York Centre has been Monte Kwinter's territory for more than 25 years since he first won Wilson Heights in '85, before riding redistribution. In 2007, he won his seat for a seventh term in York Centre with 48.7 per cent of the votes.

But this year, PC candidate Michael Mostyn is threatening that quarter-century streak.

A Forum Research poll published by the Toronto Star last week suggests the two are neck-and-neck, with Kwinter leading by just 0.3 per cent within a 5 per cent margin of error.

A practicing lawyer, Mostyn is the former National Director of Public Affairs for B'nai Brith Canada. He was also an active volunteer in organizations to educate about family sponsorships and provide interest-free community loans to those in need.

This is Mostyn's first provincial election. He lost in 2006 as a federal candidate to Liberal Ken Dryden.

But the longtime-Liberal riding saw a voting shift toward the Conservatives after the federal election earlier this year – which many have been attributed to the debate around Israel.

The Tories knocked the Liberals out of their previous ‘safe seat.' With a neck-and-neck race this time around, it's possible this Conservative shift will translate into the provincial election.

GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHY

York-Centre is a diverse riding, corresponding roughly with the city's Wards 9 and 10 including parts of North York, York University, the Jane-Finch neighbourhood and the former Downsview Airport.

Ward 9 is a multicultural community with large Southeast Asian, black, and Chinese populations. A third of its population consists of visible minorities. The average family income in Ward 9 is $52,230.

Ward 10 – also in York Centre – is a family-oriented community, with half of its community living in highrise apartment buildings, and just under one third living in single-detached homes. There is a large Jewish community and it is also home to a high number of residents originally from Russian and the Philippines. The average family income in Ward 10 is $96,209

CANDIDATES

Epstein, David (LTN)

Fagan, John (NDP)

Kwinter, Monte (LIB)

Mostyn, Michael (PC)

Pancer, Jeff (IND)

Shevyryov, Yuriy (GRN)

Tal, Ron (FP)

*Incumbent italicized