The City of Toronto leases City-owned or City-managed spaces to eligible non-profit organizations to deliver services to residents of Toronto, for a nominal, Below Market Rent. Organizations hold short-term agreements with the City to deliver direct programs to local neighbourhoods that meet specific community needs.
Providing accessible community space is a key component to building strong neighbourhoods. Community use of City space is a collaboration and investment in the City’s community and cultural organizations. These organizations in turn provide community, social, health, recreation and cultural programs that are aligned with and support the City’s strategic objectives. The absence of community space directly impacts the availability of programs and services that are responsive to local needs.
Services delivered under Community Space Tenancy include community health, arts and culture, recreation, before and after school programs, settlement services and environmental planning.
City staff members are available to talk with you about the Community Space Tenancy program. You can ask us about how to apply, how to get on a waiting list for City space, or how to develop a proposal towards a community space tenancy project.
Applicant organizations must be:
Applicant organizations must:
Community Space Tenancies will be made available to organizations through a Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) administered by the City of Toronto. The REOI is an open call to Non-Profit organizations that fit the service priorities of the available City space allocated for community use. Community organizations must be able to meet any additional application requirements.
A single non-profit organization leasing a dedicated community space providing stable, consistent and accessible community services. A City space can have more than one organization each with an independent lease.
Each lease can be a head lease for up to two sub-lease agencies within a given space.
A one- to two-year lease agreement for grassroots organizations to build capacity, develop an organizational structure, and design services in order to meet an emerging need. Incubator Tenant organizations will share space with a mentor organization.
Three or more non-profit organizations lease dedicated space within a city facility with intentional service collaboration and integration. A governance structure and co-location agreement details the facility service mandate which each agency follows in addition to their lease with the City.
NEW Community Space Tenancy Opportunity at 980 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario (former Kent School)
The City of Toronto is pleased to announce the commencement of the development of a multi-service space in the lower floors of the Kent School. The City is seeking eligible community organization(s) for Community Space to be located in the lower and first floor of 980 Dufferin Street under the Community Space Tenancy Policy to be co-occupied with a daycare (daycare space is not included in this REOI).
This Request for Expression of Interest and selection process will be used in the determination of appropriate occupant organizations for the development of the Program Model, Governance Structure and Hub tenancy agreement (s).
This space will not be ready for occupancy until approximately 2023. Eligible organizations will need to provide approximately $500,000 to finish the approximately 20,000 square foot space.
To apply for this Community Space Tenancy, all organizations must submit a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) application and attend a mandatory information session on May 5, 2021, at 4pm, registration for this session closes on May 3, 2021 at 4pm.
Please note that applications from organizations that do not attend this mandatory online information session will not be considered.
To receive a copy of the Request for Expression of Interest Application, a Frequently Asked Questions document, and to register for the mandatory information session, please email Desiré Robertson, Coordinator of Community Programs, via email at Desire.Robertson@toronto.ca before May 3, 2021 at 4pm.
Please note that only organizations that have registered to attend will be provided with the link to access the mandatory online information session. Organizations must attend this online information session in order to be eligible to submit a Request for Expression of Interest application. The link to the mandatory online information will be provided to you when you register.
The City offers various opportunities and agreements for the use of available space through other City Divisions. Follow the link and/or contact below to explore other possibilities.