Shefman eyes growth, transit issues in bid for re-election

YorkRegion.com
Sept. 4, 2014
By Simone Joseph

Current Councillor Ward 5 Vaughan

Alan Shefman has worked as a Vaughan city councillor for the last 10 years and is hoping to continue as a Thornhill councillor for four more.

“I love what I do as a councillor and am looking forward to bringing new ideas to my role,” said the current Ward 5 councillor, a candidate in the Oct. 27 election.

Shefman has lived in Thornhill for 32 years. Before that, he lived in Toronto, Yellowknife and Ottawa.

The 65-year-old, who lives in Ward 5, believes key issues Thornhill faces include: restraining intensification and encouraging the development of rapid transit - especially the Yonge Street subway extension. Other key issues include: refurbishing and renewing older parks and maintaining and renewing infrastructure, he said.

Shefman earned an honours B.A. from York University in political culture and a masters degree from Carleton University in Canadian studies.

He has had a consulting practice for the last 20 years specializing in human rights and workplace issues.

He enjoys running, gardening, racquetball, stamp collecting, woodworking and fishing.

He says he seeking re-election, “because I love helping people and building a city,” adding he strives to show a “very positive and can-do outlook”.

Skills developed during his career in human rights are valuable, he feels, noting he also has experience in a variety of sectors as a volunteer and a professional: from being president of the York University Alumnai Association, to director at the Ontario Human Rights Commission and finally, officer in the department of local government of the Northwest Territories.

His community involvement in Thornhill includes: serving as a trustee with the York Region District School Board, being chairperson of the board’s race relations committee and he was director of communications and education for the Ontario Human Rights Commission. He was a member of Yonge Street Subway Advisory Task Force, York Region and has also served as a board member of the Gallanough Resource Centre.

For more, go to shefman.ca, tweet alan@shefman.ca or call 905-709-1163.