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5 Toronto wards that will have new councillors in 2014

The majority of Toronto's city councillors are seeking re-election this October 27, meaning that, barring an unprecedented clear-out, there will be several familiar faces in the chamber next year. That said, several wards will certainly be electing a new representative, either because the incumbent has been elected elsewhere, or has decided not to run.

At time of writing, councillors Gloria Lindsay Luby (Ward 4, Etobicoke Centre), Peter Leon (Ward 3, Etobicoke Centre), Mark Grimes (Ward 6, Etobicoke-Lakeshore), David Shiner (Ward 24, Willowdale), and Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38, Scarborough Centre) have not filed registration papers, but could still enter the race (Lindsay Luby looks like she will do just that.)

Here are five council seats up for grabs this election.

ETOBICOKE NORTH (WARD 2)

Doug Ford hasn't completely ruled out running for re-election, but the presence of his nephew's name on the ballot is any indication, the mayor's brother will be sitting out the next term of office. Twenty-year-old Michael Ford and Andray Domise, a writer, financial planner, and community organizer, are among the favourites to fill the seat.

ETOBICOKE-LAKESHORE (WARD 5)

James Maloney, the replacement for MPP Peter Milczyn, says he's not running in October, leaving the door open for a new representative in Ward 5. Already on the ballot: Justin Di Ciano, who narrowly missed out on winning the council election in 2010, and Kinga Surma, Milczyn's former executive assistant.

EGLINTON-LAWRENCE (WARD 16)

Incumbent councillor Karen Stintz is making a bid for mayor, meaning the midtown ward of Eglinton-Lawrence is almost certain to see a new face come October. Stintz's former TTC advisor Jean-Pierre Boutros is running, as are nine other candidates. The ward was previously represented by long-time councillor Anne Johnston.

TRINTY-SPADINA (WARD 20)

With Adam Vaughan in Ottawa and his replacement Ceta Ramkhalawansingh vowing not to run for re-election, the downtown ward of Trinity-Spadina is up for grabs. At time of writing, there are 25 candidates in contention, including Joe Cressy, the NDP candidate who lost to Vaughan in the federal by-election earlier this year, who has the support of former mayors David Crombie and John Sewell.

SCARBOROUGH-AGINCOURT (WARD 39)

Former budget chief Mike Del Grande, a firm believer in term limits for city councillors, said he would not be returning to City Hall this Fall after more than a decade in office. The fiscal conservative told the Toronto Sun he was working between 75 and 80 hours per week when he had a heart attack last year. Former MP Jim Karygiannis and subway advocate Patricia Sinclair have registered to fill the seat.

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Photo by inventor_77 via the blogTO Flickr pool.


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