Anthony Perruzza was elected councillor for Ward 7 Humber River-Black Creek, and his priorities include lowering food costs, supporting seniors and improving infrastructure.

Coun. Anthony Perruzza won the councillor seat with 66.38% of the vote and will begin his sixth term on Nov. 15. He served previously as trustee at the Metro Toronto Separate School Board from 1985 to 1988, as North York councillor from 1988 to 1990, was a Member of Provincial Parliament from 1990 to 1995, then joined Toronto City Council in 2006. In this year’s race, Amanda Coombs was second with 25.38%, and Lorna Antwi was third with 8.24%.

The Green Line reached out to Perruzza to learn more about his priorities for the next four years, but he didn’t respond to follow-ups. His campaign website doesn’t list promises,  so we compiled priorities from his website and previous commitments he’s made. Here’s what you can expect:

• Food affordability: Perruzza previously brought forward a plan to explore municipally operated, not-for-profit grocery stores in neighbourhoods where residents struggle with rising food costs and limited access to fresh groceries. When reporting in Ward 7, The Green Line saw Perruzza’s signs with “lower food costs.” He says, “I believe everyone deserves affordable, healthy food, and I will continue pushing for practical solutions that put people ahead of profits.”

• Supporting seniors: He said he fought to expand property tax and utility rebate programs, so more seniors can remain in their homes. “After years of paying into our city, seniors deserve the security of knowing they can continue to live in their community with dignity and financial stability,” he said on his website.

• Improving infrastructure: Perruzza highlighted delivering new amenities like a new community centre near Weston Road and Sheppard Avenue West, a new ice rink and skate trail at Fountainhead Park, a new music school behind York Woods Library and more.

Here’s how Perruzza responded to election pledges shared by local organizations and advocacy groups:

• Perruzza fully signed to the Community-led Planning Pledge to fund community-led planning and center community voices. 
• He signed TTC Riders’ pledge to push for more reliable, affordable, accessible, frequent, fast, and safe public transit.
• He fully pledged to all the commitments under Cycle Toronto’s pledge to improve cycling infrastructure in the city.
• He fully committed to the demands raised by Toronto ACORN to give RentSafeTO teeth, stand up to Ontario and tackle heat and affordability. You can check the details here.
• He signed the Toronto Environmental Alliance’s pledge to commit to voting for a maximum temperature bylaw, plant trees in hot neighbourhoods, cut single-use trash at big events, pause approvals for big AI data centres and cut emissions.

What priorities would you like The Green Line to track and report on in the coming year? Leave a comment on this page.