The Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy (TSNS) is the City of Toronto’s action plan for building partnerships in Toronto’s neighbourhoods so they can succeed and thrive. The strategy supports community well-being by partnering with residents, community agencies and businesses to invest in people, services, programs and facilities in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIA’s). The strategy strengthens the social, economic and physical conditions and delivers local impact for city-wide change.
To achieve equitable opportunities across all Toronto neighbourhoods by:
No matter what neighbourhood Torontonians call home, there are equitable opportunities for well-being.
In 2005, City Council identified 13 Priority Neighbourhoods as part of the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy. In 2011, residents, businesses and agencies from across Toronto helped review the Strategy and suggested ways to improve it. The Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy (TSNS) included their suggestions and reflects how neighbourhoods are doing now, with an updated list of Neighbourhood Improvement Areas.
Throughout 2019, City staff partnered with residents, agencies and businesses to begin the TSNS evaluation process. Feedback was collected through online surveys, focus groups, and at a Neighbourhood Summit event.
In March 2020, Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy activities were paused in order for City staff to support the emergency needs of vulnerable residents, families and communities through the TO Supports: COVID-19 Equity Action Plan. City staff and United Way of Greater Toronto developed the Community Coordination Plan to inform and collaborate with local community agencies to connect residents to resources, services, programs, and partnerships during the COVID-19 pandemic. City staff continue to work with local agencies across the City to operate the Community Coordination Plan to support issues management, donations, and service coordination for the City’s most vulnerable individuals and families.
Beginning in spring 2022, City staff will begin a process to reconnect and reengage local residents and community-led groups with ongoing opportunities to participate in City strategies and action plans, including the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy.
Key engagement activities will include:
The City of Toronto now has 158 social planning neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood designations help City staff collect data, plan, analyze and forecast City services. While these neighbourhoods may not fully encompass every historical, cultural, ethnic or economic neighbourhood area, they do provide a way for planners and researchers to track information about them over time. Learn more about updates to Toronto’s social planning neighbourhoods.
In 2014, the City used the Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool to score neighbourhoods under five domains of neighbourhood well-being. The five domains were:
The Urban HEART scores helped the City identify 31 Neighbourhoods Improvement Areas for additional investment through the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy.
The following action plans outline the structure of Toronto Strategy Neighbourhood Strategy 2020, and highlights the work that happened in the 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs), as well as the actions developed by residents, community agencies and City Divisions at 15 Neighbourhood Planning Tables:
The City worked with residents, community agencies and businesses in 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs) to make changes that strengthened neighbourhoods. 15 Neighbourhood Planning Tables represented the 31 NIAs and Neighbourhood Action Plans were developed by each Neighbourhood Planning Table to track investments in the neighbourhood.
Learn more about each Neighbourhood Planning Table.
The Resident Advisory Committee was made up of one resident volunteer and one resident alternate from each of the City’s 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs) and 8 Emerging Neighbourhoods (ENs). The Committee’s work is guided by the TSNS vision and mission, with a primary focus on activating people, resources, and neighbourhood friendly policies.
Learn more about the TSNS 2020 Resident Advisory Committee.
The City of Toronto is working with Social Planning Toronto to create a Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy Advisory Group. The Advisory Group will be made up of residents from 33 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and 10 Emerging Neighbourhoods.
The Advisory Group will provide input on:
From 2017 to 2021, the Neighbourhood Grants program offered grants of $1,000-$3,000 to resident-led groups to help them animate their neighbourhoods with events or activities. A maximum of $5,000 was available for each of the 39 identified neighbourhoods (31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas and 8 Emerging Neighbourhoods).
Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy 2020 Community Development Officers and Social Planning Toronto worked with residents and their Neighbourhood Planning Tables to support resident-led groups through the application process.
City Staff are in the process of redeveloping the Neighbourhoods Grants program. More information will be available in summer 2022.
The Local Champions Network is a dynamic group of grassroots leaders that worked together to build the capacity of resident leaders to create local impact for city-wide change. The network continues to collaborate on an ongoing basis.
The Centre for Connected Communities supported the Network by providing:
The Partnership Opportunities Legacy Fund (POL) provided investments starting at $50,000 to improve city owned or leased spaces within Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs). POL funds support small capital projects, such as new or updated sports pads, parks, activity rooms and/or gardens. The application process was led by resident groups from NIAs and supported by Neighbourhood Planning Tables, as well as City Agencies and Divisions.
The impact of POL projects has been felt through communities in the following ways:
Year | Project Name
(Address & NIA) |
Operating Agency/Division | Project Description & $ Invested | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Mornelle Court Hub
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2016 | 1021 Birchmount Hub
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2016 | Gilder Drive Recreational Rejuvenation
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2016 | 2585 Jane Street Basketball Refurbishment
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2016 | Allied Neighbourhoods Community Kitchen
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2016 | Youth Friendly Space
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2016 | Elm Park Splash Pad
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2016 | Driftwood Outdoor Basketball Pad Revitalization
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2016 | Community Revitalization Ionview Park
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2016 | Spenvalley Park Splash Pad
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2016 | Dawes Road Hub
|
Toronto Public Library |
|
In Progress |
2017 | Kingston Galloway Partnership Opportunities
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2017 | Lawrence Galloway Community Project
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2017 | Lawrence Orton Splash Pad and Outdoor Area Revitalization
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2017 | Rec Room Rejuvenation/ Markham and Eglinton
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2017 | 415 Resident Space Accessibility Redesign
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2017 | Gordonridge Community Grow
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2017 | The Roding Park Refresh Project
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2017 | Revitalization of Friends of Angela James Arena Project
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2017 | Gaffney Park Improvements
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2017 | 1652 Keele Alliance Welcoming Initiative
|
Facilities |
|
Completed |
2018 | Islington St. Andrews Common Area Revitalization
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2018 | Agnes Macphail Community Kitchens Upgrade Project
|
Toronto Community Housing |
|
Completed |
2018 | Bring on the Shade at Oakdale Park
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2018 | Fairhaven Renewal
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2018 | Fountainhead Park Enhancements
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2018 | Henrietta Park Activation Project
|
Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2018
|
Thorncliffe Park Hub
|
Social Development Finance Administration & The Neighbourhood Office |
|
Planned |
2018 | Don Montgomery Allied Neighbourhoods Community Kitchen
|
Social Development Finance Administration & Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
Completed |
2019 | Pelham Garden Community Kitchen & Park Improvement
|
Social Development Finance Administration & Toronto Community Housing |
|
In Progress |
2019 | Project Susan/Residents of Susan
|
Social Development Finance Administration & Toronto Community Housing |
|
In Progress |
2020 | UrbanArts Eco-Rejuvenation & Innovation Garden Project
|
Social Development Finance Administration |
|
Planned |
2020 | Vibrant Park Space Project
|
Social Development Finance Administration & Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
In progress |
2020 | Dentonia Park Enhancements/Youth Awoken
|
Social Development Finance Administration & Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
In Progress |
2020 | Runnymede Park Animation Plan
|
Social Development Finance Administration & Parks, Forestry and Recreation |
|
In progress |
City of Toronto Community Hubs are designed to house City services, non-profit partner services and offer community space to local community groups in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
You can find a wide range of programs, services and community space all available in a single location.
For information regarding specific programs, services and available space in your area please contact the Community Hub you are interested in directly.
Hub Name | Address | Programs & Services | Contact Information |
Keele Community Hub | 1652 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario, M6M 3W3 |
|
Community Hub Coordinator: Melodie Anderson
E-mail: melodie.anderson@toronto.ca Phone: 416-392-2981 |
Dawes Road Library & Community Hub | 416 Dawes Road
Toronto, Ontario, |
|
Email drstaff@tpl.ca anytime with your suggestions or questions. |