deliver for our city and local communities: affordable housing, faster and more reliable transit, and investing in services. But there’s more to do. That’s why Progress Toronto is focused on electing the next generation of progressive leadership to champion affordability at City Hall.

“Supporting Progressive Champions in these wards will happen in different ways depending on the local race,” said Donovan Hayden, Organizing Manager at Progress Toronto. “We will work with hundreds of volunteers to deliver flyers, knock on doors, talk to people in real life, and run digital ads to ultimately help get voters to the polls on election day for Progressive Champions.”

Here are Progress Toronto’s Progressive Champions, with comments from each candidate:

Ala’a Adib (Ward 1 Etobicoke North): “Ward 1 deserves leadership that listens, shows up, and delivers. I’m running to bring Etobicoke North a stronger voice at City Hall, turning what we hear at the doors into action and building a safer, more affordable, better-connected community.”

Diana Chan McNally (Ward 4 Parkdale–High Park): “Progress Toronto's organizing has been integral to creating a fairer, more caring, and livable city for everyone. I am grateful for Progress Toronto's trust in me to be a champion for our shared values in this municipal election. Together, we can form a City Council that works for all of us.”

Chiara Padovani (Ward 5 York South–Weston): "For years, Progress Toronto has been knocking on doors and building people power across the city. I'm glad to be fighting alongside these amazing candidates, making sure every voice is represented at City Hall as we build a more just, safe, and affordable city."

Sara Ehrhardt (Ward 14 Toronto–Danforth): "I'm thrilled to have the endorsement of Progress Toronto. We share many priorities, like protecting public education, keeping communities safe through growth like the Ontario Line construction, and making sure our city is a place with good jobs. This is the kind of coalition we need to be building together at City Hall and I'm proud to be part of it."

Kevin Rupasinghe (Ward 20 Scarborough Southwest): “Scarborough Southwest deserves a City Councillor who can be trusted: trusted to pause data centre expansions; trusted to champion affordable housing, safer streets, and reliable transit; and trusted to actually give our community a voice on development in our ward. I appreciate Progress Toronto’s recognition that Scarborough Southwest has only one choice for an honest, hardworking, trustworthy leader: a City Councillor you can count on - for a change.

Krissan Veerasingam (Ward 21 Scarborough Centre): “I’m running for City Council for the same reason I joined Progress Toronto as a volunteer at the start of my advocacy journey. To make sure the people who work in our communities can afford to live here, and the street you grew up on can be the street where you raise your family. I’m running to build a Scarborough that works for everyone and I'm proud to have Progress Toronto's support.”

For a full list of Progress Toronto’s Progressive Champions and their bios, visit: https://www.progresstoronto.ca/progressive-champions-2026

- 30 -

About Progress Toronto

Progress Toronto is a not-for-profit organization that advocates and organizes for a more democratic, socially just, and progressive city. We work with people, community, organizations, and movements to advance a broad progressive vision for Toronto. We are connecting people to democratic power through mobilization and engagement in decision making at Toronto City Hall. In 2023, Progress Toronto helped elect Olivia Chow as Mayor and in 2022, Progress Toronto helped elect six new progressive champions to City Council and six new progressive champions to the TDSB. In 2024, we helped defeat far-right conservative candidate Anthony Furey in the Don Valley West by-election. Progress Toronto has registered as a Third-Party Advertiser with the City of Toronto.

For more information contact:

Saman Tabasinejad saman@progresstoronto.ca