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Ausma Malik, deputy mayor of Toronto, city councillor, civic leader (born in 1983 or 1984). Since 2022, Malik served as the city councillor for Ward 10 — Spadina-Fort York. Malik likely became the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman elected to public office in Canada. In August 2023, Toronto mayor Olivia Chow appointed Malik as first deputy mayor of Toronto as well as deputy mayor of Toronto and East York (see York ). Malik became Chow’s primary deputy with formal authority to act on the mayor’s behalf when necessary. Malik is also the vice-chair of the Executive Committee. As a city councillor, she has advocated for affordable and accessible housing and improving transit. She also challenged the Ontario Place redevelopment plan.
This article was created in collaboration with Museum of Toronto.
Student Activism
Born to Pakistani immigrant parents, Ausma Malik grew up in Mississauga, Ontario. She is the third sibling among four children. (See South Asian Canadians.)
She studied at St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto. Eventually, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts with a major in international studies and a double minor in history and political science. During her time at university, she became actively involved with the Association of Political Science Students. This experience sparked a deeper interest in campus activism and student leadership. She went on to participate in a range of social justice initiatives. These notably focused on gender and racial equity (see Gender Equity; Racism), environmental justice (see also Environmental Racism in Canada) and the right to education.
In 2006, Malik took part in a protest outside the United States consulate in Toronto. She personally urged Prime Minister Stephen Harper to call for a ceasefire in response to Israeli airstrikes and civilian deaths in Lebanon.
In 2007, she worked with the Canadian Federation of Students’ Task Force on the Needs of Muslim Students. The report shed light on Muslim students’ experience of systemic discrimination on campus. This included inadequate access to prayer spaces, limited food options and a broader lack of accommodation for religious beliefs. (See also Islamophobia in Canada.)
Political Career
Ausma Malik’s political career started in 2014, when she was elected as a trustee of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). She thus became the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman elected to public office in Canada. During her campaign, she was subjected to Islamophobic smears. People falsely linked her to terrorism and armed militancy.
During her tenure as a trustee, Malik championed the development of Jean Lumb Public School. (See Jean Lumb.) This became the first public school to be built in downtown Toronto in over two decades. Malik also advocated for the school’s adjacent community centre.
From 2016 to 2022, Malik served as the director of advocacy and organizing at the Atkinson Foundation. There, she pushed for fair labour practices, including a higher minimum wage and paid sick days.
In 2018, Malik planned to run for Toronto City Council. However, during that election year, Ontario premier Doug Ford’s provincial government reduced the number of Toronto City Council wards from 47 to 25. This measure eliminated the ward that Malik planned to run in (Trinity-Spadina). Malik withdrew from that race but returned to municipal politics in 2022.
In 2022, Malik was elected as the city councillor for Ward 10 — Spadina-Fort York — with 36.6 per cent of votes. She also became the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman to be elected to council.
A year later, Mayor Olivia Chow appointed Malik as first deputy mayor as well as the deputy mayor for Toronto and East York. Malik became Chow’s overall deputy.
Important Issues as a City Councillor
As a city councillor, Ausma Malik has pushed on key issues like affordable housing, better transit and fighting against the Ontario Place redevelopment plan.
She hopes to address Toronto’s housing crisis by prioritizing equity, affordability and tenant protection. Some of her plans include the creation of new housing units and affordable rental units as well as creating new rent-controlled homes. She also advocated for a renovictions bylaw that will protect tenants against unlawful evictions. Malik is pushing for more funding and support from provincial and federal governments. She is also advocating for inclusionary zoning to ensure developers include affordable units in new projects.
Malik has supported initiatives to improve public transit on King Street. She notably pushed for increased accessibility and efficiency measures. These include installing road tactile mats, adding more traffic agents and planning new raised transit platforms.
Her environmental advocacy focuses on building greener as well as more resilient and vibrant urban communities. She strongly supports preserving Ontario Place as a public space. Malik opposed the Ontario government’s 2019 redevelopment plan. This sought to privatize the site with a spa, waterpark and parking garage using public money. She has voiced concerns over the province’s decision to bypass the City's development process and environmental assessments.
