Resident joins council race

After years spent helping politicians get elected, Edward Zaretsky says he’s ready to step into the role of decision-maker at city hall.

The longtime North Yorker has decided to run in Ward 10 York Centre.

Though he’s been considering a run at municipal politics for years, a desire to see major reform in how Toronto manages itself fiscally prompted Zaretsky to run this time around.

“I want people to get what they’re paying for,” he said. “Toronto’s a beautiful city it just needs better management control.”

Zaretsky said he’s dismayed with the amount of money being spent on projects like the Wave Deck on Toronto’s waterfront and bicycle routes that he believes only cater to a small minority of the population.

He added tax dollars can be spent elsewhere.

“Right now, the sidewalks are not cleaned, the entrance to … a crosswalk is not big enough for a walker or a wheelchair.”

If elected, Zaretsky said he’d fight to eliminate Toronto’s vehicle registration tax, a garbage tax and overtime pay for civic employees.

“We need taxes, we need development but there’s a limit to what people can spend,” he said.

An engineer by trade, Zaretsky went into the insurance business in the 1960s. After retiring in the ’90s, the father of three and
grandfather of four got even more involved in community volunteer work. The past president of Sterling Lodge for B’nai Brith has also done work for Baycrest Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Zaretsky’s experience with politics includes working on campaigns for Monte Kwinter, Art Eggleton, Ken Dryden and Larry Grossman.

Zaretsky said in the past he’s been approached to run for office with the Ontario Progressive Conservative party years ago but decided against it because he isn’t interested in partisan politics. At city level, he can focus on being accountable to his constituents’ needs, he said.

Zaretsky’s opponents so far include previous Ward 10 candidate Magda Gondor Berkovits and school trustee James Pasternak. Current councillor Mike Feldman had yet to register as a candidate as of early March.