My Toronto Podcast: Interpreting the Technical Details
A clip from Vanessa's My Toronto Podcast, where a guest talks about why being able to interpret the technical details matters when it comes to making decisions for the city.
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News, interviews, and moments from the campaign trail.
Follow along as Vanessa talks with press, podcasts, and neighbours about the issues that matter most to Parkdale–High Park.
Young People Vote — Make a Plan for October 26
“Young people don’t vote”… not this time! Vanessa calls on everyone under 35 to make a plan to vote in the Toronto municipal election on October 26th, and offers to help anyone who needs it.
View original post →Working Across Every Level of Government
From the campaign office, Vanessa explains how real results for Ward 4 depend on the City working closely with the provincial and federal governments.
View original post →On What Would Have Been Her Dad’s 74th Birthday
On what would have been her father’s 74th birthday, Vanessa reflects on his experience of homelessness and why Toronto must end its homelessness crisis.
View original post →National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
“We can never rewrite the history of the cultural genocide that happened here.” On this day of Truth and Reconciliation, Vanessa reflects on our roles in centring Indigenous voices and honouring the countless lives lost to residential schools. Every child matters.
View original post →Speaking at the Swansea Town Hall All-Candidates Debate
A Ward 4 resident shares Vanessa speaking at the Parkdale–High Park all-candidates debate at Swansea Town Hall — describing her as “pure boots on the ground engaged with community,” and recalling Vanessa standing with neighbours at Toronto Community Council to push back against developers.
View original post →My Toronto Podcast: Conversations on the City
Another clip from Vanessa’s My Toronto Podcast, featuring a candid conversation with a guest about how Toronto works — and what it will take to get things done.
View original post →Standing Up for Our Libraries
Filmed from the stacks, Vanessa makes the case for Toronto Public Library as one of the city’s most important public resources — and why it deserves continued investment.
View original post →My Toronto Podcast: The Scale of Homelessness
A clip from Vanessa’s My Toronto Podcast, where a guest breaks down the scale of homelessness in Toronto and what the numbers mean for the city.
View original post →At the Polish Festival
Vanessa invites neighbours to come out and join the campaign at the Polish Festival.
View original post →Why We Need More Engineers in Politics
Vanessa solves a Rubik’s Cube while making the case for why we need more engineers in politics. 😎
View original post →Save Our Bike Lanes
Snippets from Vanessa’s CityNews and Global News interviews at the Cycle Toronto alternative bike lane ride — we need to save our bike lanes!
View original post →DBE Media Candidate Interview
Vanessa sits down with DBE Media for a candidate interview about her run for Toronto City Councillor in Ward 4, discussing her background and her platform of Affordability, Community & Safety.
View original post →Canvassing at Dundas West Station
Meeting neighbours and hearing what matters most to them on the TTC. As a lifelong transit rider without a car, Vanessa is committed to investing more in the system Ward 4 relies on every day.
View original post →Speaking at the Cycle Toronto Town Hall
Vanessa thanks Cycle Toronto for the invite to their Ward 4 community consultation, and makes the case for prioritizing cycling infrastructure and close intergovernmental collaboration to get real results for the ward.
View original post →Cruzing With Phil Podcast
Vanessa sits down with host Phil Cruze for an in-depth conversation about her path from engineering to founding EngiQueers Canada, and why she's running to bring results-driven leadership to Ward 4.
View original post →A Documentary on Homelessness, Inspired by Her Father
Vanessa shares the story behind a documentary she's been filming about her father's decade of homelessness — and how that journey shaped her mission to address the systemic failures behind Toronto's housing and homelessness crisis.
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Ward 4 Candidate Spotlight
ElectionToronto26 profiles the wide-open race to succeed longtime councillor Gord Perks, highlighting Vanessa among the field of candidates vying to represent Parkdale–High Park.
View original post →Behind the Tenants Association Fight
Following TorontoToday's coverage of the story, Vanessa shares how forming and unifying a tenants' association across the sixplexes she rents helped win a rent freeze for 2026 — with thanks to Toronto ACORN, Tenants Union Toronto, and Toronto Renters for their support along the way.
View original post →Campaign Office Launch
Vanessa welcomes volunteers and neighbours to the grand opening of her Ward 4 campaign office on Roncesvalles Avenue, marking the start of the next phase of door-to-door organizing.
View original post →West-End Tenants Organize to Delay Rent Increases
TorontoToday covers tenants of three Bloor Street West sixplexes forming a tenants' association to fight proposed rent hikes — the kind of grassroots organizing Vanessa has championed throughout the ward.
Read more →The Toronto Tokens Podcast
Vanessa joins The Toronto Tokens for a conversation about her path from engineering to city council candidate, and the community organizing shaping her Ward 4 campaign.
View original post →Speaking Out Against the Southport Tower Approval
Despite 75 letters and a petition signed by over 1,600 neighbours, council approved a 397-unit luxury condo in Swansea with zero affordable units. Vanessa explains why she sees the decision as a failure of the community's voice — and a preview of the fights ahead on Council.
View original post →PARC Expansion Approved at Community Council
Vanessa congratulates PARC Toronto on the unanimous community council approval of their expanded facility, following her deputation in support highlighting the importance of supportive and affordable housing — delivered just days after sharing the teaser for the documentary about her father's homelessness journey.
View original post →CityNews Candidate Interview
CityNews sits down with Vanessa as part of its coverage of one of Toronto's most engaged electorates, ahead of a pivotal fall election for Parkdale–High Park.
View original post →Public Consultation Open on Billy Bishop Expansion
With a federal public consultation open until July 24th, Vanessa calls on the federal government to intervene and stop the Billy Bishop airport expansion, pointing supporters to an anonymous survey and a letter she's drafted to Transport Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Toronto's 23 Liberal MPs.
View original post →Rapid Q&A
Vanessa talks about the continuing education — courses in Local Politics & Government and Homelessness in Canadian Society — that helped her transition from engineer to city council candidate, plus a rapid-fire Q&A.
View original post →Thanking The Roncy Record
Vanessa thanks Jody White of The Roncy Record for the interview featured in the outlet's Ward 4 candidate series.
View original post →Ward 4 Candidate Series: Vanessa Raponi
The first in the Roncy Record's series profiling every Ward 4 candidate, covering housing, affordability, homelessness, public safety, Parkside Drive, and the relationship between Toronto and the province.
Read more →Deputation on the 2440 Dundas St W Development
Vanessa's May 27th deputation at City Hall raised concerns that the 2440 Dundas St W development cuts its three-bedroom units in half — below the City's mandatory 10% requirement — with unit sizes that fall short of the City's Growing Up Guidelines for family-friendly housing.
View original post →Save Our Waterfront: Contact Your MP
Vanessa urges neighbours to contact their federal MP to oppose the Billy Bishop airport expansion, correcting the record that the project represents a $5 billion investment — about $900 per Toronto resident.
View original post →Housing & Homelessness Community Consultations
After attending community consultations on rezoning applications from UHN Toronto and PARC Toronto, Vanessa thanks the advocates and frontline organizations behind Dunn House and shares her key takeaways: build more housing, strengthen frontline partnerships, and ensure every part of Toronto helps solve the affordable and supportive housing shortage.
View original post →Campaign Launch Party at The Wicket
Surrounded by family, friends, and volunteers at The Wicket, Vanessa officially launches her campaign for Toronto City Councillor in Ward 4, sharing the story behind her run and the vision for her platform — and announcing $8,000 raised from individual donors in the campaign's first few days.
View original post →CBC Toronto Candidate Interview
Vanessa thanks CBC's Ali for the warm welcome into media interviews on the campaign trail, fielding thoughtful questions about her background, campaign plans, and platform of Affordability, Community & Safety for Ward 4.
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3M Canada Works to Diversify Access to STEM Education
An earlier CBC profile of Vanessa's work at 3M Canada advancing diversity in STEM — including greater access for Indigenous and LGBTQ2+ communities — a throughline from her engineering career to her platform today.
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