John Filion not seeking re-election to Toronto council

Thestar.com
June 20, 2018
David Rider

Toronto City Councillor John Filion is ending a long political career launched when the one-time Star reporter felt he could make better decisions than the school trustees he covered.

“It’s been 36 years and I think that’s long enough,” said the Ward 23 Willowdale representative and progressive suburban voice who will announce Wednesday he is not seeking re-election.

“There are other things I want to do. There’s got to be life beyond politics and I’m able to leave now because there are two excellent people who can successfully run for council.”

In the Oct. 22 civic election Filion, 68, is endorsing his executive assistant Markus O’Brien Fehr for Ward 28 councillor and community organizer Lily Cheng for Ward 29. A rejigged electoral map resulted in creation of a new seat in booming Willowdale.

Development pressures and the impact on residents and community life is the overriding issue in the north Yonge St. area that has seen explosive growth in population and condo towers, he said.

“The big issue is how do you stand up to the special interests that can exert an enormous amount of money and influence to get their way -- just that is almost a full-time job,” he said.

“Land speculators, investors, buy up property and then try to get them designated for densities much higher than the official plan and planning staff and council would allow. Millions of dollars are at stake so the number of people wanting to break all those planning rules is extreme.”

Filion hopes his successors revive Transform Yonge, a plan to reduce vehicle lanes from six to four, widen sidewalks and put protected bike lanes on a stretch of the iconic street. The plan is on ice after Mayor John Tory and his council allies opposed reducing vehicle lanes on Yonge.

Filion covered North York Board of Education as a reporter but ran in 1982, saying trustees were ignoring the community. He later chaired the board and, in 1991, jumped to North York city council. Filion has represented Ward 23 on Toronto council since the 1997 municipal amalgamation.

Chairing Toronto’s public health board he championed the restaurant smoking ban and creation of DineSafe eatery inspection and notification system. Less successful was the “a la Cart” street food program, which folded after vendors complained big expensive carts and poor locations doomed them.

Filion’s place in history, though, might be as the man behind a successful 2013 motion to strip Rob Ford of most of his mayoral powers when Ford refused to seek treatment for substance abuse. In his book The Only Average Guy, Filion wrote that he quietly worked to undermine the brothers whom he felt were poised to damage the city.

Cheng, 43, founder of the North York Moms group and co-founder of We Love Willowdale, said she decided to run for council after co-hosting the April #TorontoStrong vigil to remember victims of the man who drove a van along a crowded Yonge St. sidewalk.

She said the biggest local issue is pacing development to let city infrastructure catch up.

“We need to preserve the quality of life for families and seniors, we need more parks and community spaces,” Cheng said.

O’Brien Fehr, 42, who started working for Filion in 2011, cited the need to give residents cycling and walking options, as well as growth issues.

“Families here are really challenged to use the services that should be there for them,” he said.

Already registered to run in Ward 28 is Chung Jin Park and Winston Park.

Registered in Ward 29 are Sonny Cho and Sam Moini.