Howard Moscoe (November 28, 1939 – May 23, 2026) was a Canadian politician who was a long-time municipal councillor from 1978 to 2010, sitting on the North York and Metropolitan Toronto Councils and then Toronto City Council following the amalgamation of Toronto in 1998. As an alderman and councillor he represented wards centred on the Wilson Heights and Lawrence Manor neighbourhoods along Bathurst Street.

Among the most prominent and longest-serving councillors in the city, he was also known for an outspokenness which caused controversy at times. Moscoe was a member of the New Democratic Party. On August 31, 2010, after 31 years as an elected municipal politician, Moscoe announced his retirement from city council."Howard Moscoe calls it quits", Toronto Star, August 31, 2010

A long-time member of the Toronto Transit Commission board and Toronto's licensing committee, he chaired both bodies at various times, bringing in reforms.

Early life, education and career Moscoe's father, Alexander, was born to a Jewish family in Łódź, Poland, and moved to Canada as a child before the First World War. His uncle, Joe Moscoe, was the first licensed taxi driver in Toronto (cab licence #1)."A. Moscoe, 84 boxer founded sign business Doctors told him he'd die at 24 of lead poisoning councillor says", Toronto Star, April 26, 1997, A20.

Moscoe married Gloria Green in 1961."Harmony", Rosalie Moscoe, Kol Echad, Forestdale Heights Lodge, B'nai Brith Canada (January 2020), pages 20–21 They had three daughters, all of whom became teachers.

Moscoe was a junior high school art teacher with the North York Board of Education before entering political life, and was president of the North York Elementary Teachers' Federation and a governor of the Ontario Teachers' Federation."Campaign '77", Toronto Star, June 6, 1977, A7. He campaigned for a seat on the North York Hydro Commission in 1974, and ran for the Ontario legislature in 1975 and 1977 as the Ontario New Democratic Party candidate in Wilson Heights.Moscoe ran a Toronto Star advertisement in 1974 which read as follows: ""What did … THE NORTH YORK HYDRO COMMISSION do last year? If you don't know, then you need to elect a COMMISSIONER who will provide information and encourage public input!" Toronto Star, 30 November 1974, A16. Moscoe initially supported extension of the Spadina Expressway to reduce traffic in his riding, but opposed further extension once the freeway was partially completed and renamed as Allen Road."Reform Metro's line on candidate depends on his line", The Globe and Mail, May 19, 1978, P3.

He was also a successful businessman as a designer and producer of election signs. In the late 1980s, he personally designed a brand of plastic sleeves to prevent rainwater damage during campaigns. He claimed 78 candidates as customers in the 1988 municipal election, and a further eighteen in the 1988 federal election."Of musicians and socialist salesmen...", The Globe and Mail, October 28, 1988, A16. Moscoe later said that he supplied every sign used by the New Democrats in the 1999 provincial election.John Barber, "Cagey councillor read the signs", The Globe and Mail, June 8, 2000, A16. It is not clear if he meant every sign in the City of Toronto, or every sign in the province. He was an active member of the Canadian Jewish Congress, and served on its community relations committee.Kim Honey, "Oversight means Beaches park may be named after former Nazi", The Globe and Mail, July 25, 1998, A8.

Moscoe graduated from Lakeshore Teachers' College and completed BA degrees at Wilfrid Laurier University and York University, and a Master of Education at the University of Toronto.

North York Council

Ward Alderman Moscoe was first elected to the North York city council in 1978, defeating incumbent alderman Murray Markin in the city's fourth ward. He and Mike Foster were the only New Democrats on North York council. He soon emerged as a prominent voice on the council's left, and became a frequent critic of Mayor Mel Lastman. Moscoe criticized Lastman's ties to regional developers, arguing that the mayor often used reformist rhetoric to hide a pro-establishment bias.Geoffrey York, "Lastman image as feisty fighter immune to time", The Globe and Mail, January 28, 1985, P15. Moscoe once described his rivalry with Lastman by saying, "It's a fundamental difference of opinion. He's the wheeler-dealer, free-enterpriser, step-up-and-see-the-dancing-girls type of politician, while I'm a strong social democrat."David Todd, "The duelling egos of Mel Lastman and Howard Moscoe are North York's best show", The Globe and Mail, July 29, 1988, P38. This comment notwithstanding, Moscoe quickly developed his own reputation for political theatrics against Lastman.John Barber, "Hail to the stunt king of cycling and politics", The Globe and Mail, May 31, 1994, A9. He once purchased one of Lastman's toupees at a charity auction, and used it to dust his chair and desk at the start of council meetings.<ref>Michael Valpy, "Howard Moscoe: Unguided missile", 'The Globe and Mail, April 13, 1999, A15.</ref>

He asked the Law Society of Upper Canada to intervene in his 1982 re-election campaign, alleging that rival candidate Sydney Moscoe was running with the deliberate intent of confusing voters. He informed the media that the ten nominees who signed Sydney Moscoe's papers also signed those of Eleanor Rosen, a more serious challenger associated with the Progressive Conservatives."Alderman cries foul", The Globe and Mail, October 20, 1982, P5. A Supreme Court of Ontario judge ruled that both Moscoes were legitimate candidates. Moscoe was re-elected, although by a reduced margin.

In 1984, Moscoe was a leading supporter of reform legislation to limit campaign contributions to $500 per year and require candidates to declare expenses, contributions and contributors within ninety days of an election.John Sewell, "Progressive North York?", The Globe and Mail, April 16, 1984, M1. Largely through his efforts, North York became the first municipality in the Toronto area to pass such legislation."Campaign backers must be identified, North York orders", The Globe and Mail, July 10, 1984, M3. Moscoe later supported tax credits for municipal political donations, similar to those used at the provincial and federal levels.Dyanne Rivers, "Alderman backs tax credit scheme for civic elections", July 26, 1984, M2. Also in 1984, he spoke out against the strict enforcement of an anti-scalping by-law outside Exhibition Stadium during home games by the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. He argued that some constituents who were not scalpers were given fines for selling extra tickets outside the stadium at face value."Scalper bylaw unfair, alderman charges", The Globe and Mail, April 23, 1984, M1. To protest the law, he painted a yellow line on the pavement 400 metres from the stadium and declared the area past the line a "free trade zone" for fans to exchange tickets.Alden Baker and Gary Cohen, "Police plan to intercept stadium liquor", The Globe and Mail, June 5, 1984, M1. Moscoe later acknowledged that he helped pay his way through university by scalping tickets. Paul Moloney, "Bylaw will skin city's scalpers", Toronto Star, September 25, 2003, B01.

Moscoe campaigned for the Ontario legislature a third time in 1985, and finished third against Liberal Monte Kwinter in a provincial swing to the Liberal Party. He was subsequently elected to a seat on the North York Board of Control in the municipal election later in the year, focusing his campaign on issues such as housing and affordable day care.Dyanne Rivers, "Traffic an issue in controllers' race 13 seek seats on North York board", The Globe and Mail, November 6, 1985, A16.

City Controller Moscoe was the only left-leaning member on the city's Board of Control between 1985 and 1988, and was frequently at odds with its other members.Dyanne Rivers, "Scrappy newcomer right at home on North York's Board of Control", The Globe and Mail, February 11, 1986, A14. He nonetheless rose to a position of administrative leadership, overseeing finances, policy initiatives and a variety of technical matters.John Sewell, "Politically perfect in North York", The Globe and Mail, May 21, 1986, A8. On policy, Moscoe promoted the creation of a municipal housing corporation in North York to promote rent-geared-to-income housing. He argued that the city's housing situation was in crisis, and that government inaction would result in a rise in homelessness in later years.Lynne Ainsworth, "Soaring rental costs force families to endure hand-to-mouth existence", Toronto Star, February 11, 1986, N6; "Alderman urged to quit task force", The Globe and Mail, November 7, 1986, A15. The latter article title refers to Moscoe's request that Mario Sergio resign from the North York housing task force. He also promoted employment equity,"Senior staff are all men, Moscoe says", The Globe and Mail, January 23, 1986, E15; Dyanne Rivers, "Report on minorities stirs North York row", The Globe and Mail, June 26, 1986, A20; Dyanne Rivers, "Group considering equal opportunity", The Globe and Mail, September 23, 1986, A18; "Equal opportunity plan endorsed in North York", The Globe and Mail, March 24, 1987, A16. and supported the extension of anti-smoking regulations in the workplace."Smoking talks extinguished in North York", Toronto Star, February 4, 1988, A6; Michael Best, "North York delays restaurant no-smoking bylaw", Toronto Star, April 8, 1986, D22. Moscoe was fighting a personal battle to quit smoking at the time.

In 1986, Moscoe took part in a demonstration organized by members of Toronto's Jewish community against the South African government's policy of apartheid. He was quoted as saying, "The world stood by while Hitler brought in the Nuremberg Laws. It's important we not make the same mistake again." He also described the South African government as "fascist, no matter how you slice it.""Metro Jews demonstrate against policy of apartheid", Toronto Star, February 10, 1986, C20.

Some members of the North York council, including Mel Lastman, attempted to remove Moscoe from the city's planning advisory committee in 1986. Moscoe described the effort as "a thinly veiled direct personal attack on myself", while another councillor later acknowledged that it was intended as punishment for Moscoe's outspokenness against Lastman. He survived the motion by eleven votes to six."Moscoe survives ouster bid in North York", The Globe and Mail, February 25, 1986, A16.

Despite his rivalry with Lastman, Moscoe was the prime mover in a motion naming North York's 1.8-hectare Mel Lastman Square after the mayor in 1986. Shortly before the dedication, he said that Lastman was "responsible for the development of the downtown and the centrepiece of the downtown is the civic square". Some speculated that Moscoe, who had his own ambitions to serve as Mayor of North York, was attempting to hasten Lastman's retirement."Square dedicated to Lastman", The Globe and Mail, April 23, 1986, A13; Mike Foster, "Lastman finds niche in history thanks to enemy", Toronto Star, May 20, 1986, N4.

Moscoe was the only North York councillor to oppose a ban on Now Magazine from parts of city hall in 1988. He awarded the magazine a prize for journalistic excellence in March 1988, while serving a week-long term as acting mayor in Lastman's absence.Alexander Bruce, "Controller praises banned tabloid", The Globe and Mail, March 15, 1988, A16.

Metro Councillor

Part-time