Diana Chan McNally is a long-time Parkdale–High Park resident, front-line community worker, arts worker, and advocate with over 10 years of experience standing up for our city and winning community benefits from all levels of government.
Diana has led broad-based coalitions across Parkdale–High Park, Toronto, and Ontario to help make our city better. Here’s how:
- Moved people on the streets into permanent, stable homes they can afford as a caseworker, advocate, and member of the City of Toronto’s Housing Rights Advisory Committee.
- Secured city resources for the public good, including free menstrual products at drop-in centres and emergency water distribution during extreme heat.
- Attained millions in government funding, including $54M from the province for rents and $143M from the federal government for refugees on the street.
- Saved rent control by campaigning against Doug Ford’s Bill 60.
- Organized province-wide, cross-party coalitions to fight Doug Ford on Bill 6, which makes homelessness a crime.
- Showing up for the community, whether it’s DJing a grassroots event for a cause or cooking thousands of meals for hungry neighbours.
Diana is a regular contributing columnist for Toronto Star, Toronto Today, Globe and Mail, and Toronto Sun, and authored a chapter in the award-winning book Displacement City, which examines homelessness in Toronto during the pandemic.
Diana worked as an instructor in George Brown College’s Social Service Worker and Community Worker programs, and has served on the National Working Group on Homeless Encampments and steering committees and boards of Justice for Children and Youth, Health Providers Against Poverty, and West Queen West BIA.
Diana has also toured internationally as a professional DJ, produced community arts exhibitions, worked as a wrangler in Toronto’s film sector, served as a graphic designer and illustrator for major brands and institutions including UofT. In 2010, she was the official ambassador for the Ex.