YORK CENTRE

Liberal incumbent Ya’ara Saks has won the riding of York Centre.

The victory comes after Saks won a byelection in the riding last year that was triggered by Liberal MP Michael Levitt’s exit from politics.

Prior to Levitt winning the seat in 2015, it was held by Conservative Mark Adler in 2011, but had been a stronghold for the Liberals before that.

Saks was a small-business owner before being elected and had also worked in the office of the mayor of Jerusalem.

She has a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy, and was a mental health advocate as the director of Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities, a Toronto mental health charity.

She prevailed in a close race with Conservative candidate Joel Yakov Etienne, a lawyer.

During her time in Parliament, Saks has sat on the standing committee on environment and sustainable development, and the foreign affairs and international development committee.