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Meet The New SDP Market Co-Chair

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Catch: Tell us about your experience of growing up in the community. How long have you lived in Regent Park? Regent Park has been a consistent and formative presence in my life. My connection to the community began during my elementary years at Nelson Mandela Park Public School, and I have remained closely connected since then while continuing my education through high school and university. My academic work at the University of Toronto is in an HBSc program, with an interdisciplinary focus on the study of religion across diverse traditions, including Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, and secular thought. This has shaped my approach to ethical reasoning, inclusive leadership, and thoughtful decision-making. I have gained research-focused experience within major public institutions, including The Hospital for Sick Children and the University Health Network, where professionalism, accountability, and discretion are essential. While these experiences have influenced my path, Regent Park cont...
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Coalition for Responsible Community Development

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 On March 16th 2026, planning committee members of the Regent Park Social Development Network and members of the Regent Park Neighbourhood Association,  joined the 22 other neighbourhood representatives from across the City of Toronto, to participate in discussions related to the new formation of a city wide advocacy group known as the Coalition for Responsible Community Development. The aim of this new coalition is to build a network of neighbourhood groups from across the City of Toronto dedicated to the funding and support of community-led Social Development Plans and Community Development Plans. The Coalition argues that every neighbourhood in Toronto should have the resources to plan and shape its future and through the development of community-led Social Development Plans (SDPs) and Community Development Plans (CDPs). Social Development Plans (SDPs) and Community Development Plans (CDPs) like the Regent Park Social Development Network, strengthen neighbourhood safety, ec...
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The Struggle to Resource The Regent Park SDP Network

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 In 2003, when Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) began submitting plans to the City for the transformation of Regent Park, from 100% Public Housing to a mixed income and mixed-use community,  the approval from City Council required TCHC to work collaboratively with Regent Park residents and local agencies to develop and implement a Social Development Plan (SDP).  The Regent Park SDP would ensure that redevelopment would not just be about building new housing and facilities but would positively change the quality of life experienced by Regent Park residents - which at that time were exclusively socio-economically challenged TCHC Tenants living in rent geared to income (RGI) units. Regent Park would be the very first redeveloped TCHC community to have a SDP which would give community members a say in what they felt would improve the lives of residents in the new Regent Park.   To meet City Council’s requirement, the city’s community development staff wo...
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Measuring The Lasting Impact of the SDP Employment & Economic Working Group

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 Elena Taghizadeh. is a familiar face in Regent Park, where she has long been a resident and an advocate for the community. As co-chair of the SDP Network’s  Employment and Economic Development Working Group (EED), Elena has witnessed firsthand the implementation of the SDP. She believes in its power to bolster local entrepreneurship in Regent.  One can look at the Carousel Cafe & Bistro as a successful impact of the EED’s work.  The Carousel Cafe & Bistro, located in the Community Living Room of the Daniels Spectrum, provides opportunities for local Regent Park food vendors to partner with the cafe to sell their foods in the cafe and be part of the catering business. The establishment of the Carousel Cafe was a direct result of the three month Cafe Pop Up Project that was initiated by EED working in collaboration with Centre for Social Invention (CSI).  The project provided an opportunity for local food vendors to pilot their business by selling their f...
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Updates From the SDP Network’s Safety Working Group

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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) is one of the four working groups of the SDP Network, The Safety Network, facilitated monthly by co-chairs, Leonard Swartz and Ina Labauschagen, brings together key agencies and community stakeholders who are working in the area of safety including the Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Services, Toronto Community Housing Community Safety Unit and elected representatives. At the March 16, 2026, monthly meeting of the Safety Working Group, Leonard Holder, the District Chief of Toronto Fire Services highlighted important fire safety issues, with a strong focus on the risks associated with e-bikes. Residents were advised not to store e-bikes inside residential units due to the potential dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries. According to Leonard even lithium-ion batteries on cell phones can be hazardous. Fire officials noted that clearer policies and gui...
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Gig Work Panel Discussion Raises Concerns About Job Security in Toronto

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 A recent virtual panel on the future of work is sparking important conversations for communities like Regent Park, where many residents rely on app-based jobs to make ends meet. Held on April 14, the event “Gig Work – Delivering an Insecure Future for Many?” brought together researchers, organizers, and policymakers to examine how platform-based work is changing employment across Ontario. The discussion was moderated by Jessica Bell and featured economist Jim Stanford, gig worker organizer Jennifer Scott, and policy researcher Deena Newaz. The conversation focused on a growing shift: stable jobs with benefits are being replaced by short-term, app-based work with fewer protections. “This isn’t a new system,” said Stanford. “Telling poor people to do low-paid tasks for others is as old as capitalism.” He challenged the idea that technology is driving these changes, arguing instead that it’s about “how the work is organized and who benefits.” For workers on the ground, the reality is...
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Toronto Police Launch Two Operational Initiatives Amid Debate on Accountability and Community Safety

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On March 24, The Toronto Police Service announced Task Force Guardian and a Counter-Terrorism Security Unit, describing the initiatives as a response to a more complex and evolving public safety environment. At a media conference, Chief Myron Demkiw, alongside Deputy Chief Frank Barredo, said the goal is to improve how police detect, prevent, and respond to threats, including extremism, hate-related incidents, and other public safety concerns. As part of this rollout, Task Force Guardian will increase police visibility in everyday public spaces—transit areas, community hubs, and places of worship. Officers may also be seen carrying tactical gear, including patrol rifles. Police say this is meant to deter incidents and allow for faster response, not to signal an immediate threat. Officials say the move is about preparedness and adapting to both global tensions and local safety demands. Task Force Guardian will also work alongside existing specialized and emergency response units already...
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Toronto’s Anti-Black Racism Plan Faces Pressure to Deliver Real Results at Year Five

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At Toronto City Hall, city officials, community leaders, and residents gathered to assess five years of Toronto’s Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism—an initiative with direct impact on neighborhoods like Regent Park and Moss Park. The update, presented at the Economic and Community Development Committee, outlined progress made since the plan’s launch, including expanded investments in Black-led initiatives and the completion of many targeted actions. But for residents in the Downtown East, the conversation quickly turned to what remains unresolved. “We’re seeing progress on paper,” said community advocate Walied Khogali during the meeting. “But on the ground, families are still struggling with food insecurity, housing instability, and unemployment. The reality hasn’t changed enough.” Across Regent Park and Moss Park, where many Black families live, systemic barriers continue to shape daily life. As redevelopment transforms the area, residents say the pressures are not just about...
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St. James Town’s 200 Wellesley Tenants Demand Safer Homes and Stronger Security

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Residents of 200 Wellesley Street East are raising ongoing safety concerns, calling for faster and more visible action inside one of St. James Town’s largest high-rise buildings. At a tenant meeting held April 1 at Wellesley Community Centre, residents, housing officials, and police gathered to discuss conditions in the building. The meeting brought together the Toronto Housing Community Safety Unit, Toronto Police 51 Division, the St. James Town Safety Network, the St. James Town Residents Council, and the 200 Wellesley Tenants Association, along with Councillor Chris Moise and Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) staff. While police presented data showing a decline in major crimes, residents questioned how those figures reflect their lived experiences. “Our concerns aren’t perception… we are experiencing the violence,” one resident said. Constable Victor Espinoza-Parent noted that assaults, thefts, and shootings are lower compared to last year. “If I’m basing on last year, we’re under...
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Coalition for Responsible Community Development shape Debate on Community Benefits & Equity Planning

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At Toronto City Hall on April 9, 2026, the Economic and Community Development Committee heard a wide-ranging discussion on community development and equity planning, with strong input from Regent Park residents, members of the Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee, and the newly-formed Coalition for Responsible Community Planning calling for more consistent, community-led investment. The item focused on how the city’s community development plans, inclusive economic development frameworks, and equity-based tools can better guide public investment across neighbourhoods. At the centre of the discussion was community benefits planning—how growth and redevelopment can be more directly tied to local priorities and long-term neighbourhood well-being. For Regent Park residents, the conversation reflected ongoing questions about how equity is defined and how resources actually reach communities most affected by redevelopment and displacement pressures. Mohammed, vice-chair of the City’s Confront...
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