A crucial seat is up for grabs in the Scarborough-Agincourt riding, as candidates prepare for a byelection on Dec.11.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh visited the riding, greeting supporters at the Black Gold Café.

“This is incredible, this is literally where I was born, this has a nice homecoming feel” said Singh about the reception.

While he doesn’t have a seat in Parliament, Singh says Scarborough-Agincourt isn’t the place for him to run, despite it being home turf. Instead he’s endorsing local hopeful Brian Chang, saying the candidate has history in the area, currently resides in the community and is engaged with the people.

He told CityNews one of the important concerns in the riding is affordable housing, criticizing Prime Minster Justin Trudeau’s 10 year, $40 billion national strategy

“Housing crisis is right now, we need immediate action today” said Singh. “When we have a government announcement that talks about funding after an election, that’s cynical”

Chang is optimistic that after 30 years Liberal dominance, voters want an alternative.

“They are not allowed to dominate the discussion, people want another alternative and that’s what I am” said Chang. “Life is difficult here in Scarborough-Agincourt, the average income here is 32 thousand dollars, the poverty line is 28 thousand in Toronto, we’re not too far off from that”

For him, the main issue in the riding is income inequality and he plans to address precarious work.

While the NDP met with supporters, Liberal candidate Jean Yip was hitting the pavement to meet voters door-to-door in the same riding.

She’s running for the seat left vacant by her late husband Arnold Chan. He lost his battle with cancer in September.Chan first won a byelection in Scarborough-Agincourt in 2014 and once again in 2015.

Yip wants to focus on seniors, tax cuts and the middle class — issues she says were also dear to her husband.

“I would like to help him finish his legacy” said Yip, “I feel connected and I’m happy to represent Scarborough-Agincourt after Dec. 11”

The byelection in Scarborough-Agincourt is just one of four happening in the country. Voters will be heading to the polls in the ridings of Battlefords-Lloydminster in Saskatchewan, Bonavista-Burin-Trinity in Newfoundland and Labrador and South Surrey-White Rock in British Columbia