Zakir Patel is the Vice Chair of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Ward 19 Trustee for Scarborough-Guildwood since 2018. He is the first Gujarati of Indian descent elected in Ontario and the first Muslim Vice Chair at TDSB.
For the past 25 years, Zakir has lived and worked in Scarborough. He is an award-winning realtor with over 15 years of success in residential and commercial real estate and owns a distribution services enterprise with over 100 employees.
In the past year, he has served as Chair of the TDSB’s Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee, a Director of the Toronto Lands Corporation, and a member of the Board’s Negotiations Steering Committee.
As a Trustee, Zakir focuses on youth empowerment and maintaining safe, healthy schools. He advocates for adequate nutritional programs and extracurricular activities, striving for equity and speaking out for students, staff, and families.
Zakir is passionate about serving his community, connecting families with resources, delivering basic necessities, and helping navigate government services. He has worked tirelessly for various community groups and causes across Scarborough and encourages regular meetings with parents, students, and residents at his office in Scarborough-Guildwood.