PART 1
How do federal politics affect local Torontonian issues?

The Canadian flag in front of the clock tower on Parliament Hill.
: Jason Hafso/Unsplash.

JAMES WESTMAN
Humber journalism graduate. Existential threat tracker. Has explored every park and trail in Toronto, with a map to prove it. Believes Tommy Thompson Park is the city’s hidden gem.
April 7, 2025
Our 2025 federal election coverage was made possible thanks to the Covering Canada: Election 2025 Fund, launched by the Public Policy Forum, the Rideau Hall Foundation and the Michener Awards Foundation.
With elections coming up, you might be wondering: Do federal politics really matter for what's happening in my neighbourhood?
The short answer is yes. From housing to food prices, many Canada-wide decisions affect our day-to-day lives, and the outcome of a federal election can have huge impacts on local communities.
Take, for example, Line 2 on the TTC. Around 55 subway cars will turn 30 in 2026, which means they're approaching the end of their utility. Right now, the federal government has pledged nearly $800 million for the new trains through the Canada Public Transit Fund. If a new federal government doesn’t support this fund, those replacements could be significantly delayed.
The City of Toronto and the Ontario government each pledged to match the federal fund to pay for the total cost of nearly $2.3 billion. But Premier Doug Ford has previously said that Ontario would only chip in if the federal government did so, too; that means two-thirds of the funding for the trains could be at stake.
The federal government also has significant influence over housing policy. Each of the parties has different plans to increase housing affordability, but their definition of affordable housing might differ.
How about finding free coverage at your local dentist? The federal government determines that, as well.
For more information on the parties’ platforms and everything you need to know about how this election impacts Toronto, dive into Part 2 of our Action Journey.
We made a handy, printable election zine where you can find a break down of voting basics and FAQs as well as our federal election guide that compares party positions on housing, jobs, food, commuting and housing.
PART 2
Our 2025 federal election guide

JAMES WESTMAN
Humber journalism graduate. Existential threat tracker. Has explored every park and trail in Toronto, with a map to prove it. Believes Tommy Thompson Park is the city’s hidden gem.
April 14, 2025
Our 2025 federal election coverage was made possible thanks to the Covering Canada: Election 2025 Fund, launched by the Public Policy Forum, the Rideau Hall Foundation and the Michener Awards Foundation.

Parliament Hill in downtown Ottawa.
: Canada's Parliament.
We're heading to the polls on April 28.
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PART 3
Democracy & Anxiety: Making Sense Through Zines
A hands-on zine making workshop hosted by The Green Line and Toronto Public Library.
About the Event
Feeling overwhelmed by the upcoming federal election? We want to help! The Green Line is partnering with is partnering with the Toronto Public Library to host a hands-on zine workshop. We'll explore democratic engagement through the creative art of zine-making. Learn about party platforms and key election issues in a non-partisan environment while crafting a personal zine that captures your thoughts, concerns, and hopes for Canada's democratic future. No previous experience necessary, and all materials provided. RSVP before spots fill up.
Events are an essential part of our Action Journey. We want to empower Torontonians to take action on the issues they learn about in The Green Line — so what better way to do that than by bringing people together? From community members to industry leaders, anyone in Toronto who’s invested in discussing and solving the problems explored in our features is invited to attend. All ages are welcome unless otherwise indicated. Our only guidelines? Be present. Listen. Be kind and courteous. Respect everyone’s privacy. Hate speech and bullying are absolutely not tolerated. At the end of the day, if you had fun and feel inspired after our events, then The Green Line team will have accomplished what we set out to do. Any questions? Contact Us.
PART 4
Dealing with Election Decision-Making Anxiety
Event Overview
See what you missed
from our latest event.
Our community members brainstormed solutions for increasing youth voter turnout in Toronto.
Compiled by Sahaana Ranganathan.

Attendees craft their own zines as they chat about the upcoming federal election during our April Action Journey event in collaboration with the Toronto Public Library on April 4, 2025.
📸: Amartya Smaran/The Green Line.

Engagement reporter Adele Lukusa helps attendees make their own zines about their election and democracy anxieties during our April Action Journey event in collaboration with the Toronto Public Library on April 4, 2025.
📸: Amartya Smaran/The Green Line.

Event attendees use magazines, collage kits and stickers to make their own zine about election issues that matter most to them during our April Action Journey event in collaboration with the Toronto Public Library on April 4, 2025.
📸: Amartya Smaran/The Green Line.

Event attendees chat about the upcoming federal election, democracy and axiety as they craft their own zines during our workshop at the DemocracyXChange conference on April 5, 2025.
📸: Amartya Smaran/The Green Line.
SOLUTIONS
ACTIONS
Do something about the problems that
impact you and your communities.
Learn about
e-petitions
E-petitions are a helpful way to draw attention to an issue or cause, and request different levels of government to take or refrain from action. Once a petition gains 500 signatures, the House of Commons must table a response in 45 calendar days.
Cross reference
multiple sources
It’s essential to think critically about how you get your information, and question whether it’s verified, fact-checked and well-sourced. Some resources to help you get started include The Green Line’s guide to the 2025 federal election party platforms, Samara Centre’s Guide to the Federal Election and Vote Compass.
Fact-check
platforms
One action is to fact-check commitments made by political parties and scrutinize them to hold the parties accountable to those promises. The Green Line has two checklists — one to “Help You Figure Out Which Party Platform Promises are Credible” and another to “See How Much You Can Trust Your Local Candidate to Deliver on Party Platform Promises” — that you can use to help you get started.
Join Our
Community
Continue the conversation with other Green Line community members.

The Green Line's team presented our federal election guide highlighting party positions on housing, food, jobs, commuting and health before the zine-making session.
📸: Amartya Smaran/The Green Line.
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