Toronto Votes 2026: Toronto-Danforth councillor candidate Denise Walcott profile
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Local voters will cast their ballots on Monday, Oct. 26, in Toronto’s municipal election. Along with voting for mayor and school trustee, local voters will also be electing a new councillor for Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth.
There are 18 candidates running for the council seat in Toronto-Danforth. The seat is open as incumbent councillor Paula Fletcher announcd in August that she was stepping down after representing the area for the last 23 years. For this Candidate Profile feature, Beach Metro Community News reached out to the candidates who we could find contact information for and asked them to send their profile and a photo in by a set deadline. We are only printing the profiles of those who responded by the deadline. The 18 candidates registered to run for councillor in Toronto-Danforth in this month’s municipal election are Maqsood Ahmad, Susan Chapelle, Michael Connor, Dennis Corcoran, Robb Dagenais, Peter De Marco, Sara Ehrhardt, George Fawcett, Mary Fragedakis, John Kladitis, Michael Mitchell, Caryma Sa’d, Dianne Saxe, Devyn Stackhouse, Jason Stevens, Christiane Tetreault, Maria Voutsinas and Denise Walcott.)
My name is Denise Walcott, and Toronto-Danforth is the community that helped shape who I am. I grew up in Toronto–Danforth, where my parents operated a business for 30 years. Through them, I learned the importance of hard work, service and building lasting relationships within the community.
Over the last 20 years I have managed large budgets and projects while working with major organizations, including American and British companies. I had a business and currently serve on two condominium boards, as President of one and Treasurer of the other.
These experiences have taught me how to review budgets carefully, manage competing priorities, oversee major projects and repairs, and make decisions that affect an entire community. I know how to bring people together, ask difficult questions and follow through until the work is completed.
I am running because residents are paying more for housing, property taxes, transit and basic necessities, but many are not seeing greater value in their everyday lives. Better City services should mean reliable transit, safer neighbourhoods, properly maintained roads and sidewalks, cleaner public spaces and responsive services residents can depend on.
My priorities are affordability, public safety, reliable transit and accountable City services. I want to keep TTC fares frozen, create lasting opportunities for young people and ensure seniors have the support they need to remain in the communities they helped build and have called home for many years.
I am not a career politician. I am someone with practical experience managing budgets, solving problems and getting things done. I am stepping forward because I want to use that experience to serve the community where I grew up.
As councillor, I will be accessible, listen to residents and community organizations, communicate openly and remain accountable throughout my term. Toronto-Danforth deserves leadership that respects every neighbourhood and turns residents’ concerns into meaningful action.
