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On May 22nd, Gordon Tanner, General Manager of Toronto Shelter and Support Services, and Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Davenport), Chair of the Economic & Community Development Committee hosted a media conference, unveiling a transformative shift in the city's strategy toward homeless encampments based on feedback from the public, interested parties and recommendations from the City’s Ombudsman.    Encampments are a symptom of the housing affordability crisis, shelter demand that exceeds availability and other social crises such as mental health and drug toxicity. This encampments staff report prioritizes transparency and coordination, centering on people's needs and dignity. The report will provide City staff a clear framework to connect individuals with indoor spaces while also addressing the concerns of surrounding communities. Toronto Shelter and Support Services (TSSS) staff will present the report to the Economic and Community Development Committee on May 29; If passed

RPTV recently conducted an enlightening interview with Gaetan Heroux from the 230 FightBack Group, spotlighting a critical issue at the heart of Toronto's housing crisis. The vacant lot at 214-230 Sherbourne Street, located at the intersection of Dundas and Sherbourne, has remained undeveloped for over 15 years while the number of people living on the streets continues to rise. Heroux, a passionate advocate for housing justice, shared insights into the importance of this site and the urgent need for social housing. The 230 FightBack Group has been tirelessly campaigning against the corporate greed of KingSett Capital and the city's lack of action. Despite repeated appeals, the city has not secured the property for social housing. Heroux emphasized that the abandonment of acquisition plans for 214-230 Sherbourne has had a detrimental impact on the local community, leaving many without a safe place to live. In our interview, Heroux outlined the group's actions and highlighted

St. James Town came alive on Saturday, May 11th, as residents gathered at the St James Town Neighbourhood Community Centre for the highly anticipated 2024 Summit, organized by the St James Town Residents Council. With a remarkable turnout, the event showcased a diverse array of voices, ideas, and talents, reaffirming the vibrant spirit of this dynamic community. The summit, themed "Emerging Innovations & Ideas," featured a lineup of engaging activities and insightful discussions.  The agenda was packed with enriching sessions, including a networking continental breakfast to kick off the morning, followed by opening remarks and acknowledgements. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to participate in forums highlighting emerging grassroots groups, indulge in a multicultural lunch prepared by local chefs, and engage in workshops focusing on indigenous knowledge and intergenerational storytelling. Notable grassroots organizations such as TILT (Toronto Indigenous

City Councillor Chris Moise is offering a lifeline to Ward 13 residents with My Access to Housing TO Clinics in Regent Park and St James Town. Running from May 9 to May 31, these clinics aim to assist those on the Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) Housing Centralized Waiting List or those needing help applying for RGI housing. Working alongside Access to Housing and Housing Help Centres, Councillor Moise's clinics are set to address the pressing issue of housing accessibility in the community. The clinics provide essential services to help residents navigate the complexities of RGI housing. Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) housing is a subsidy offered by the City of Toronto to make rent affordable for low-income households. Access to Housing, which manages the Centralized Waiting List for RGI Housing, works continuously to review and confirm the eligibility of applicants. Applicants to RGI housing must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or refugees; the primary applicant must be at le

TORONTO — In a dramatic display of dissent, students at the University of Toronto have erected an encampment in King's College Circle, calling for an end to the university's and Canadian government's financial ties with Israeli institutions implicated in what protesters describe as the genocide of the Palestinian people. This protest, which has drawn support from diverse groups, underscores the urgency felt by participants to halt the violence in Gaza and the West Bank.   Suzie, a Toronto resident, and U of T alumna, stood amidst the crowd, expressing her unwavering support for Palestinian liberation. "I've been supporting the students who have tirelessly tried to get U of T to address its investments in Israeli institutions and arms," she said. "They've exhausted all means, and this encampment is a necessary step. We're witnessing a genocide in real-time, and we must ask ourselves, what are we doing to stop it?"   An anonymous protestor high

On Saturday, May 4th, the Toronto Centre NDP held its Federal Nomination Meeting at Winchester Junior & Senior Public School. The gymnasium buzzed with excitement as local party members gathered to choose their candidate for the upcoming federal election. In the end, Dr. Samantha Green came out on top, securing the nomination to represent the NDP in the Toronto Centre riding. Dr. Green’s win is a big deal for our community. With a solid background in advocacy and community engagement, she’s ready to bring her experience and fresh ideas to Ottawa, aiming to champion the needs of our neighborhood. RPTV had the chance to sit down with Dr. Green, and she shared what motivated her to run and her plans for tackling some of our community's biggest challenges. She’s passionate about addressing the housing crisis, drawing from her extensive work with marginalized communities to push for affordable social housing solutions. Mental health and addiction issues are also high on her list. Dr

"The Journey" is a musical that explores the impact of revitalization on Toronto's Regent Park neighborhood. It uses a blend of spoken word poetry, song, and dance to tell the stories of the community's residents. Watch Heela Omarkhail, Vice President, Social Impact at The Daniels Corporation as she delves the new chapter of "Songs from The Journey" as the production embarks on a groundbreaking journey to Koerner Hall at the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning on the 21st of June 2024. This unprecedented move brings the vibrant melodies and narratives of Regent Park to a broader audience, shining a spotlight on the neighbourhood's revitalization efforts. Produced by The Daniels Corporation in collaboration with The Royal Conservatory, "Songs from The Journey" emerges as an extraordinary showcase, featuring the unforgettable melodies from The Journey Musical, a beloved production that has graced the stage of Daniels Spectrum since 2013.

On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, the Employment and Economic Development (EED) Working Group of the Regent Park Social Development Plan (SDP) held its spring quarterly meeting on the third floor of Daniel’s Spectrum. The meeting was facilitated by Fatima Saya, the Manager of Social Impacts with the Daniel’s Corporation. Fatima is also the agency co-chair of the EED Working Group. The goal of the EED Working Group is to increase employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the neighbourhood. The purpose of today’s meeting was to elect new resident co-chairs and to share information about the working group and its ongoing projects. Gail Lynch, a former market resident co-chair, began the meeting by introducing the EED seven-step entrepreneurial strategies. The first step in the strategy was a learning series which was delivered to two cohorts of learners. The learning series was then developed as a module that can be accessed through an online database and used by other entrepreneurs. In a

 On May 3, 2024, the Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre welcomed members of the Downtown East Indigenous communities to the Community Health Gathering 2024. This event served as a vibrant platform for urban Indigenous community members, service providers, and allies to converge and exchange invaluable insights on holistic health and wellbeing and networking. The event saw a remarkable turnout, with key organizations in attendance including the Women’s College Hospital—Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health, Anishnawbe Health Toronto, NCCT Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, Toronto Public Health Dental Clinic, Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle, among others. Crucial information about resources like the UHN University Hospital Network—Indigenous Patient Navigator was shared, offering vital support to those within the cancer system who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis. Red Bear singers filled the air with indigenous songs and hand drums as attendees engaged in t

Taking effect in September of this year, Ontario has placed new restrictions on cellphones and vapes across grades from kindergarten to grade 12. This is made due to the outcry made by parents and teachers concerning students' focus and how cell phones and vapes have been proving to be a distraction from their education within classrooms.   “We have heard loud and clear from parents and teachers alike that cell phones in classrooms are distracting kids from learning,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. Starting from kindergarten to grade 6, cellphone use has been ruled as strictly prohibited and must be kept on silent and out of sight for the entire duration of school time, unless permitted by teachers.   However, from grade 7 to grade 12, cell phones are restricted during normal class time, unless permitted by teachers. In addition, the government is tightening up in regards to students caught engaging in the use of vapes, cigarettes, and the like. Students