Ward 2 Candidate Policy Comparison

About this comparison: Policy information comes from candidate questionnaire responses and verifiable public statements or records. Each position is labelled by source. Public-record entries represent STRH's assessment of the available evidence and are not questionnaire responses.

What we advocate: The STRH position column explains how Strong Richmond Hill applies Strong Towns principles locally. Use it as a reference when comparing candidates’ answers. It is not a candidate rating or endorsement. Priority indicates importance to a candidate, not agreement with our position.

Q Candidate questionnaire · P Public statement or record

Priority: ●●●●● Top / Very High ●●●●○ High ●●●○○ Medium ●●○○○ Low ●○○○○ Very Low

Issue	STRH position What we advocate	Kermalli, Muhammad Questionnaire not submitted View documented positions →	Kheirkhah Ghehi, Hamidreza Questionnaire not submitted View documented positions →	Lee, Sigmund ✓ Questionnaire completed View documented positions →	Muench, Tom Questionnaire not submitted View documented positions →	Thompson, Scott Questionnaire not submitted View documented positions →
Gentle Density	Allow more small housing options Make better use of existing neighbourhoods and infrastructure. Why we support this: Gentle Density We support allowing homes such as duplexes, fourplexes and small apartment buildings in existing neighbourhoods. Incremental growth can add housing choices and broaden the tax base using infrastructure already in place. Changes should be assessed against local servicing capacity and long-term costs.	No clear public position found	No clear public position found	Support case-by-case after neighbourhood review Q ●●●○○	No clear public position found	No clear public position found
Parking Mandates	End minimum parking requirements Let owners decide how much parking their property needs. Why we support this: Parking Mandates Mandatory parking consumes valuable land and can make homes and small businesses more expensive to build. We support allowing owners to respond to actual demand, alongside accessible parking and sensible management of shared street parking. Removing a minimum does not prohibit parking.	No clear public position found	No clear public position found	Support modest reductions case-by-case Q ●●○○○	No clear public position found	No clear public position found
Transportation	Make everyday trips possible without a car Invest in practical walking, cycling and transit connections. Why we support this: Transportation Residents should have affordable, safe choices for reaching shops, schools, work and services. We support connected sidewalks, safe crossings, useful cycling routes and reliable transit, prioritizing improvements that solve everyday problems. Land use and transportation must work together so destinations are within reach.	Prioritizes reducing congestion and improving transportation, but publishes no clear position on reallocating road or parking space. P Public statement or record Muhammad Kermalli for Ward 2 - Six priorities ●●●●○	No clear public position found	Support improvements only if general traffic lanes/parking are mostly preserved Q ●●●○○	No clear public position found	No clear public position found
Public Safety	Invest in prevention and effective response Address local safety problems with evidence and accountability. Why we support this: Public Safety We support effective emergency response alongside prevention through active public places, well-maintained neighbourhoods and appropriate community services. Measures such as surveillance should have a clear purpose, evidence of effectiveness, privacy safeguards and an assessment of ongoing costs. Spending should respond to demonstrated local needs.	Identifies safer streets and neighbourhoods as a main priority, without specifying a preferred policing, prevention or surveillance approach. P Public statement or record Muhammad Kermalli for Ward 2 - Six priorities ●●●●○	Supports evidence-based coordination among residents, municipal services and York Regional Police. P Public statement or record Hamidreza Kheirkhah Ghehi - Priorities for Ward 2 ●●●●○	Work more closely with York Regional Police on targeted patrols and crime-prevention information Q ●●●●○	No clear public position found	No clear public position found
Development Charges	Match growth funding to long-term costs Make incremental development feasible and account for infrastructure obligations. Why we support this: Development Charges We support a funding approach that makes small infill projects feasible while accounting for the infrastructure growth requires. New development should be evaluated for its long-term revenue and maintenance obligations. Broad fee cuts need a credible funding plan; higher charges alone do not guarantee that growth pays its way.	No clear public position found	No clear public position found	Support only if the city identifies replacement funding Q ●●●●○	No clear public position found	No clear public position found
Street Safety Design	Design streets to prevent serious injuries Reduce dangerous speeds through street design. Why we support this: Street Safety Design Safe streets should not depend on every road user behaving perfectly. We support designs that encourage appropriate speeds, shorten crossings and protect people walking and cycling. Start with observed hazards and practical improvements, then evaluate results and adjust.	No clear public position found	Supports traffic calming near school zones, safer residential streets and data-driven intersection timing. P Public statement or record Hamidreza Kheirkhah Ghehi - Priorities for Ward 2 ●●●●●	Support mostly near schools, parks, and seniors’ areas Q ●●●●○	No clear public position found	No clear public position found
Growth Corridors	Build complete, financially productive places Connect new homes to shops, services and safe everyday travel. Why we support this: Growth Corridors We support growth along corridors that creates connected places with homes, businesses and services. Height and unit counts alone do not establish success: safe street access, useful public space and infrastructure capacity matter. Evaluate projects for their long-term municipal revenues and costs, and enable incremental improvements beyond major corridors too.	No clear public position found	No clear public position found	Prefer a balanced mix of corridor growth and gentle density Q ●●●○○	Supports substantial housing growth and higher densities in major transit-served development areas such as Yonge and Bernard and Langstaff Gateway. P Public statement or record Apr 16, 2019: Richmond Hill Yonge and Bernard KDA Council record Jun 25, 2024: Markham Development Services Public Meeting - Langstaff Gateway East Priority not stated	No clear public position found
Permit Reform	Make small projects easier to approve Use clear rules and predictable, timely approvals. Why we support this: Permit Reform Complex and uncertain approvals can shut out small builders and local entrepreneurs. We support clear requirements, simpler processes and prompt decisions for straightforward projects that meet the rules. Faster permitting should preserve necessary safety and servicing checks, with timelines matched to the complexity of the application.	No clear public position found	No clear public position found	Support faster permits, but not a fixed one-week target Q ●●●○○	No clear public position found	No clear public position found

Candidates may complete the STRH questionnaire or contact us to correct or clarify information derived from public sources.

STRONG Richmond Hill

Quick Links

Stay Connected