Candidate profile: Joe Pantalone

BIOGRAPHY

Joe Pantalone is the deputy mayor of Toronto and a councillor for Ward 19 — one of two wards in Trinity-Spadina.

He has been at City Hall for over 25 years.

Pantalone was born in Sicily, Italy, and at the age of 13, immigrated to Canada with his family.

He attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in geography.

In 1980, Pantalone was elected as Toronto Alderman and in 1988, was elected to the Toronto council.

After the 1997 amalgamation, Pantalone served as the Councillor for Ward 20, Trinity-Niagara and during Mel Lastman’s mayoral term, was a representative on the budget committee.

As a member of council, he is well-known for his role as chairman of Exhibition Place and promoting environmental issues.

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LINKS

• Official site — joepantalone2010.ca
• Facebook — facebook.com/mayorjoe.ca
• Twitter — @JPantalone

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CANDIDATE’S STANCE ON KEY ISSUES

Transit

• Supports Transit City and its use of light rail; says the plan is one-fifth the cost of subways
• Make every subway stop accessible through elevators

Senior services

• Will work with the provincial and federal governments to ensure more affordable housing for seniors
• Introduce outdoor gyms with year-round exercise equipment
• Make sidewalks and streets more accessible
• Establish permanent position in the mayor’s office advocating issues affecting seniors
• Improve transit service for seniors, such as providing seating at TTC stops and on subways, streetcars, etc., and use of request stop service

Economy

• Attract new investment in the arts: believes the sector is central to the city’s economic development

Accountability

• Internet voting during election
• Creating a Mayor’s Council, enabling insight from business, arts and labour leaders, and ensure community engagement
• Regular town halls

Taxes

• Freeze property taxes to those over the age of 65 whose annual household income is less than $50,000