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Toronto City Councillor · 2026

ARGHAVAN "ARI" RASTEGARI

Iranian-Canadian · Entrepreneur · Finance Advisor · Community Voice

A New Voice for Toronto
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Toronto
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Iranian-Canadian
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Finance
Background
2026
Election Target
Arghavan Rastegari
The Candidate

FINANCE BOSS.
COMMUNITY VOICE.
TORONTO'S FUTURE.

Arghavan "Ari" Rastegari is an Iranian-Canadian entrepreneur, Team Lead, Investment and Life & Living Benefit Advisor, and Mortgage Agent Level 2 — a Finance Bo$$ Lady who has spent her career empowering Torontonians to build financial stability and generational wealth.

She brings the same financial rigor, community trust, and entrepreneurial energy to the political arena — because the issues facing Toronto's Iranian diaspora and working families are not being solved by the status quo. Housing affordability, newcomer financial literacy, and underrepresented voices at City Hall are not abstract policy debates. They are the stories of her clients, her community, and her city.

A first-generation success story, Arghavan is ready to translate the discipline of finance into the language of public service — bringing sharp, data-driven thinking and authentic community connection to Toronto City Council.

Mortgage Agent L2
Investment Advisor
Life & Living Benefits
Entrepreneur
Iranian-Canadian
Farsi · English
Toronto
// Campaign Platform · 2026

A NEW VISION
FOR TORONTO

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01
🏠
Housing Affordability
As a mortgage professional, Ari understands housing barriers at a systemic level. She will push for anti-displacement protections, inclusive zoning reform, and micro-grants for first-generation homebuyers — especially in Toronto's Iranian and newcomer communities.
02
💰
Financial Literacy for All
Most newcomer Torontonians navigate financial systems without guidance. Ari will champion City-funded multilingual financial literacy programs — insurance, investment, mortgage education — delivered in Farsi, Mandarin, Tamil, and Punjabi at community centers.
03
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Iranian-Canadian Representation
Post-2022 Iran protests brought tens of thousands of new Iranians to Canada. They are here, they are engaged, and they have no voice on City Council. Ari would be the first Iranian-Canadian representative at Toronto City Hall — and she will make it count.
04
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Entrepreneur & Small Business
As a business owner herself, Ari knows what it takes to build something in Toronto. She will fight for reduced red tape, accessible micro-business grants, and procurement policies that give immigrant-owned businesses a fair shot at City contracts.
05
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Women's Economic Empowerment
"Women are opening businesses and buying private jets." Ari lives this truth. She will advocate for female entrepreneurship programs, childcare access that enables women to lead businesses and careers, and City policies that treat women as economic leaders, not afterthoughts.
06
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Digital Transparency
City Hall decisions are made behind closed doors while constituents scroll past them. Ari will demystify municipal governance through multilingual digital content — making zoning, transit, and budget decisions accessible to the communities they affect most.
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"Women are opening businesses and buying private jets — while you're still studying how to speak softly so a man can marry you. Sis, are you OK?"
Arghavan "Ari" Rastegari · @arghavanrastegari

TARGET
WARDS

Three wards where Iranian-Canadian and professional newcomer communities are concentrated — and where Ari's voice creates the greatest political impact.

Ward 18
Willowdale · North York
One of Canada's highest concentrations of Farsi-speaking Iranian-Canadians. Dense, professional, aspirational. A community that has never seen itself represented at City Hall — until now.
Primary Target
Ward 8
Eglinton-Lawrence · North York
Young professionals, new homeowners, and growing Iranian-Canadian business community. Strong financial services sector overlap with Ari's professional background.
High Priority
Ward 10
Spadina-Fort York · Downtown
Millennial renters, entrepreneurs, and digitally-engaged voters who respond to authentic, bold voices. Ari's business mindset and digital presence align perfectly with this ward's values.
Youth Stronghold