Toronto municipal election, 1985

The 1985 Toronto municipal election was held to elect members of municipal councils, school boards, and hydro commissions in the six municipalities that made up Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The election was held on November 12, 1985.

Toronto

Mayor

The mayoral election saw progressive North Toronto councillor Anne Johnston challenge incumbent Art Eggleton. Eggleton won reelection by a significant margin, with Johnston not even winning her former ward.

Results

Art Eggleton - 92,994

Anne Johnston - 59,817

Ann Ladas - 1,473

Gaston Schwab - 1,228

Aaron Abraham - 1,077

John J. Benz - 583

Skip Evans - 557

Fred Dunn - 513

Gary Watson - 433

Ben Kerr - 422

Ronald Rodgers - 341

Andrejs Murnieks - 266

Warren J. Van Evera - 223

Gary Weagle - 202

City and Metro council

Ward boundaries used in the 1985 election

The election system was changed in Toronto for the 1985 election. Previously two councillors had been elected from each ward, with the one who received the most votes also getting a spot on Metro Toronto council in addition to their city council seat. For the 1985 the two positions were split, and voters now cast a separate vote for city council and for metro council. Most pairs of incumbent councillors reached tacit agreements with one running for city council and the other for metro. The one battle between two incumbents was in Ward 5 where in a surprise upset junior councillor Ron Kanter defeated the long serving Ying Hope. Two other long serving councillors were defeated. Joe Piccininni who had represent the Corso d'Italia for 25 years lost to 28 year old Betty Disero. In the east end NDPers Dorothy Thomas lost in a surprise upset to conservative Paul Christie.

Ward 1 (Swansea and Bloor West Village)

Metro

Derwyn Shea (incumbent) - 10,429

Diana Fancher - 2,675

Robert Szajkowski - 1,270

City

William Boytchuk (incumbent) - 8,491

David White - 6,049

Len Bugeja - 1,030

Ward 2 (Parkdale and Brockton)

Metro

Ben Grys (incumbent) - 7,189

Susan Shaw - 4,223

City

Chris Korwin-Kuczynski (incumbent) - 8,617

Owen Leach - 1,638

Hubert P. Antoic - 777

Jimmy Talpa - 353

Ward 3 (Davenport and Corso Italia)

Metro

Richard Gilbert (incumbent) - 6,745

John Martin - 2,722

City

Betty Disero - 5,096

Joseph Piccininni (incumbent) - 3,835

Judy De Sousa - 1,871

Nick Attarano - 282

Ward 4 (Trinity-Bellwoods and Little Italy)

Metro

Joe Pantalone (incumbent) - 6,519

Joe Pimentel - 2,429

Antonio Nunziata - 666

Hiwon Pak - 336

City

Tony O'Donohue (incumbent) - 5,617

David English - 2,755

Vince Nigro - 2,637

Ward 5 (The Annex and Yorkville)

Metro

Ron Kanter (incumbent) - 9,788

Ying Hope (incumbent) - 5,849

City

Nadine Nowlan - 7,018

David Scott - 4,387

Lawson Oates - 2,509

Ward 6 (Financial District, Toronto - University of Toronto)

Metro

Jack Layton (incumbent) - 9,037

Pearl Loo - 1,972

Edward Jackson - 1,824

Lex Dunkelman - 1,183

Citizen Amber - 414

City

Dale Martin (incumbent) - 6,791

Peter Maloney - 4,923

Jerry Borins - 1,902

Steve BFG Johnson - 1,059

Ward 7 (Regent Park and Riverdale)

Metro

Joanne Campbell (incumbent) - 9,293

James P. Atkins - 1,490

Jack McLeavey - 775

City

Barbara Hall - 6,379

Bill Mole - 2,807

Mike Armstrong - 2,232

Christopher Goulios - 613

Ward 8 (Riverdale)

Metro

Fred Beavis (incumbent) - 7,637

Richard Tyssen - 3,604

Sam Baichoo - 494

City

Thomas Clifford (incumbent) - 7,068

Sheila Cram - 4,035

Michael Tegtmeyer - 339

Ward 9 (The Beaches)

Metro

Tom Jakobek (incumbent) - 12,827

Patterson Higgins - 2,775

Jeremy Agar - 747

City

Paul Christie - 8,985

Dorothy Thomas (incumbent) - 7,042

Ward 10 (Rosedale and North Toronto)

Metro

June Rowlands (incumbent) - acclaimed

City

Michael Walker - acclaimed

Ward 11 (Forest Hill and North Toronto)

Metro

Kay Gardner - 8,369

Belinda Morin - 7,905

March Tigh - 2,614

City

Michael Gee (incumbent) - 15,345

Christopher Nelson - 2,810

Results taken form the November 13, 1985 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

East York

Mayor (East York) - David Johnson

North York

Mel Lastman is re-elected mayor of the City and serves until 1997. Maria Augimeri elected to Ward 5, Peter Li Preti elected to Ward 3 and Mario Gentile re-elected as Ward 2 councillor. Esther Shiner is re-elected to Board of Control, but dies in office in 1987. Norm Gardner loses his seat on the Board of Control.

1985 Toronto municipal election, North York Board of Control (four members elected)edit

Candidate	Total votes	% of total votes
(x)Esther Shiner	67,345	19.47
(x)Robert Yuill	53,709	15.53
Norman Gardner	51,137	14.78
Howard Moscoe	42,303	12.23
Mike Foster	35,838	10.36
Frank Esposito	21,365	6.18
Bruce Davidson	18,926	5.47
Sonnee Cohen	12,822	3.71
Bernadette Michael	12,764	3.69
Angelo Natale	12,416	3.59
Cora Urbel	7,791	2.25
Arthur Zins	4,961	1.43
Ayube Ally	4,571	1.32
Total valid votes	345,948	100.00

• Cora Urbel (born Cora Kevany) was a well-known community activist in North York, serving as leader of the North York Concerned Citizens Committee in 1984. She called for an investigation into the approval of the city's Rampart Development Project, and criticized road reforms that she believed would cause increased traffic in residential areas.^[1] She was endorsed by John Sewell in 1985 as one of North York's most prominent reformers, and was expected to be a strong candidate.^[2] Her poor showing was a surprise to most observers. Urbel served as president of the Don Mills Residents' Association after the election, and promoted "open space" community development.^[3] She campaigned for North York City Council's tenth ward in 1988, and lost to Don Yuill in a fairly close contest. She was fifty-nine years old during this campaign, and strongly opposed the extension of Leslie St. past Eglinton Avenue and the decision to widen Don Mills Rd. and Victoria Park Ave.^[4] Urbel supported a series of austerity measures in the early 1990s. She called for education spending cuts in 1991, and spoke against a proposed 1% Metro Toronto tax hike in 1994.^[5] She died on March 28, 1999. A road in Toronto was named after her the following year.^[6]
• Arthur Zins was a self-employed businessman and former public utility administrator, who argued that North York needed his public administration skills.^[7] He campaigned for a position on the North York Hydro Board in 1980, and finished last in a field of nineteen candidates.
• Ayube Ally owned a manufacturing plant, and recommended improved facilities for senior citizens.^[8]

• Ward 8 Bev Salmon
• Ward 10 Marie Labatte
• Ward 12 Barry Burton

School Board Trustees

• Ward 8 Gerri Gershon
• Ward 10 Rene Gordon
• Ward 12 Kenneth Crowley

Scarborough

Mayor

• Gus Harris: 36,216
• Norm Kelly: 24,724
• Brian Harrison: 23,981
• Dekort: 9,228
• Anne McBride: 1,911
• Bordonaro: 1,836
• Abel Van Wyk: 382

Board of Control

• Ken Morrish ; 55,636
• Joyce Trimmer ; 53,844
• Frank Faubert ; 47,724
• Belfontaine ; 39,657
• Borisko ; 35,495
• Brown ; 16,956
• Cotter ; 8,617
• Kazia ; 4,993

Public Utilities

• Cavanagh ; 45,921
• Beatty ; 33,268
• Stewart ; 27,686
• Speares ; 10,960
• Nurse ; 9,445
• Alix ; 6,827

City Councillors

Ward 1 -

• Barron ; 3,100
• Dan Danielson ; NDP ; 1,985
• White ; 1,761

Ward 2 -

• Gerry Altobello ; 2,304
• Boyle ; 1,662
• McKenzie ; 1,375
• Judd ; 574
• Morton ; 476

Ward 3 -

• Wardrope ; 3,034
• Robertson ; 2,256
• McDermott ; 776
• Catre ; 769
• Zaidi ; 635

Ward 4 -

• Christensen ; 4,195
• Ligold ; 2,362

Ward 5

• Marilyn Mushinski ; 4,662
• Knight ; 1,285

Ward 6

• Cruickshank ; acclamation

Ward 7

• Brian Ashton ; 6,230
• Lyall ; 1,411

Ward 8

• Eidt ; 4,804
• Murray ; 1,912
• Chadha ; 717

Ward 9

• Mackie ; 6,134
• DeSouza ; 2,218

Ward 10

• Maureen Prinsloo ; 4,045
• Edmonds ; 1,997

Ward 11

• Cavalier ; 3,828
• Anderson ; 1,398

Ward 12 ;

• Mahood ; 2,232
• Watson, Ron ; 1,350
• Pearce ; 1,171
• Lam, A ; 898
• Watson, Bob ; 793
• Manning ; 433

Ward 13

• Sanders ; 1,858
• Nutter ; 1,394
• Kenton ; 773
• Chana ; 767
• Chappell ; 462
• Coyle ; 340

Ward 14

• Montgomery ; 3,076
• McLennon ; 621
• Sharma ; 481
• Loughlin, B ; 386
• Russell ; 338
• Kukade ; 158

York

Ward 1

• Bill Nobleman (Acclamation)

Ward 2

• T. Mandaran

Ward 3

• Tony Rizzo ; NDP

Ward 4

• N. Fortunato

Ward 5

• C. Tonks

Ward 6

• B. McLean

Ward 7

• G. Bloor

Ward 8

• Bill Saundercook

School Board Trustees

School Board Ward 1

• K. Hen (Acclamation)

School Board Ward 2

• P. Karageorgos

School Board Ward 3

• R. RUssell

School Board Ward 4

• N D'urzo

School Board Ward 5

• P Hainer

School Board Ward 6

• J Gribben

School Board Ward 7

• S. Mould

School Board Ward 8

• M McDowell

Metro Toronto Separate School Trustees

1985 Toronto municipal election, Metro Toronto Separate School Board, Ward Fifteenedit

Candidate	Total votes	% of total votes
Anthony Perruzza	1,999	33.80
(x)Tony Nigro	1,940	32.80
Ralph Paonessa	1,130	19.10
A. Renato Lavalle	846	14.30
Total valid votes	5,915	100.00

• Antonio (Tony) Nigro served on the Metro Toronto Separate School Board from 1974 to 1985. He was himself a teacher with the North York Board of Education.^[9] He tried to return to the Toronto Catholic School Board in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, but was unsuccessful.
• Ralph Paonessa was a first time candidate. He ran for Ward 15 again in 1988, and finished a closer second against Rick Morelli. A 1988 newspaper article indicates that he fifty-two years old, and was co-pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. He wanted students to receive "a truly Catholic education".^[10] Paonessa is now Friar at Saint Lawrence the Martyr Friary in Scarborough, and is active with the National Congress of Italian Canadians.^[11]
• A. Renato Lavalle was a forty-three year old school principal, who sought to maintain the religious orientation of the Catholic school system.^[12]

Footnotes

1. ^ Ross Howard, "Probe North York plans, links, group urges Davis", Globe and Mail, 7 November 1984, M1; "Price tag: $70-million plus", Globe and Mail, 27 February 1985, M4.
2. ^ John Sewell, "A promise of sparks in North York race", Globe and Mail, 2 October 1985, A15; John Sewell, "Spirit of compromise for Board of Control", Globe and Mail, 8 November 1985, A13.
3. ^ Lynne Ainsworth, "30-year-old Don Mills to be studied", Toronto Star, 7 October 1986, N11; Janice Turner, "Winds of change in Don Mills", Toronto Star, 11 November 1986, A6; Michael Best, "Angry residents lose bid to block home for seniors", Toronto Star, 13 October 1987, N1; Michael Best, "North York residents turn out to express desire for parkland", Toronto Star, 10 May 1988, N2; Royson James, "Traffic is choking Don Mills roadways, report concludes", Toronto Star, 5 July 1988, A7.
4. ^ Lynne Ainsworth, "Building urban pressures put ward on the defensive", Toronto Star, 27 October 1988, A7.
5. ^ "$72 million hacked off board budget", Toronto Star, 28 March 1991, A6; Royson James, "Labor backs, business boos tax hike", Toronto Star, 10 February 1994, A6.
6. ^ "Cora Urbel: Obituary", Globe and Mail, 31 March 2006; Naming of Private Lane at 111 Barber Greene Road, Toronto City Council, accessed 19 October 2006.
7. ^ Dyanne Rivers, "Traffic an issue in controllers' race", Globe and Mail, 9 November 1985, A16.
8. ^ Dyanne Rivers, "Traffic an issue in controllers' race", Globe and Mail, 6 November 1985, A16.
9. ^ Julia Turner, "Get rid of portables, separate school hopefuls say", Globe and Mail, 6 November 1980, P5.
10. ^ "The candidates", Toronto Star, 11 November 1988, A14.
11. ^ Province of the Immaculate Concept: Order of Friars Minor, accessed 18 October 2006; National Association of Italian Canadians, contact information, accessed 18 October 2006.
12. ^ Sterling Taylor, "18 in North York seek separate school boards", 29 October 1985, ES10.