Toronto 2026/Ward 23/John-Mark Oleh
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John-Mark Oleh

Campaign site
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Running for
Councillor
Ward 23
Scarborough North
Days until polls open
29

About John-Mark

Written by John-Mark Oleh in answer to our questionnaire, and published as given. Not our description of them.

I'm running for City Council because I believe Scarborough North deserves its fair share: its fair share of investment, attention, and follow-through from City Hall.

This community raised me. Our community is full of people who work hard, look out for each other, and ask for nothing unreasonable in return: transit that is on time, dollars that are respected, services that are delivered, and a fair share of what this city builds. These are just some of the things that I will fight for.

I grew up in Malvern. I went to school in this community, and I spent my evenings and weekends playing soccer and basketball at Horsley Hill Park and Neilson Park. When I talk about a late bus or a park that has waited years for an upgrade, I am not reciting a briefing note. I am describing my own life, and probably yours.

Our questionnaire

Where John-Mark Oleh stands

John-Mark Oleh’s own answers to the questions we put to every candidate, published as given — including, where they wrote one, their reasoning in their own words.

Five decisions facing the next council

Should Toronto permit substantially more housing as-of-right in every ward, including areas currently dominated by detached and semi-detached homes?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Yes

    I support building more homes and rentals to ensure the people of Scarborough North have more affordable housing options.

When a person living in a park has been offered an available indoor space that meets their accessibility, safety and household needs, should the city require them to leave the encampment?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Yes

    As long as the space meets all of their accessibility, safety, and household needs, only then should they be required to leave the encampment.

Should Toronto introduce road-pricing measures, such as congestion charges or tolls, if the revenue is dedicated to transportation improvements?

  • John-Mark Oleh    No

    The City of Toronto already has mechanisms such as property taxes which are meant to facilitate maintenance and transportation improvements.

Should Toronto raise additional local revenue to address its infrastructure repair backlog rather than defer maintenance while seeking funding from other governments?

  • John-Mark Oleh    No

Should Toronto publish project-level budgets, schedules and performance updates for all major capital projects?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Yes

    It is important to ensure that our municipal government is transparent and accountable to taxpayers.

Public safety and public space

Which approach should receive the greatest additional investment to improve public safety?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Police, bylaw enforcement and a more visible official presence

Over the next council term, the Toronto Police Service budget should:

  • John-Mark Oleh    Remain approximately constant after inflation

How should Toronto govern automated licence-plate readers and similar surveillance technology used on public streets?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Establish citywide limits on access, retention, auditing and data sharing

Transit and transportation

What should receive the greatest share of the next available transit funding?

  • John-Mark Oleh    New rapid-transit lines and extensions

When there is not enough street space for every use, which should generally receive priority?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Automobile capacity and curbside parking

Housing and growth

If Toronto could make one major housing intervention this term, which should receive the greatest emphasis?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Reduce approval times, development charges and other city-imposed costs

    By reducing development charges and approval times, we can ensure cheaper new builds for homes and rentals. I will also work with the provincial and federal governments to support our goal to build more affordable housing.

What should be Toronto's primary role in delivering affordable and supportive housing?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Supply land, funding and incentives to non-profit and private providers

Where should Toronto permit the greatest increase in housing density?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Permit more apartments and multiplexes in nearly every neighbourhood

City government and service delivery

Which change would you implement to reduce the cost of building housing in Toronto?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Reduce development charges, parkland payments and related levies

What is the most important change Toronto should make to reduce capital-project delays and cost overruns?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Prevent councillors from altering scope after approval without identifying funding

    In addition to ensuring the scope of a project is not altered on multiple occasions following approval, ensuring sound project management and that we have sufficient funds before starting new projects should also be a priority.

Which service-delivery model should Toronto use more often?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Use competitive contracts and outside providers where they can deliver better value

    If elected, we would strive to work with external providers, whether for-profit or non-profit to deliver the most efficient and effective services at the best cost for taxpayers.

Taxes, spending and fiscal sustainability

Over the next council term, residential property-tax revenues should generally:

  • John-Mark Oleh    Grow more slowly than inflation, requiring service restraint or alternative revenues

Which type of additional revenue should Toronto rely on most heavily?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Property taxes or new municipal income or sales taxes, if authorized

    On day one, if elected, fiscal responsibility will be my top priority. This means: keeping property taxes low, housing affordable, while providing quality services and programs.

What should Toronto do first to address its infrastructure repair backlog?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Redirect money from new facilities and projects toward existing assets

    Where applicable, I would also support applying to Federal and Provincial programs to offset maintenance expenditures so that funding could be allocated to new projects.

Governance and representation

What should be Toronto's primary approach to the provincial government?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Align with provincial priorities where doing so secures funding or approvals

Your ward and your record

Which objective should receive the greatest attention in your ward during the next council term?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Transit, roads, parks, waste collection and local infrastructure

Which single result should voters use to assess your performance at the end of the term?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Improved fiscal sustainability and service performance

Priorities and trade-offs

When demonstrations substantially block transportation or access to essential institutions, the city should prioritize:

  • John-Mark Oleh    Keep major roads, transit, hospitals and essential facilities operating

Where should Toronto direct its next major technology investment?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Public data and systems that measure outcomes and hold departments accountable

When Toronto faces a structural operating-budget gap, what should it do first?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Reduce internal administration, staffing or contract costs

    It is my belief that we must work to find efficiencies within City Hall while ensuring that core services may continue to provide quality support.

What is the most important municipal intervention for improving Toronto's business climate?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Reduce commercial taxes, fees and licensing expenses

What should receive the greatest priority in Toronto's public-realm budget?

  • John-Mark Oleh    Cleanliness, roads, sidewalks, snow clearing, washrooms and routine park care

Each card is one question, with John-Mark Oleh filed under the answer they gave and their own words underneath it. The other options offered are not shown, nor how the rest of the field answered.

How the whole city answered

Registered candidates from the City Clerk’s official list, refreshed daily. Campaign sites are linked as published by the candidate; a link is not an endorsement.

Everyone running in Scarborough NorthWhere the whole field stands