Ontario Liberal candidate Ahsanul Hafiz says safety, affordability, healthcare and transit are the issues most on voters' minds as the Sept. 3 provincial byelection in Scarborough Southwest approaches.
Hafiz is one of seven candidates in the race, according to Beach Metro Community News, which put questions to all of them and published responses received by its deadline.
The other candidates are Mark Bekkering of the Green Party, Gord Elliott of the Ontario Party, Independent candidate Michael Perdelwitz, Chris Rees of the New Blue Party, Fatima Shaban of the New Democratic Party and Noor Tarun of the Progressive Conservative Party.
Who is Ahsanul Hafiz?
In his answers, Hafiz said he came to Canada in 2002, studied mathematics at the University of Windsor and built a career in small business. He lives in Scarborough Southwest with his wife and two sons, serves on the board of directors of Ontario Soccer and is a vice-president of the Liberal Party of Canada.
He said he decided to run because he wants the next generation to have the same opportunities he found in Canada, arguing that the promise of the community — safer streets, easier access to healthcare and the ability to get ahead — is slipping away for many families.
Hafiz told Beach Metro Community News that Scarborough Southwest has had the same provincial representation for eight years. "I believe it's time for change and fresh energy to unlock the enormous potential of our community," he said.
Key promises and positions
On crime, Hafiz pointed to home invasions, auto theft and violent crime as sources of worry, and called for properly resourced police, courts and correctional systems alongside investment in youth.
On healthcare, he said nearly one in five people in Scarborough Southwest does not have a family doctor, pushing patients into emergency rooms while hospitals face financial pressure and waits for surgeries and diagnostic tests grow.
On transit, he said residents want the Scarborough Subway Extension delivered, noting its cost has grown from roughly $5 billion to $10 billion with the timeline slipping by years. "Scarborough cannot afford another Eglinton Crosstown," he said.
Schools and housing
Ontario Liberals have called for 10,000 more adults in schools across the province, including teachers, educational assistants, mental health professionals and support staff, Hafiz said. He also cited a provincial school repair backlog of roughly $16 billion and said older Toronto schools need expanded air conditioning as classroom heat worsens at the start and end of the school year.
On housing, he said the province must build more homes faster and remove unnecessary costs and barriers, while ensuring a meaningful portion of new housing is genuinely affordable, including deeply affordable and supportive units. He also backed making it easier for non-profit housing providers to build and expanding social and supportive housing.
Voters in Scarborough Southwest go to the polls on Sept. 3, days before the start of the school year.
