There will be a few new faces representing the heart of the city when the next term of Toronto City Council begins.

New candidates were elected in a slew of downtown wards in Monday’s election after incumbents in those areas decided not to run. They include more female representation on council, as well as more representation from visible minorities.

They include former school board trustee Ausma Malik, who was elected in Spadina Fort York, where Joe Cressy stepped aside earlier this year. She becomes the first hijab-wearing Muslim woman to be elected to council.

Speaking with CP24 after her win, she said she wants a city hall that “will champion the needs of residents, especially in our downtown communities.”

“When we show up as ourselves, we show other people that it’s possible too,” Malik said, adding that she sees her election as part of a “pushback against the status quo.”

“Progressive change is within reach in Toronto. I’m so excited about that.”

She beat out lawyer April Engelberg 36.8 per cent to 21.3 per cent, along with a slew of 10 other candidates who garnered less than 10 per cent each.

In Toronto Centre, where Kristyn Wong-Tam resigned in the spring, TDSB trustee Chris Moise handily beat out a slew of other contenders by more than 6,500 votes. Moise is Black and also a member of the LGBTQ2S community.

‘THANK YOU! While results say that I won, the reality is that *we* won,” he wrote in a tweet. “Thank you to Toronto Centre and everyone who helped and supported our campaign. The real work begins now.”

Over in university-Rosedale, environmental lawyer Dianne Saxe won a neck and neck race with Catholic school board trustee Norm DiPasquale, edging him out by just around 123 votes.

Saxe holds a Ph.D. in law and in environmental studies and previously ran as a Green candidate.

She will take over from outgoing councillor Mike Layton, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election.

Over in Ward 9 Davenport, Alejandra Bravo handily won a contest to replace outgoing councillor Ana Bailao, who is not seeking re-election.