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EED Update and Communication Strategy Highlight SDP Planning Committee Meeting

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The Regent Park Social Development Plan (SDP) Network’s March 19, 2026 Planning Committee meeting opened with an update from Elena Tagizadeh, Co-chair of the Employment and Economic Development (EED) Working Group, who introduced the Workforce Integration Project. The initiative is designed to connect Regent Park residents with local job opportunities by addressing systemic barriers to employment. Through partnerships with employers and community agencies, the project aims to create a more inclusive and accessible employment system. Following the presentation, committee members raised questions about the initiative’s effectiveness and sustainability. Concerns centred on the need for measurable outcomes and greater transparency. One member called for clearer data on how many residents have secured employment through the program, as well as more detailed information on funding sources to ensure the project’s long-term viability. The discussion then led to a proposal from Deany Peters to ...
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Community Iftar Brings Regent Park Residents Together

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 Residents gathered on Sunday, March 15 at the Daniels Spectrum for a community iftar organized by the Regent Park Neighbourhood Association (RPNA), bringing neighbours together to break the fast during Ramadan while also discussing community issues such as tenant rights. Iftar marks the moment at sundown when Muslims observing Ramadan break their daily fast. According to the RPNA, the event was designed not only as a cultural and religious gathering but also as an opportunity for residents to connect with one another and learn more about local advocacy efforts. The event included a shared meal, designated rooms for prayer, and youth activities aimed at engaging younger attendees. Participants were invited to write reflections about Ramadan on a communal wall, while a photo wall with a dedicated photographer allowed residents to capture moments from the evening. RPNA co-chair Walied Khogali Ali also led a short quiz based on themes from his opening remarks, testing how closely yout...
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Students and Advocates Protest OSAP Changes at Queen’s Park

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 On March 24, 2026, students and community members gathered at Queen’s Park to protest major changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program announced by the government of Doug Ford. OSAP is a financial aid program that helps current and incoming post-secondary students pay for college or university. Funding typically comes in two forms: grants, which students do not have to repay, and loans, which are paid back after graduation. While the program is administered by the provincial government, funding comes from both the Ontario and federal governments. Beginning in fall 2026, the provincial government plans to significantly restructure the program. Under the new system, grants will be capped at 25 percent of the total financial aid a student receives, while loans will make up at least 75 percent. Previously, some students were eligible to receive up to 85 percent of their assistance as non-repayable grants. Government officials say the changes are intended to make the program mor...
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Regent Park Safety Network Discusses Crime Trends, Overdose Risks, and Community Priorities

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The Regent Park Social Development Plan (SDP) Network’s Safety Working Group, also known as the Regent Park Safety Network (RPSN), met on March 16 for its monthly meeting, bringing together key agencies and community stakeholders to share updates and address ongoing safety concerns in the neighbourhood. The meeting was facilitated by Leonard Swartz, Co-Chair of the RPSN, and included updates from partners such as the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services, Toronto Community Housing, and the City’s Community Safety Unit. A representative from the Toronto Police Service shared the latest crime statistics from 51 Division, which includes Regent Park. According to the update, crime levels are slightly higher compared to the same period last year, from January to March 2025. However, no major incidents were reported at the time. Community members also raised concerns about ongoing safety challenges in the neighbourhood. Toronto Fire Services highlighted important fire safety issues, ...
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Regent Park's New Model for Addiction and Mental Health Care

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 The Regent Park Community Health Centre has officially opened its Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub, joining Ontario's growing network of treatment-focused centres aimed at supporting people experiencing addiction, homelessness, and mental health challenges. Serving Regent Park and neighbouring communities including Moss Park, Cabbagetown, and St. James Town, the HART Hub brings together addiction treatment, primary care, mental health services, housing support, and case management under one roof to provide coordinated, long-term care. The opening comes as Ontario continues its shift away from provincially funded supervised consumption sites. The provincial government has invested approximately $550 million to establish 28 HART Hubs across the province, describing the initiative as a recovery-focused approach that combines healthcare, social services, and supportive housing. Unlike supervised consumption sites, HART Hubs do not provide supervised drug consum...
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Yonge Street Mission Submits New Proposal for Affordable Housing Development on Gerrard Street East

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A long-planned affordable housing project at Gerrard Street East is moving forward with a revised proposal that would increase the number of residential units being built at the site, while continuing to include space for Yonge Street Mission’s community programs The project, which is located at 306-310 Gerrard Street East, has been in development for several years. YSM, a Toronto-based organization providing community support services, purchased the properties throughout the years of 2009 and 2016, and has operated out of the site for roughly a decade. The original application was submitted to the City of Toronto on February 17, 2022. The proposal involved demolition of the existing low-rise buildings and construction of a 10-storey mixed-use development designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, and developed with The Daniels Corporation.  The previous proposal included 194 residential units, along with both office and retail space on the lower floors. Through the City’s Open Door A...
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Toronto Moves to Expand Community Crisis Response Across TTC as City Backs Care-Based Approach

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Toronto is moving to expand its community-based mental health crisis response system across the TTC, following a July 21 Executive Committee discussion that highlighted the success of the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS). Launched in 2022, the 24/7 service has responded to nearly 50,000 calls and dispatched mobile crisis teams in more than 41,000 cases. The city is now working to expand the service across the TTC, building on a pilot currently operating along part of Line 1. The discussion is particularly relevant for residents in Regent Park, Moss Park, St. James Town and surrounding communities, where residents, families and community workers regularly encounter the broader challenges connected to mental health, housing and access to support. During the meeting, speakers described how crisis workers can offer an alternative to police when police are not required. “People experiencing mental health crisis are increasingly met by trained crisis workers instead of an immediate po...
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Regent Park SDP Planning Committee Maps Out Summer Strategy and Leadership Updates

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On May 21, 2026, members of the Regent Park Social Development Plan (RPSDP) Network’s Planning Committee gathered on Zoom for a Meeting focused on advancing plans for the upcoming stakeholders’ table and related activities. The meeting was facilitated by the co-chair of the Network, Tamanna Yeasmin and Adonis Huggins and brought together committee members, working group representatives, and community partners.              The meeting opened with a brief check-in and recap from the previous session. Tamanna confirmed that Levi Collins had been elected as co-chair representing Toronto Community Housing (TCHC), and later in the meeting Rabia Alsabaie confirmed that she could fill the market-housing co-chair position for the Community Building working group. The conversation then shifted to a proposal on what Community building working group could look like moving forward. Adonis outlined a workshop-based approach led by ArtHubs, with support from Yonge S...
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Save the Waterfront Virtual Town Hall Examines Proposed Billy Bishop Airport Expansion

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A virtual town hall hosted by Toronto Centre MPP Chris Glover brought together waterfront users, residents, scientists and environmental advocates to examine the proposed expansion of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. At the centre of the discussion was a presentation by waterfront advocate Ron Jenkins, who outlined concerns about the scale of the proposed expansion and its potential impacts on Toronto Harbour. The proposal would extend the airport farther into Lake Ontario, including an approximately 750-metre western extension and a 150-metre eastern extension. Jenkins said the project could also expand marine exclusion zones and create new challenges for boaters navigating the Western Gap. “Small recreational boats would be further constrained at the entrance to the Western Channel,” Jenkins said, citing earlier environmental analysis of a smaller proposed runway extension. “No mitigation is available to ease the challenge of navigating the entrance to the Western Channel.” Jenkins...
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Affordable Housing, Density and Resident Voices Shape City Debate on 500 Dundas St. East Proposal

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 The future of one of the final development sites in Phase 3 of the Regent Park revitalization sparked a wide-ranging public debate at Toronto and East York Community Council, where residents, community advocates and planning professionals weighed the benefits and concerns surrounding the proposed redevelopment of 500 Dundas Street East. The proposal would permit a 35-storey mixed-use building with 413 homes, including plans for 65 permanent affordable rental units, subject to funding approvals. Following public deputations and committee debate, councillors voted to recommend approval of the zoning bylaw amendment and forward the application to Toronto City Council for a final decision. While many deputants agreed Toronto needs more housing, much of the discussion centred on a key question raised repeatedly by Regent Park residents: who will benefit from the affordable housing being created, and will current community members be able to remain in the neighbourhood? Several resident...
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