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“Revitalization” is coming to St. James Town North in the way of safer, greener and more accessible spaces for residents. St. James Town, which is bounded by Bloor Street East to the North, Wellesley Street to the South, Jarvis Street to the West, and Parliament to the Street east; is considered to be one of North Americas most densely populated neighbourhoods, and research by the Wellesley Institute has identified that St. James Town suffers from: “overcrowding, lack of green and public spaces, poor building and neighbourhood maintenance, and a general lack of resources for serving the large and diverse population.” There are 19 high-rise apartment buildings ranging in 14 to 32 stories in height, with a population density of 44,321 people per square km (Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population. Neighbourhoods data set at: www.toronto.ca/open). Many of the buildings are named after major Canadian cities, The Winnipeg, The Halifax, The Vancouver, The Montreal, The Calgary,

The life experiences and personal struggles of Canadian politician George Smitherman. George Smitherman was the former Toronto Centre Riding Member of Provincial Parliament from 1999 to 2009 (representing the communities of St. Jamestown, Regent Park, Moss Park, Cabbagetown and Church and Wellesley). George Smitherman served as Minister of Health and Long-Term Care from 2003 to 2007 and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure from 2008 to 2009. George was also the Deputy Premier of Ontario from 2006 to 2009. George resigned as a MPP to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in 2010, finishing second with 35.6% vote and losing to Doug Ford who won with 41% of the vote. George Smitherman was born in1964, one of four children, and spent his early years growing up in central Etobicoke, in the City of Toronto. His parents were from a middle-class working background and were not very educated. His mother managed the family as his father worked very hard managing a trucking business. George w

The summary of a conversation with former Toronto Centre Riding Member of Provincial Parliament (1999 – 2010), George Smitherman about his political life. George Smitherman was the former Toronto Centre Riding Member of Provincial Parliament from 1999 to 2009 (representing the communities of St. Jamestown, Regent Park, Moss Park, Cabbagetown and Church and Wellesley). George Smitherman was the first openly gay cabinet minister and served as Minister of Health and Long-Term Care from 2003 to 2007 as well as Minister of Energy and Infrastructure from 2008 to 2009. George was also the Deputy Premier of Ontario from 2006 to 2009. George resigned as a MPP to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in 2010, finishing second with 35.6% vote and losing to Doug Ford who won with 41% of the vote. When George Smitherman first received the Liberal Party nomination for Toronto Centre Riding in 1999, it’s fair to say not many residents of riding including Regent Park, Moss Park, St. James Town or

Anti-Asian Racism: A traditional Chinese Lion sculpture as part of the Chinese archway architecture located in the Broadway Avenue and Gerrard Street East are defaced with paint.   Photo courtesy of Tyrone Maclean-Wilson Anti-Asian racism incidents spark the need for a new reporting tool. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed a multitude of unforeseen problems, but one of the most troubling side effects has been a spike in incidents of anti-Asian racism. The coronavirus was first recognized in Wuhan, China, and some people are using COVID-19’s origins as an excuse for racism (though the majority of Ontario’s cases can be traced back to American and European travellers). In order to properly document these incidents of racism and related intolerance towards people of Asian descent, as well as other People of Colour and Indigenous peoples, the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO) and their partners has launched an online reporting tool designed to document inci

Initiated in January 2012, the Regent Park Community Wealth Initiative is exploring the potential for the developing a new sustainable economic model for the Regent Park community. Regent Park is going through a massive transformation from a social housing community to a mix-income and mixed-use community. The revitalization, now in its fifteenth year, has given rise to various initiatives and opportunities. One recent initiative is the Community Wealth Feasibility Project. The Community Wealth Feasibility Project is a partnership between the City of Toronto, Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), Young Street Mission (YSM), and the Employment and Economic Development table of the Social Development Plan (SDP). Initiated in January 2021, the project is exploring the feasibility of developing a new sustainable economic model for the Regent Park area by creating an environment that can nurture opportunities for community ownership, local entrepreneurship and resident operated businesses

RPTV reports on TCHC's selection of a new development partner for Phases 4 and 5 of the Regent Park Revitalization. On Dec 15, 2020, the Board of Directors at Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), approved Tridel Builders Inc., as the new partner developer for phases 4 and 5 of the Regent Park revitalization. Founded in the 1930’s, Tridel Builders Inc is the largest builder of condominiums in the Greater Toronto Area. Along with announcement that Tridel Builders Inc. was selected as the new partner developer, TCHC disclosed that Tridel will allocate $26.8 million towards community benefits for the Phases 4 and 5 of the Regent Park development, tripling the amount allocated in years previously! This decision followed over two years of intense consultations between Regent Park resident’s groups who were surprised by TCHC’s May 4, 2018, announcement that TCHC will be issuing a call for proposals, for a new developer to complete the final stages of the Regent Park Revital

In conversation with Rowena Pinto, Chief Program Officer of UNICEF Canada about ending Child Marriages St. James Town, located in the heart of the City of Toronto, is a community of communities. It lies in the northeast corner of the downtown area. The neighbourhood covers the area bounded by Jarvis Street to the west, Bloor Street East to the north, Parliament Street to the east, and Wellesley Street East to the south. Officially, approximately 17,000 people live in the neighbourhood's 19 apartment towers and 4 low rise buildings, making it one of Canada's most densely populated communities. It is largely filled with immigrants — especially those who arrived in the 1990s. In celebration of International Women’s Day, held this year on March 8, 2021, St. James Town TV had the opportunity to interview Rowena Pinto, Chief Program Officer of UNICEF Canada. Rowena oversees international policy and programs, advocating governments on policies that help children arou

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Bill Blair and Toronto Centre MP Marci Ien, meets Regent Parkers to hear safety concerns and inform the community about Bill C-21. On a cold night at 11:40 PM, on February 2nd, 2021, multiple gunshots were heard near Regent Park Boulevard and Dundas Street east, Toronto. Soon Toronto Police Cruisers were seen rushing towards a parking lot on Oak street between Sackville and Sumach street. Four men in their 50s and 60s were sitting in a Golden Honda Accord, were sipping their warm coffee, when two unidentified men opened fire on the car. Three men were injured and one was unharmed. Out of the three, one victim is reported to had suffered life threatening injuries while other two had major injuries as well. The deafening gunshots not only has shaken the community and has spread fear among the neighbourhood but has also mobilized a conversation around the issue of gun violence and the policies that have recently been considered

Cabbagetown Cares is an example how local communities are forming grassroots responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by mobilizing partnerships and resources to meet the needs of our most vulnerable communities. In this initiative St. Luke's United Church joins the Cabbagetown BIA and Dixon Hall to provide a free weekly hot meal in Allan Gardens. The coronavirus pandemic is uprooting and upending all the known human conditions. And as has become so patently clear to everyone, there is a definitive divide on who is being the most affected. From all reports COVID-19 infections are disproportionately striking low-income neighbourhoods, and neighbourhoods with a higher percentage of black, indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC). In Toronto’s downtown East side, neighbourhoods like Regent Park, Moss Park, Cabbagetown, St. Jamestown, and Church and Wellesley where there were already high levels of low-income people, homeless, those with complex health and mental health issues, and sub

More than just a convenience store, Sam’s is an integral part of the Regent Park community. No matter where you live, there is a local convenience store that is your go-to place for the smaller every-day consumer items. It might be a carton of milk, a loaf of bread, a bag of chips, a pop, the odd battery, or perhaps it’s a memory stick for your digital device – the convenience store should have it. The variety of convenience stores may differ slightly from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, they may be mom and pop operations, or chains like the 7-Eleven. They may be a meeting point in the neighbourhood where local residents can connect with friends, or form relationships with owners that go beyond the monetary exchange of goods and services. In Regent Park an area of Toronto that is going through a major revitalization, which will see the neighbourhood, once the largest social housing development in Canada, transformed into a mixed in-income, multi-use community. But change, especia