Do you ever find yourself heading to your local polling station on election day, only to realize you don’t know that much about your own neighbourhood?
You’re not alone.
Toronto’s municipal election is coming up on Oct. 26, with advance voting open between Oct. 6 and 11 — so we’re here to help you stay informed on what’s happening in your neighbourhood before you cast your ballot for mayor, city councillor and school board trustee.
Read on for a short overview of Ward 8 Eglinton-Lawrence.
Eglinton-Lawrence is located in midtown Toronto, south of Highway 401, north of Eglinton Avenue West and between Caledonia Road to the west and Yonge Street to the east. This ward generally encompasses the neighbourhoods of Yorkdale-Glen Park, Briar-Hill Belgravia, Forest Hill North, Englemount-Lawrence, Bedford-Park Nortown, and parts of Lawrence Park North and Lawrence Park South.
According to the most recent Canadian census, Eglinton-Lawrence’s population is approximately 114,820.
- 39.3% of residents are between the ages of 20 and 49.
- 39% of residents are immigrants, primarily of Filippine, Italian and American origin — slightly lower than Toronto’s total immigrant population of 46.6%.
Eglinton-Lawrence’s median annual household income is significantly higher than Toronto’s average, at $97,000, with 10% of residents classified as low-income — those with an average annual household income of under $30,000.
Most homes in this ward are single detached houses and apartment buildings over five storeys. 47% of residents are renters versus 53% who are homeowners, closely matching Toronto’s average ratio of renters-to-homeowners.
Eglinton-Lawrence’s local issues
Some local issues that Eglinton-Lawrence residents are concerned about include: contention surrounding the construction of high-scale condo buildings as part of the Ford government’s Bill 17; park improvement projects, like the forthcoming Lawrence Heights Triangular Park, tenant rights, crime prevention and resident safety.
Local development projects are mostly related to the construction of residential dwellings, with over 100 active major residential development applications in the ward. The City of Toronto’s Growing Marlee-Glencairn project is also a notable point of development in Eglinton-Lawrence. To align with provincially mandated growth, the multi-year plan aims to increase population density and local infrastructure near the Glencairn Subway Station.
Ward 8 candidates
Ward 8 is currently represented by Mike Colle, who was the ward’s Liberal MPP between 1995 and 2018. He was elected councillor of Eglinton-Lawrence in 2018 and is running for re-election.
Jason McDonald, Liz Grade, Enzo Torrone, Daniel Trayes and Domenico Maiolo are also candidates for city councillor.
To make your own informed decision on who to vote for, check out The Green Line’s tool to fact check candidates.
Don’t live in Ward 8 but are a Toronto resident? Find your ward on THEGREENLINE.TO, plus: more hyperlocal coverage to keep you in the loop this election cycle.
For information on how and where to vote, check out The Green Line’s explainer on voting in the 2026 Toronto municipal election.
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