Candidate aims to bring fresh perspective to council

Vaughan Weekly
March 19, 2014
By Angela Gismondi

Styles Q. Weinberg is hoping to be a fresh, new voice on municipal council.

The Thornhill resident is running for the position of Ward 4 councillor for Concord/Thornhill North in the upcoming municipal election. Weinberg is not new to municipal politics. He ran in the 2010 election and attempted to unseat incumbent Sandra Yeung Racco. But this time is different, he said.

“We’ve had the same representation in this ward for far too long and it’s time for change,” said Weinberg. “I am very civil minded, very community minded and I participate in a lot of things in the community. I want to run because I am at a stage in my life where I am very focused on what is going on in the community. I think I’m the best candidate. I’m not perfect but I’m perfect for this job.”

Weinberg and his wife have lived in Thornhill for 14 years with their two boys. Weinberg owns and operates the Vaughan based Styles Q. Corporate Imaging, a promotional, advertising and marketing company. Prior to that, he worked with Air Canada for over 15 years and had been in the entertainment business for over 20 years.

Weinberg is also involved in the community. He organizes a charity motorcycle ride in Vaughan every year. This year proceeds went to the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital.

One of the most important things, according to Weinberg, is for the councillor to live in the ward they represent.

“I walk the streets, I drive the roads and I talk to the residents every day,” said Weinberg, adding he gets a lot of calls from frustrated residents looking to him for help with municipal issues. “I know the issues in our ward.”

If elected, he plans to make himself accessible to constituents.

”My door is always open,” said Weinberg, adding he believes in transparency. “As a municipal councillor you will have access to me. I have to address every single issue and I will do that. I will be accountable ... I say what I do and I do what I say - there are no surprises with me. I will make the residents of ward four my top priority.”

His priorities include taxes, traffic congestion and safety, transit and infrastructure.

He believes tax dollars need to be better spent.

“We need to find a way to put a moratorium on taxes for at least two years,” stated Weinberg, recognizing that may not be possible. “I want to get the fullest potential of every tax dollar we spend out there.”

Weinberg is also concerned about traffic and safety. In the last 18 months, there have been three accidents resulting in deaths in ward four alone, he explained.

“We have a lot of transportation problems,” Weinberg said.

The city also needs to improve on planning practices for new residential developments, he said. For example, there are a number of parks in his ward located on major streets with heavy traffic which is dangerous for children.

“There’s no real sensibility in past planning,” he said. “The city spends a lot of money on things that don’t make a lot of sense to me. We need proper infrastructure. ”

While he recognizes the importance of bringing new businesses to the city, as a small business owner, Weinberg wants to focus on supporting the existing small businesses.

“I know a lot of businesses that have started up and failed,” he said. “I want to address the concerns of the small businesses.”

Weinberg hopes to get everyone’s vote, but he encourages everyone to just get out and vote.

“I hope to get the support of the people of ward four,” said Weinberg. “But you have to wake up, you have to engage in the democratic process. You can’t be complacent about voting.”

The municipal election will take place on Oct. 27.