Geography of Toronto - Ethnic Neighbourhoods Lecture Summary

  • Toronto’s Strong Neighbourhood Strategy (TSNS)

    • Launched in 2005 with United Way.
    • Over 1,200 initiatives implemented by 2007.

  • Key Objectives of TSNS

    • Activating People: Community participation in planning.
    • Activating Resources: City allocating funds for social amenities.
    • Neighbourhood-friendly policies adapting to community needs.

  • Factors Making Neighbourhoods Strong

    1. Physical surroundings
    2. Economic opportunities
    3. Healthy lives
    4. Social development
    5. Civic participation

  • Neighbourhood Equity Score Contribution

    • Physical Surroundings: 7 points
    • Healthy Lives: 30 points
    • Economic Opportunities: 30 points
    • Decision Making Participation: 5 points
    • Social Development: 28 points

  • Neighbourhood Action Plans

    • Reflect community priorities.
    • Example: Downsview welcomed 800 Syrian refugees in 2016.

  • Ethno-Cultural Markers

    • Factors such as religion, language, and immigration status.
    • Social distance measures community boundaries among groups.

  • Socioeconomic Factors and Trust

    • Minorities often earn lower incomes, leading to demands for enhanced government support.

  • Social Engagement Factors

    • Involvement in voluntary organizations increases trust in political institutions.

  • Ethnic Entrepreneurships

    • Visible markers of multiculturalism and immigrant settlement.
    • Influences on retail spaces and community dynamics.

  • Place Making Practices in Chinatown and Gerrard Indian Bazaar

    • Established in the 1960s-70s with community-driven development.
    • Entrepreneurs adapt existing retail spaces originally occupied by Europeans.

  • Effective Place Making

    • Requires active public participation but can be constrained by top-down control in design and layout.