Jon Burnside | |
|---|---|
| Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission | |
| In office November 24, 2022 – August 11, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Jaye Robinson |
| Succeeded by | Jamaal Myers |
| Toronto City Councillor for Ward 16 Don Valley East | |
| Assumed office November 15, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Denzil Minnan-Wong |
| Toronto City Councillor for Ward 26 Don Valley West | |
| In office December 1, 2014 – December 1, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | John Parker |
| Succeeded by | Ward dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Spouse(s) | Carla Collins (divorced) Charlene Quesnelle Kew |
| Occupation |
|
Jon Burnside is a Canadian politician and former police officer who has represented Ward 16 Don Valley East on Toronto City Council since 2022. He was first elected to the ward in the 2022 Toronto municipal election and re-elected in 2026. Burnside served as chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) from 2022 to 2023. He previously represented Ward 26 Don Valley West from 2014 to 2018.
Burnside attended Leaside High School and the University of Western Ontario. He has two siblings, and his mother originated from England. He was previously married to Carla Collins and is currently married to Charlene Quesnelle Kew.
Prior to his election to council, Burnside worked as a Toronto Police Service officer from 1991 to 2001 and later launched his own meal delivery company.
Burnside first ran for city council in Ward 26 in the 2010 Toronto municipal election, losing narrowly to incumbent councillor John Parker. He defeated Parker in the 2014 Toronto municipal election.
He ran unsuccessfully for re-election in the 2018 Toronto municipal election in the newly constituted Ward 15 Don Valley West against fellow incumbent councillor Jaye Robinson. The new ward had the same boundaries as the provincial and federal electoral districts of the same name. Robinson received 49.22% of the vote, compared with Burnside's 43.82%.
In the 2022 Toronto municipal election, Burnside ran for election in the neighbouring Ward 16 Don Valley East, following the retirement of incumbent councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong. He won with 44.68% of the vote, defeating ten other candidates.
Burnside was appointed chair of the TTC by Mayor John Tory on November 24, 2022. He served until August 2023, when he was succeeded by Jamaal Myers.
Burnside ran for re-election in Ward 16 in the 2026 Toronto municipal election. He was re-elected on October 26, receiving 19,654 votes (71.35%), defeating three challengers. His nearest opponent, Sinan Erdemir, received 3,370 votes (12.23%). Burnside's share of the vote increased by 26.67 percentage points compared with 2022.
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Burnside (X) | 19,654 | 71.35 | +26.67 |
| Sinan Erdemir | 3,370 | 12.23 | – |
| Stacey Moffatt | 2,337 | 8.48 | – |
| Didi Moffat | 2,185 | 7.93 | – |
| Total valid votes | 27,546 | 100.00 |
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Burnside | 8,147 | 44.68 | – |
| Stephen Ksiazek | 3,778 | 20.72 | – |
| Jonathan Mousley | 1,282 | 7.03 | – |
| Colin Mahovlich | 1,059 | 5.81 | – |
| Samina Alim | 945 | 5.18 | – |
| Stella Kargiannakis | 700 | 3.84 | – |
| Walter Alvarez-Bardales | 616 | 3.38 | – |
| Nick Pachis | 579 | 3.18 | – |
| Dimitre Popov | 549 | 3.01 | – |
| John Simms | 410 | 2.25 | – |
| George Asimakis | 169 | 0.93 | – |
| Total valid votes | 18,234 | 100.00 |
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaye Robinson | 16,219 | 49.22 | – |
| Jon Burnside | 14,440 | 43.82 | – |
| Tanweer Khan | 1,309 | 3.97 | – |
| Nikola Streker | 583 | 1.77 | – |
| Minh Le | 404 | 1.23 | – |
| Total valid votes | 32,955 | 100.00 |
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Burnside | 9,415 | 42.73 | +13.53 |
| John Parker (X) | 6,167 | 27.99 | −3.31 |
| Ishrath Velshi | 3,055 | 13.86 | – |
| David Sparrow | 1,786 | 8.11 | – |
| Wasim Vania | 1,033 | 4.69 | – |
| Dimitre Popov | 578 | 2.62 | – |
| Total valid votes | 22,034 | 100.00 |
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Parker (X) | 6,203 | 31.3 | – |
| Jon Burnside | 5,788 | 29.2 | – |
| Mohamed Dhanani | 5,627 | 28.4 | – |
| Yunus Pandor | 1,452 | 7.3 | – |
| Tanvir Ahmed | 377 | 1.9 | – |
| Shaukat Malik | 216 | 1.1 | – |
| Nawab Salim Khan | 169 | 0.9 | – |
| Total valid votes | 19,832 | 100.0 |