Riding Profile:

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This north Toronto riding lies between Highway 401 in the south and Steeles Avenue to the north. In the east it begins at Chelmsford Road and Bathurst Street, and stretches to Jane and Dufferin streets in the west.

This multiethnic riding boasts a large concentration of Jewish residents and includes the province's largest percentage of Russian speakers and the third largest percentage of Italian speakers. It also has one of largest seniors' populations in Ontario.

In the 1999 redistribution, the new riding of York Centre combined 69 per cent of Downsview, with eight per cent of Willowdale and 67 per cent of Wilson Heights.

Political History:

The former riding of Downsview elected NDP candidate Odoardo Di Santo for three terms starting in 1975. He was beaten by Liberal Joe Cordiano, who then ran in the old Lawrence riding in 1987, leaving Liberal Laureano Leone to win here in that year's election. In 1990, NDP candidate Anthony Perruzza won Downsview, only to be beaten by Liberal Annamarie Castrilli in 1995.