[1] Foster was first elected to North York's city council in 1978 with a narrow victory over the incumbent alderman, Marilyn Meshburg, who had defeated him in his first attempt two years earlier.
Following his election, Foster sought to remove a legal loophole which allowed oil companies to pay lower taxes by classifying their property as farmland.
[3] In 1984, he called on the provincial government to forbid companies from charging user fees for Workers Compensation Board cases.
[4] Along with Howard Moscoe and Barbara Greene, Foster was considered a leading voice for reform on the council and frequently criticized the development policies of Mayor Mel Lastman.
During his provincial campaign, Foster called for tenant protection, job creation and comprehensive workers compensation reforms.