About Jennifer

51 years old

Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario

Jennifer Keesmaat is the CEO of Creative Housing Society and former Chief City Planner of Toronto. Keesmaat holds a master's degree in environmental studies from York University. She is an advocate of density and walkability and has described mid-rise development, transportation, and waterfront as areas of focus. In 2017, she left her role as City Planner after public disagreements with Mayor John Tory, and then chose to run against the incumbent mayor earlier this year.

If elected, Keesmaat will take action on road safety across the city with reduced speed limits and redesigned intersections and school zones.^[1]

Keesmaat promises to reduce the speed limit to 30km/h on all residential roads, and use design elements that are proven to make streets and school zones safer.^[1]

If elected, Keesmaat promises to create 100,000 new affordable rental units in 10 years.^[2]

If elected, Keesmaat plans to use city-owned land to create affordable rental housing. She is looking at properties where there are already lowrise buildings that could have housing built on top, like libraries, recreation centres and TTC stations, or lands such as Green P parking lots that could be replaced underground.^[3]

If elected, Jennifer Keesmaat would cancel parts of John Tory’s SmartTrack plan and withdraw city funding for a three-stop Scarborough subway extension.^[4]

Keesmaat's $50 billion transit plan includes a light-rail line on Jane Street, enhanced bus service on eight major roads, and the removal of a station proposed for the GO rail line in Scarborough.^[5]

If elected, Jennifer Keesmaat plans to ban handguns and develop "local programming & economic opportunities that drive people away from violent paths."^[8]

Keesmaat has yet to reveal her tax plan.^[6]

As city planner, Jennifer Keesmaat has pushed for "complete communities," spaces where people can live and work without a long commute by car.^[7]

Keesmaat is an outspoken advocate for dismantling the dominance of the car, and has supported policies to expand and improve Toronto’s transit system and make the city friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists.^[7]