Sylvia Watson

Sylvia Watson
Toronto City Councillor for (Ward 14) Parkdale–High Park
In office December 1, 2003 – November 30, 2006
Preceded by	Chris Korwin-Kuczynski
Succeeded by	Gord Perks
Personal details
Born	Austria
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	Lawyer

Sylvia Watson is a former Canadian politician. She was a Toronto City Councillor for ward 14, part of the riding of Parkdale-High Park from 2003 to 2006 and the candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party in the 2006 by-election and in the 2007 general election.

Watson and her family immigrated to Canada when she was a child as displaced person from Austria following World War II. The family settled in Toronto.

She studied at York University and Osgoode Law School and was called to the bar in 1981. She became corporate counsel for Wellesley Hospital in 1986. In 1991 she was hired by the City of Toronto where she performed a number of roles including director of litigation and city solicitor.

In 2003, Watson ran for city council in (Ward 14), Parkdale–High Park to replace retiring councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski. Even though she didn't live in the ward, She was known for participating in an affordable housing initiative called the Parkdale Pilot Project. She beat her nearest rival, Ed Zielinski (who was endorsed by Korwin-Kuczynski) by 3,988 votes.

During her three years as councillor, she chaired the Administration Committee, and served as vice-chair of the Budget Advisory Committee.

On June 27, 2006, Watson announced that she would run in a provincial by-election to replace Gerrard Kennedy who was moving on to federal politics. Watson based her campaign on the Liberal government's record of investing in education and health care but acknowledged that she was in a tight race considering that the provincial riding encompassed only half her former city riding.

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