– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
Community organizer Chiara Padovani running in Ward 5
Toronto, April 26, 2022 — A group of residents of Ward 5 York South-Weston is delighted to announce that community organizer Chiara Padovani will be running for a seat on Toronto City Council. Padovani (33), a social worker with the North York Harvest Food Bank, has taken a leave of absence and will be filing her nomination papers on Monday, May 2, at 8:50 am. She will be running in York South-Weston, where she and her husband live, and where she’s been advocating for flooding action and housing rights for 5 years. The official launch of her campaign will be on Saturday May 7 at 7 pm at Shacklands Brewing, 100 Symes Rd, Unit 101 (near Keele and St. Clair).
“It’s time for changes that will benefit all residents in York South-Weston. Chiara has already proven that she’s got the intelligence, experience and energy to fight for us effectively,” says Laurie Mace, a member of the group of people endorsing Padovani’s candidacy. “We need action on housing affordability, flooding, childcare, eldercare and public transit, to name just a few issues,” she adds. She notes, “Chiara’s even better known now than in 2018, when she scored a remarkable 20 percent against two entrenched incumbents, despite the chaos after the reorganization of wards imposed by the Ford government.”
Saynab Hussein, another Padovani endorser and Mount Dennis homeowner, comments, “Our children can’t afford the rents and housing prices being charged in Toronto. With such high rents, they’re not even sure they can afford to have children, let alone save for a down payment! We don’t want them to be forced to move far away.”
Sophie Van Waeyenberghe, who lives in Rockcliffe-Smythe, says, “I don’t usually get involved in politics, but I’m fed up with years of flooding. We need a City Councillor who will push for improvements to Toronto’s stormwater management systems. I want someone representing me who also understands that getting rid of trees and paving over green spaces just creates hotspots and intensifies flooding. We need Chiara.”
Sharlene Henry, a tenant in the Weston neighbourhood, adds, “if there’s one thing we’ve learned during the last few years, it’s the importance of looking out for each other. Chiara has helped tenants in my building prevent evictions, fight rent increases and enabled over 5,000 people in our ward to get vaccinated. She works every day helping people who are struggling with low wages, unemployment, high rents and rising food prices. She fights for the things that really matter. That’s refreshing.”
Genny Guzzo, a small business owner from Keelesdale where she has also raised her family, notes, “Our part of the city has been ignored for too long and people with mental health issues are not able to get the help they need to get back on their feet. It’s time for change. Chiara’s not afraid to roll up her sleeves and really work for us.”
Padovani’s grandparents immigrated from Italy to York South-Weston. Her family worked in the construction trades and her grandmother had a small business on Keele Street. She grew up in Mount Dennis and earned her Master’s in Social Work at York University. She sums up her goal: “I’m committed to building a fair, affordable and sustainable city for all of us.”
For further information, please contact:
Laurie Mace at 647-618-6030 or [email protected]
Chiara Padovani at 647-371-0677 or [email protected]
See: http://www.chiarapadovani.ca
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