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 foods at Daniels Spectrum.  After the project was over, ongoing advocacy efforts by EED and RPNA to establish a permanent cafe led Arts Hubs, the management of Daniels Spectrum, to issue a Request For Proposals for the operation of a cafe.  The successful bid to establish Carousel Cafe was won by Regent Park residents Halima Farah and Humaira Rahman of H-Squared Consulting & H-Squared Collective.

Another example of the lasting work of EED was the development of a Learning Series workshop for entrepreneurs in Regent Park. Developed in 2023 under the leadership of Gail Lynch, the former EED market co-chair, the series provided 48 entrepreneurs with the basic skills and knowledge to establish or expand their businesses. The Learning series currently lives on as an on-line resource for entrepreneurs that can be accessed on the SDP Network’s website.

Currently Elena’s work revolves around the Workforce Integrator Project. The Integrator project connects residents to employment partners by coordinating services, aligning partnerships, and leveraging neighbourhood supports to reduce gaps and improve transitions. The employment service partners involved in the project are Dixon Hall, Fred Victor, JOBS4U, TNG Community Services and Yonge Street Mission. Other Organizational Partners include Daniels, Toronto Community Housing (TCH) and Tridel.  For the year ending March 31, 2026, the Workforce Integrator project resulted in 10 full time jobs and 26 residents receiving employment supports.  

For Elena, the EED represents more than just a program—it’s a bridge for rebuilding the economic fabric of Regent Park. She also mentioned that the EED works with Regent Park residents to provide them with training, certifications and even resume help should they need it. Elena’s work also includes planning job fairs and executing many promotional events and
educational programs for the EED, hoping to involve as many Regent Park residents as possible. For Elena, the work of the EED is vital for Regent Park post-redevelopment because it is a practical solution for local entrepreneurs. It helps them combat the issues brought forward by the redevelopment and promotes economic equity.

By Elena Taghizadeh, Jake Knight, Patricia Richards, Shreya Shourie. Adonis Huggins

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