Toronto Votes 2026: Beaches-East York council candidate Natalie Johnson answers our questions

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Beaches–East York 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 be looking to elect a new councillor for Ward 19 Beaches-East York.
There are 13 candidates running for the council seat in Beaches-East York. The seat is open as incumbent councillor Brad Bradford is now running for mayor in this municipal election. For this Question and Answer feature below, Beach Metro Community News reached out to the candidates who we could find contact information for and asked them to send their answers in by a set deadline. We are only printing the answers of the 11 candidates who responded by the deadline. Please note the candidates’ answers to the first two questions in this feature are also appearing in the Sept. 22 print edition of Beach Metro Community News.)

QUESTION 1: Tell us a bit about yourself and why your are running for city councillor in Ward 19 Beaches-East York?

For 16 years I covered Toronto City Hall as a journalist with CTV News, passionate about the municipal files that have helped shape our city.

But I have not only reported on the issues – I have lived them, as a resident of Beaches—East York. My husband and I are raising our three boys here, and I understand first-hand the challenges facing local families.

I want to get the east end moving again by improving traffic (including rebuilding the Gardiner ramp and bringing back express buses!) and making transit more safe and reliable, while ensuring that our streets and parks are clean, safe, and well-maintained.

We need to maintain affordability by keeping taxes low. Customer service is at the heart of local government, and this ward deserves reasonable, responsive representation.

City Hall has always been my area of expertise – my first choice, not my backup plan. And Beaches—East York has always been my priority.

Whether it’s through my role as a board member of Community Centre 55 and the Beaches Sandbox, as a Ted Reeve hockey mom, or on the soccer sidelines in the summertime, I couldn’t be more proud to be a member of this community.

Our ward needs strong local leadership by someone who understands City Hall and has the energy and the urgency to deliver more for the part of the city we’re so lucky to call home.

QUESTION 2: What changes, if any, would you advocate for at city hall to balance the need for more housing while preserving neighbourhood character?

I believe Beaches-East York needs more housing, including homes that young families and seniors can actually afford. But responsible growth is about more than counting the number of units that get approved.

Our neighbourhoods are already changing. In Beaches—East York, sixplexes, laneway suites, and garden suites are already permitted as-of-right, offering the type of missing-middle housing that can blend with the character of our neighbourhoods. I support adding gentle, considerate density in appropriate locations, particularly along higher-order transit corridors.

But growth has to come with accountability. Residents should not have to uncover important details about a proposed development after the major decisions have already been made.

On complex sites, particularly where there are environmental concerns, neighbours deserve access to transparent information and timelines. I would push for more predictable city approvals while ensuring development is supported by the capital and social infrastructure the neighbourhood needs, including transit, parks, roads, and community services.

Preserving the character of our neighbourhood does not mean freezing it in time, but it does mean that change should be thoughtful, and that residents have a meaningful voice in how their neighbourhood evolves.

We can build more homes to address the housing crisis and support residents with more opportunities across the housing spectrum without compromising the unique fabric and charm of the part of the city we call home.

QUESTION 3: As city councillor, what specific actions would take during your term to make Beaches-East York affordable for all residents?

After covering Toronto city budgets for 16 years as a journalist, I understand that every tax dollar needs to be spent thoughtfully – because in Beaches—East York and right across the city, we are paying significantly more in property taxes than we were just a few years ago. And many homeowners and tenants are feeling the weight of that tax bill.

I’m in favour of keeping residential property tax increases in line with the rate of inflation, and being more surgical about how and where those tax dollars are spent to ensure good value. Instead of asking residents to pay more and more, we need to streamline service delivery, reduce redundancies within our government, and prioritize the core services the city should deliver best.

Investing in our transit system also makes life more affordable for residents by giving them a frequent, safe service they can rely on and afford. A TTC that gets residents to work, school and appointments without requiring a car keeps costs down for many.

The city rightfully offers a multitude of programs that improve affordability for certain users, including property tax and utility relief for eligible seniors and low-income residents and the Fair Pass program for some transit riders. Helping residents understand and access these supports is key to ensuring eligible users benefit from these programs.

We are fortunate to live in a beautiful, and often thriving part of the city. But the cost of living remains a concern for so many in our own ward and we need to ensure that families are not leaving our neighbourhoods in a flight for affordability.

QUESTION 4: As city councillor for Beaches-East York, how would you ensure infrastructure near Main and Danforth/Dawes can support the area’s major residential growth while minimizing pressure on transit and community services?

The approach should not be to approve housing first, and ask about infrastructure later.

The Main and Danforth/Dawes area is already seeing significant growth, and that development needs to be planned alongside the infrastructure that makes a neighbourhood liveable.

As councillor, I would underscore the need to assess the cumulative impact of specific development plans on increased density on Line 2, local bus service, pedestrian connections, roads, parks, drainage and other community infrastructure, and work with city staff and the community to ensure those services are scaled up accordingly.

Transit is particularly important. An increase in the number of residents should not lead to crowding on subway platforms and overflowing buses. I would advocate for improvements to local TTC service, better connections to rapid transit, and transit-priority measures where they can make a meaningful difference.

Growth should fairly fund the infrastructure it creates demand for, because residents should not be left paying for the consequences of development while essential improvements remain unfunded. I would also insist on meaningful consultation with the people who already live in the area. They know where the pressure points are: whether it’s the aging Main Square pool, the busy intersections that can be dangerous to cross, or the bus route that is already stretched thin.

Growth is coming. My job as councillor would be to ensure City Hall plans for it properly, invests in the infrastructure ahead of the pressure, and ensures new development contributes to, and not undercuts, a neighbourhood that works for everyone.

Beaches-East York council candidates’ open house slated for Monday, Oct. 5

A public meet-and-greet with candidates running for council in the Ward 19 Beaches–East York municipal election will take place on Monday, Oct. 5, at Beach United Church.

The Beaches–East York Municipal Candidate Meet and Greet is being co-hosted by Beach Metro Community News and the Balmy Beach Resident’s Association. It will run from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the church, 140 Wineva Ave., in the fully accessible Main Hall.

There are 13 candidates seeking the Ward 19 city council seat in the Oct. 26 municipal election. 

Twelve candidates have confirmed they will participate in the Oct. 5 event: Syeda Janna Ali, James Dann, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Natalie Johnson, Kevin Morrison, Karsten Riedel, Mohammad Shabani, Adam Smith, Austin Vieira, Jeff Wahl, Devin Wilkins and Jennie Worden.

The event will be a meet-and-greet, with candidates at individual tables, allowing residents to circulate and speak with them directly.