In East Gwillimbury, you elect two Ward Councillors. Make Shahab Aryan your first choice to bring independent, engineered leadership to Town Council.
Serving Sharon, Queensville, and East Gwillimbury
A. Independence, Transparency, Accountability & Integrity
Your Voice First & Unwavering Accountability: My absolute priority is listening to your concerns and ideas, and being your strongest advocate at Council. I will remain constantly available to neighbours and will publish a formal Semi-Annual Ward Accountability Report detailing my voting record, key project milestones, budget allocations, and how effectively constituent issues are being resolved.
100% Independent & Self-Funded: True accountability starts with how a campaign is run. I am entirely self-funding my campaign to guarantee that every decision I make is free from developer, corporate, or agency influence. My only special interest is the public interest.
Mandatory Public Notice & Consultation: I will champion a strict town-wide policy requiring broad, transparent community consultation and clear, accessible public notices for all municipal decisions that impact your day-to-day life.
Electoral Review & Fair Representation: I will bring a motion to Council for an immediate, independent Ward Boundary Review with full public consultation. We must establish a highly accountable "One Ward, One Councillor" system that accurately reflects current populations, future growth, and the distinct identities of our communities across Queensville, Sharon, and the rest of the town.
B. Fiscal Responsibility, Tax Value & Regional Equity
Deliver Fiscal Responsibility & Value: I will work tirelessly to keep tax increases to a bare minimum and ensure our tax rates remain competitive across York Region. Instead of relying solely on residential taxpayers, East Gwillimbury must increase its revenue by attracting strategic economic growth and aggressively competing for regional investment. I will ensure every tax dollar is spent wisely, transparently, and efficiently.
Demand Regional Tax Equity: Currently, 42% of our local property taxes go directly to York Region. I will work relentlessly with Council to hold the Region accountable, ensuring our tax dollars are fairly prorated and reinvested directly back into our community for essential regional infrastructure, visible police presence, enhanced paramedic services, upgraded utilities, and better public transit.
Optimize Municipal Services: I will introduce a "Service Match Policy" to guarantee we receive top-tier municipal amenities that rival neighbouring towns without sacrificing our competitive tax rates. This means delivering practical improvements for families, such as increasing the residential garbage collection limit to three bags and implementing free public swimming for children under 4 (matching service levels already offered in the Town of Aurora).
C. Smart Growth, Economic Development & Environmental Sustainability
Responsible Development & Smart Growth: I will ensure a robust housing and ICI (Institutional, Commercial, Industrial) strategy that holds developers strictly accountable. We must carefully balance residential growth with commercial investment to create local jobs, ease the residential tax burden, and protect our natural biodiversity.
Strategic Density & Attainable Housing: I will advocate for housing solutions that keep families in our community. By directing sensible density to appropriate corridors—such as Green Lane and major transit hubs—we can protect the character of our established neighbourhoods while mandating dedicated, attainable housing options for young families, workforce professionals, and seniors.
Protecting Our Natural Heritage: Our town's rural charm and natural beauty are irreplaceable. I will be a strong voice for environmental stewardship, ensuring our local woodlands, conservation areas, waterways, and agricultural roots are fiercely protected while we build a modern, sustainable infrastructure network.
Fostering Local Business & Job Creation: To build a truly sustainable town, East Gwillimbury must be a place where businesses want to invest. I will champion initiatives that cut red tape for local small businesses, attract high-quality commercial employers, and create well-paying jobs right here in our community so residents can work where they live.
D. Community Safety, Traffic Calming & Public Transit
Transit Integration & Expansion: I will leverage my professional experience in transportation to work aggressively with York Region Transit (YRT) and transit agencies to increase local bus frequencies and routes, expand GO Transit services, and ensure seamless, direct YRT routing to the East Gwillimbury GO Station for our daily commuters.
Traffic Safety & Emergency Response: Keeping our families safe is non-negotiable. I will work to secure reliable, rapid emergency services, including adequate fire station infrastructure and firefighter staffing. In partnership with York Regional Police, I will push for proactive traffic calming measures—such as Enhanced Speed Monitoring, Road Watch programs, parking lot speed limit signage, a free "Slow Down / Kids at Play" sign program, Neighborhood Traffic Management Plans, and Dedicated School/Community Safety Zones.
Active Transportation & Upgraded Amenities: I will work to improve safe connectivity within our neighbourhoods by expanding and maintaining our sidewalks, trails, and multi-use paths. I will also advocate for practical infrastructure upgrades, including paving municipal parking lots and introducing dedicated off-leash dog parks across our communities.
E. Community Services, Recreation & Common-Sense Bylaws
Stronger Libraries, Stronger Communities: Our libraries are the intellectual and social hubs of our town. I will strongly advocate for enhanced support and resources for our public library system, ensuring they can expand their educational programs, digital access, and inclusive community spaces for residents of all ages.
Vibrant & Inclusive Community Life: I will champion the expansion of welcoming recreational spaces and high-quality programs tailored for children, youth, seniors, and families. I will push for optimized, accessible scheduling at local facilities—such as the new Health Active Living Plaza—so that working parents can access the programs they need. As our town grows, we must foster a connected community by hosting multicultural events and local festivals that celebrate our diversity.
Practical & Modernized Bylaws & Policies: I will ensure municipal policies and bylaws are updated, practical, clearly communicated, and enforceable. Through public consultation, I will revisit existing rules—such as street parking bylaws—to remove unnecessary daytime and weekend duration restrictions on residential streets, allowing families and visitors to park freely unless signage dictates otherwise. Additionally, I will establish clear, sensible regulations for micromobility devices (e-scooters, electric skateboards, hoverboards) and off-road vehicles to guarantee safety for all road users.
F. Education, Infrastructure & Major Regional Projects
Advocate for a Local High School: Our children deserve to learn in the community where they live. I will formally demand action from the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) and the Ministry of Education to secure the approvals and funding required to build a dedicated public high school right here in East Gwillimbury.
Expedite Critical Regional Infrastructure: Leveraging my professional background in transportation engineering and project management, I will work aggressively with all levels of government to advance vital road networks. We must urgently expedite Doane Road improvements, secure the Highway 404/Doane Road interchange, and widen Leslie Street to prevent gridlock and keep our community moving safely as it grows.
Drive Major Regional & Provincial Projects: I will be a relentless advocate at Council to push forward stalled, large-scale initiatives critical to our economic and community vitality. I will actively work with all levels of government to revive the long-delayed "East Gwillimbury University" project, bringing significant annual economic benefits and job creation to our town. Additionally, I will champion efforts to ensure the new Southlake Regional Health Centre site in Queensville moves forward smoothly while keeping the York Durham Sewage System Expansion on track so we can manage future growth sustainably and responsibly.
Your Vision Matters: If this platform hasn't captured your specific vision for our ward, I want to hear from you! Let me know what your priorities are for our community.