Scarborough Southwest federal byelection 2026: Green Party candidate Pooja Malhotra answers our questions

QUESTION 1: Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself and why you are running in this byelection?

I’m Pooja Malhotra, a 34-year-old medical copywriter. While my professional life focuses on precision and clarity in healthcare, my personal life has been defined by an unwavering sense of justice and a drive to ensure that all people are treated fairly and with dignity.

I’m running in this federal byelection because I love this community. Scarborough Southwest is where I found a home when I had no one to support me. The riding gave me security when I needed a stable place to start over. The kindness I’ve received here, often from neighbours who may not have much else to give, has shaped who I am today. I’m running because we deserve more; my neighbours deserve more.

This isn’t an abstract belief for me. I’ve been on the receiving end of political apathy from our “representatives”. I’ve experienced what it’s like to be ignored to the point where I had to take extraordinary measures to have our former MP listen to my concerns.

I’m running to challenge the status quo and that includes our present “representation”. In the past year, the Liberal government has rushed through legislation like Bill C-5, while pushing bills like C-9 and C-12 that raise serious concerns about civil liberties and immigration fairness. Instead of taking accountability for mismanaging our immigration system, they’ve thrown immigrants under the bus. I’m a product of the same system and I know firsthand how these policies affect real lives.

Additionally, this government has been poaching parliamentarians left, right, and centre, trying to piece a majority they weren’t given by the people. A majority government isn’t necessarily a strong government; it’s one that can bulldoze legislation without checks and balances. I’m running to be the voice of accountability so that our concerns aren’t just heard in Ottawa but also acted upon.

QUESTION 2: What do you see as the top local issues that will be on the minds of Scarborough Southwest voters as they head into this byelection taking place less than a year after the previous federal election?

Not much has changed in the past year since the federal election—if anything, it’s gotten worse. Our riding is seeing an unprecedented amount of “development” in the form of unaffordable high-rises proposed across Scarborough Southwest, with little infrastructure to support the growth.

In all my door knocking, the three major local issues that have come up are:

Affordability: People are struggling with grocery bills that keep climbing, rents that take up over half a paycheque, and an overwhelming realization that being a homeowner may be a pipedream for most.

Transit: Too many residents spend hours each day on overcrowded TTC buses and trains or waiting for connections that are too infrequent and unreliable.

Healthcare: While primarily a provincial issue, people are extremely worried about the underfunding of public healthcare services by the Ford government and its privatising agenda, and a lack of action on the federal government’s part when it comes to enforcing the Canada Health Act.

Additionally, there are concerns around trust and accountability. Many voters see recent floor crossings by MPs (or MPPs) as a betrayal of their mandate. They want politicians to answer to the electorate and not use their position as a bargaining chip to help a government scrambling for majority.

QUESTION 3: What are the key national issues now facing Canadians and how can you and your party have an impact on them?

Canadians are facing interconnected crises: affordability, climate emergency, and a strained healthcare system. If elected, I will use private member’s bills, committee work, direct advocacy and any leverage our party might have in parliament to push for concrete solutions:

• Introduce Zero Food Waste legislation modeled on France’s law that requires grocery stores to donate unsold food, cutting waste and helping families.
• Introduce Right-to-Repair legislation so products sold in Canada are built to be fixed, not thrown away, savings money and reducing waste.
• Push for the enforcement of the Canada Health Act, withholding federal funding to provinces trying to create a two-tier system.
• Push for Community Benefit Agreements as a mandatory requirement for all federally funded infrastructure projects, ensuring local hiring, fair wages, and environmental protections.
• Advocate for a National Transit Plan with stable funding, starting by restoring the $5 billion cut from transit investments.
• Push for expansion of housing co-operatives by working with CMHC to scale up permanently affordable, community-owned homes.
• Work with the Office of Consumer Affairs and partners across all levels of government to reduce junk fees, helping make life a little more affordable.

QUESTION 4: How can and will you work with the provincial government and Toronto’s city government to make life better for Scarborough Southwest residents?

For Scarborough Southwest, working across all three levels of government must deliver measurable results.

Affordability: I will work with both the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario to address the rising cost of everyday life. That includes pushing for coordinated action on rent stabilization, creation of a coordinated community food program with a city-supported community fridge network connected to Zero Waste policies and a provincial cap on hydro rate increases to residential consumers.

Transit: I will push for federal funding tied to real service improvements such as increased bus frequency and reduced wait times in transit-dependent Scarborough. I will work with the city to ensure local routes are prioritized where demand is highest, and with the province to align regional transit planning so Scarborough isn’t left behind.

Healthcare: I will push for federal health transfers to be tied to clear outcomes like shorter wait times and better access to family doctors in Scarborough. I will also advocate for increased investment in community-based care, including mental health and addiction services in Scarborough. I will push for evidence-based, community-informed solutions that prioritize both public health and community safety.

Our Waterfront: From Rosetta McClain Gardens to Bluffer’s Park and beyond, this is an area where Scarborough families find respite from their busy lives, where they can relax, enjoy the beaches, picnic and engage in recreational activities. I will demand the federal government use the tripartite agreement to ensure Scarborough citizens have their say on any expansion of the Toronto Island Airport. I will fight for the right of Scarborough families to enjoy their waterfront by the Bluffs without the constant disruption of jets flying overhead. Greens will always stand up for our natural gems—the Scarborough Bluffs and Lake Ontario waterfront among them.