Toronto - Danforth

This east Toronto riding is predominantly residential, with a large blue-collar population.

The riding runs north from the Toronto Outer Harbour to the east branch of the Don River; and from Coxwell Boulevard and Coxwell Avenue in the east to the Keating Channel, Don Valley Parkway and Don River in the west.

The riding includes the East York, Riverdale, Leslieville and Danforth neighbourhoods and the Leslie Street spit. There are only slightly more owned dwellings than rentals, 55 per cent to 45 per cent. The service sector, retail trade and manufacturing are major sources of employment. Average family income is $84,039 and unemployment is 7.2 per cent.

According to the 2006 census, the immigrant population is more than 38 per cent. Almost 17 per cent of residents listed Chinese as their ethnic origin and 8.4 per cent listed Greek. More than 38 per cent gave a language other than English or French as their mother tongue.

Broadview-Greenwood riding was created in 1976 from 73 per cent of Broadview and 27 per cent of York East ridings. In 1996, a part of Beaches-Woodbine riding was added. In 2000, the riding name was changed to Toronto-Danforth. In 2004, the southeastern boundary of the riding was moved from Leslie Street to Coxwell Avenue.

Population: 103,655 (2006 census; a decrease of 5.5% since 2001)

Political History

NDP Leader Jack Layton has held this riding for two terms. He beat Liberal Deborah Coyne by 7,156 votes in 2006.

In 2004, Layton defeated incumbent Liberal Dennis Mills by 2,395 votes. Layton became the NDP leader in January 2003. Mills served four terms in Broadview-Greenwood and Toronto-Danforth. Green Party Leader Jim Harris also ran in this riding in 2004.

Conservative George Hees was MP for the former Broadview riding from a 1950 byelection until 1962, when he moved to Northumberland riding.

Bob Rae, running for the NDP, was elected in an October 1978 byelection and again in 1979 and 1980. Rae resigned in 1982 after winning the Ontario NDP leadership, and later became premier of Ontario.

New Democrat Lynn McDonald defeated Independent Peter Worthington in an October 1982 byelection and again in the 1984 election. Worthington, a Toronto Sun columnist, represented the Conservatives in 1984.

Broadview:

• 1935-62 inclusive - PC
• 1963 - LIB
• 1965-74 inclusive - NDP

Broadview-Greenwood:

• 1978 byelection, 1979, 1980 - NDP
• 1982 byelection, 1984 - NDP
• 1988, 1993, 1997 - LIB

Toronto-Danforth:

• 2000 - LIB
• 2004, 2006 - NDP