WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT AURORA-OAK RIDGES-RICHMOND HILL RIDING

SUBWAY, URBAN SPRAWL, HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT TOP OF MIND FOR WEALTHY RIDING

THE RIDING:

This growing, wealthy, diverse riding comprises parts of Aurora (south of Wellington), and parts of Richmond Hill (north of Elgin Mills).

Located east of Bathurst Street, west of Highway 404, this multicultural, increasingly urbanized area has experienced huge population growth in recent years.

More than 118,000 people reside in this constituency which boasts a median household income of $106,395 (among the top 20 across the country).

It has a mix of ethnic groups with large communities originating from China, Hong Kong, and Iran.

THE RACE:

PC: Michael Parsa Liberal: Marjan Kasirlou NDP: Reza Pourzad Green: Kevin Zheng New Blue: Rosaria Wiseman

Ontario Party: Catherine Dellerba

THE ISSUES:

With average house prices in the riding perched at more than $1.5 million, affordability remains a top issue. A May 5 regional report showed home ownership is beyond reach for most households not already in theownership market. Families worry their children will be forced to move away from their hometown.

The environment is another big issue for this area straddling the Oak Ridges Moraine and grappling with urban sprawl.

Transit is big, too, and the region's hopes for a subway extension to Richmond Hill.

Hate crime has also been an issue for this highly diverse population. Local Liberal candidates last year's federal election discovered their signs were vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. Most recently, an anti-black slur and antisemitic symbols were found scrawled across a downed tree in Oak Ridges' Bond Lake.

THE BACKGROUND:

Progressive Conservative Michael Parsa coasted to an easy win in 2018, with 56 per cent of the vote in the first election for this riding, overcoming Liberal candidate Naheed Yaqubian with just under 22 per cent support.

There were nine candidates vying for the post.

Katrina Sale of the Ontario NDP came third, followed by Stephanie Nicole Duncan with the Green

Party, Serge Korovitsyn of the Libertarian Party, Santiago Amesh Desilva of the None of the Above Direct Democracy Party, Marga

rita Barksy of the Ontario Moderate Party, Janusz Bitlykin of the Freedom Party, and Abu Alam of the Social Reform Party.