Downtown East Action Plan

The Downtown East 2023 Action Plan provides a comprehensive set of actions to coordinate City services and address complex challenges in Toronto’s Downtown East area related to poverty, homelessness, community safety, mental health and substance use, and the drug poisoning crisis. The Downtown East is made up of many distinct neighbourhoods, including Moss Park, St. James Town, Church Wellesley Village, and Cabbagetown. Regent Park also falls within the area boundaries, however as a community identified for revitalization, the area is guided by a separate process that includes the Regent Park Social Development Plan.

The Downtown East area is bound by Bloor Street on the north, Front Street on the south, Bay Street on the west, and the Don Valley Parkway on the east.

Implementation of the five-year Action Plan began in July 2019 with four central outcomes in place:

  • Safe, inclusive communities
  • Cross-sectoral trust and collaboration
  • Stability for people experiencing marginalization
  • Model for a City response to complex issues

The City would like to hear about your experiences in the Downtown East and your ideas about what is working well and what could be improved. Your feedback will help inform the next phase of the Downtown East Action Plan. The Get Involved section below outlines opportunities to have your say.  

In partnership with Fred Victor, the City is hosting virtual and in-person meetings for the public in neighbourhoods across the Downtown East. There will also be focused engagement opportunities in the community. See below for upcoming public events. 

  • In-person: Wednesday, September 20, Doors open at 5:30 p.m, Meeting from 6 – 8:00 p.m. Register here

In 2018, City Council approved an Enhanced 12-month Immediate Action Plan for the Downtown East, which included 36 action items and directed City staff to develop a longer-term five-year plan.

City staff engaged in broad consultations with the community to understand service needs and priorities and identify gaps. Consultation included community agencies, Business Improvement Areas, and local resident associations, with a focus on people with lived experience of homelessness and those who access services in the area. Read the Summary of Key Consultations in the Downtown East.

In July 2019, the Downtown East Five-year Action Plan was adopted by City Council. The Plan outlined a set of activities and actions under the four central outcomes to coordinate City services and response. Read the Downtown East 2023 Action Plan Summary.

A report on the Downtown East Action Plan – Implementation Progress was adopted by City Council in July 2022.

In the fall of 2023, City staff will report back to City Council with proposed recommendations and a next phase workplan for the action plan.

Read the full Downtown East Action Plan 2022 Progress Update or view the highlights below:

  • Enhanced outreach and de-escalation teams to support community safety including Here To Help, Crisis Outreach and Support Teams (COAST), and the Community Care Project, providing clean up of discarded  harm reduction supplies.
  • Continued funding support of $150,000 per year for the Community Engagement Team led by the Downtown Yonge BIA providing response and de-escalation supports in the Yonge Dundas area.
  • A two-year grant stream to support community projects that advance the Action Plan’s goals
  • Enhanced street, laneway and park cleaning
  • The continuation of the Downtown East Focus Table and the Church Wellesley Safety Network.
  • Continued connection with residents, resident associations, BIAs and other community partners to support access to information and training
  • A Toronto Downtown East Justice Centre pilot, moving out of a traditional courtroom and into a community setting, connecting high needs individuals with supports and services to prevent cycling through the criminal justice system
  • The development of a Downtown East Housing Strategy to increase diverse and affordable housing options