Denzil Minnan-Wong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Denzil Minnan-Wong
Minnan-Wong in 2012
Deputy Mayor of Toronto for North York
In office December 1, 2014 – November 15, 2022
Preceded by	Norm Kelly
Succeeded by	Jennifer McKelvie (statutory) Michael Colle (North York; 2023)
Toronto City Councillor for Ward 16 Don Valley East
In office December 1, 2018 – November 15, 2022
Preceded by	Ward created
Succeeded by	Jon Burnside
Toronto City Councillor for Ward 34 Don Valley East
In office December 1, 2000 – December 1, 2018
Preceded by	Ward created
Succeeded by	Ward dissolved
Toronto City Councillor for Ward 11 Don Parkway
In office January 1, 1998 – December 1, 2000
Preceded by	Ward created
Succeeded by	Ward dissolved
North York City Councillor for Ward 12
In office January 1, 1995 – December 1, 1997
Preceded by	Incumbent
Succeeded by	Ward dissolved
Personal details
Born	1963/1964 (age 61–62)
Nationality	Canadian
Spouse	Colleen
Children	3
Residences	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Lawyer

Denzil Minnan-Wong (born around 1963) is a Canadian politician who used to work for the city of Toronto. He was the Deputy Mayor of Toronto from 2014 to 2022, representing the North York area. He also served on the Toronto City Council for many years, from 1995 to 2022. During his time, he represented different parts of the Don Mills area.

Early Life and Education

Denzil Minnan-Wong was born in 1963. His father, Denzil Minnan-Wong Sr., was a Chinese Canadian. He was an important member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. His mother, Josephine Cazabon, was born in Timmins, Ontario.

Denzil Minnan-Wong studied at Osgoode Hall Law School. He became a lawyer, focusing on helping people with immigration issues. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Colleen, and their three children.

Political Career Highlights

Denzil Minnan-Wong's political journey began in 1994. He was first appointed as a councillor for Ward 12 in North York. This happened after the previous councillor passed away. He was then elected to this position in November 1994.

In 1997, he was elected to the city council of the newly combined city of Toronto. He represented Ward 11 – Don Parkway. After 28 years in politics, Minnan-Wong announced in July 2022 that he would not run for re-election.

Garbage Collection Services

In 2011, Minnan-Wong supported a plan to have private companies collect garbage in Toronto. This was for areas west of Yonge Street. The idea was to save the city about $12 million each year.

However, city reports from 2021 showed that this private service was actually costing more. It cost about $143.48 per household each year. The city's own garbage collection cost $139.24 per household. Despite this, Minnan-Wong continued to support private garbage collection. He was against the city taking over these services again.

Bike Lanes and Road Safety

Minnan-Wong learned to ride a bicycle when he was 46 years old in 2013. Even so, he supported building Toronto's first separated bike lanes. These new lanes were created on streets like Sherbourne, Wellesley, and Richmond.

At the same time, he voted to remove some painted bike lanes. These were on Jarvis Street, Pharmacy Avenue, and Birchmount Road. In 2013, he also helped move the Bixi public bike share system. It then became part of the Toronto Parking Authority. Minnan-Wong also helped make sure a $150 fine for parking in rush hour zones stayed in place.

Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)

In December 2010, the City Council appointed Minnan-Wong to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) board. This was during Mayor Rob Ford's time in office. In 2012, he was one of five councillors on the TTC board who voted to end the job of the TTC General Manager, Gary Webster. Andy Byford was hired to replace him.

On March 5, 2012, these five councillors, including Minnan-Wong, were removed from the TTC board. This happened because of a motion by Councillor Karen Stintz. Minnan-Wong was appointed to the TTC board again on December 2, 2014. This was after Mayor John Tory was elected. His time on the board ended on November 15, 2022.

Provincial Election Campaign

On January 20, 2018, Denzil Minnan-Wong became the candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. He ran for the Don Valley East area in the 2018 provincial election. He came in a close second place to the Liberal candidate, Michael Coteau.

During his campaign, Minnan-Wong said he would take an "unpaid" leave from Toronto City Council. He promised to give the salary he earned during the 30-day campaign to the city or a charity. He later donated this salary to the City of Toronto. He asked for the money to be used for roads.

Re-election and Retirement

After the 2018 provincial election, Minnan-Wong ran for Toronto City Council again. He won re-election in the new Ward 16 Don Valley East during the 2018 municipal election. He was the only one of seven councillors on the TTC board to be re-elected.

From 2018 to 2022, he was re-appointed as Deputy Mayor. He was also appointed to the TTC board for a third time. In July 2022, Minnan-Wong sent an email to his constituents. He announced that he would not seek re-election in the 2022 Ontario municipal elections. He stated it was time for him to move on to "the next stage of my life."

Election Results

Provincial Election

Municipal Elections