Your Community

Istar Restaurant, located close to Islington Avenue and Dixon Road in Etobicoke, has become a popular spot for Somali cuisine.

With over 60 per cent of its population made up of visible minority groups, it’s an understatement to say Kingsview Village-The Westway is diverse. Bordered by Highway 401 and The Westway, this suburban…

As ‘Your Community’ highlights Kingsview Village-The Westway in Etobicoke, Nick Westoll visits Istar Restaurant to hear how it has become a thriving hub for Somali cuisine and community members.

The Green Line team visited Kingsview Village Jr. Public School to learn how CILAR and GlobalDWS are working with students from grades 2 to 5 to demystify AI and robotics.

Toronto is growing every day — not just in terms of people, but prices, too. Buying a home, especially, seems like a pipe dream in today’s housing market. But one group in Bloordale Village believes…

As ‘Your Community’ visits Bloordale Village, Nick Westoll speaks with members of the Bloordale BIA about the Toronto neighbourhood and efforts to highlight small businesses.

The Green Line team checked out a co-owned house in Toronto’s west end to learn how two or more people can pool resources and buy a property together.

Mashud Siddique handed out 1,000 free rotis from his Vena’s Restaurant near Bloor and Lansdowne. This isn’t the first time Siddique has handed out free food. He’s done it off and on since 1998 after a…

School is back in full swing and students are juggling classes, life and work. But all work and no play can leave you feeling empty. That’s why one company in the Garden District is trying to combat loneliness…

City of Toronto workers attended Allan Gardens Friday morning to begin a day-long clearout of a long-standing encampment.

The Green Line team visited Toronto Metropolitan University to learn how students are combating isolation in the city. 

The City of Toronto moved to clear encampments at Allan Gardens after more than a year of efforts to do so. Nick Westoll speaks with a community advocate and Coun. Chris Moise to get their reactions.

One new walking tour in the downtown East End neighbourhood of Blake-Jones is teaching locals about Toronto’s rich Black history. Between 2007 and 2019, outdoor basketball nets were removed from schools…

The Green Line team walked with Lanrick Bennett Jr. to learn how his new walking tour is raising awareness about Black figures and historical events in Toronto’s East End.

As ‘Your Community’ visits the Blake-Jones neighbourhood, the Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre serves as a vital hub for this area. Nick Westoll has more.

The TTC is holding its annual public open house on Sept. 16, 2023, in support of United Way Greater Toronto. Nick Westoll toured Greenwood Shop with the facility’s manager to get a preview.

One group in Cabbagetown is making the most of summer foot traffic by launching a unique walking tour to support local businesses. At the height of COVID-19, Cabbagetown’s main street businesses took…

For nearly half a century, residents in Cabbagetown gather for a weekend to celebrate their community. As ‘Your Community’ visits Cabbagetown, Nick Westoll has more on the annual event.

The Green Line team walked around Cabbagetown to take the neighbourhood BIA’s unique tour that aims to support small businesses and highlight local history.

Movie lovers are flocking to Toronto this weekend to kick off the week-long Toronto International Film Festival. There are no scheduled subway closures this weekend, but there is a late subway opening…

For many African, Caribbean and Black communities, braiding is part of their self-care routine. That’s why a new salon in Keelesdale-Eglinton West is putting a twist on the braiding experience by…

Final work is underway at Mount Dennis station in west-end Toronto and a contract to build platforms at Caledonia station is out for bidding.

As ‘Your Community’ visits the neighbourhood of Keelesdale-Eglinton West, Nick Westoll looks at how this area and others nearby are set to see a surge of new transit services in the coming years.

CityNews recently toured Mount Dennis station. Along with several TTC bus routes, GO Transit and UP Express trains will eventually stop at the station. It will also be the initial western terminus of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT when it opens.

Transitioning from school to work isn’t easy, and it can be even harder for youth who’ve been in the criminal justice system. But one group in Dorset Park believes everyone deserves a second chance. From…

Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute is at the heart of Dorset Park. Staff and students are working together to foster inclusivity.

As people continue to talk about social media reviewer Keith Lee’s food tour of Toronto, a few of his stops happened in Scarborough. However, if you visit Dorset Park, Kennedy Road has around 100 food businesses to visit. Nick Westoll has more.

Located in the heart of Scarborough’s Dorset Park neighbourhood, Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute is an important community hub. Nick Westoll has more on the efforts to boost inclusivity and make school welcoming for all.

The Cedar Ridge Creative Centre in Scarborough has been municipally run since 1978. Its mission is to provide support for artists.

A local group is working to bring bicycle culture to Scarborough. Scarborough Cycles is a bike hub in Golfdale-Cedarbrae-Woburn run by community health centre Access Alliance, and funded by the City…

Students and staff at Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute are working on two major events for April 25, 2024. There will be a wellness and empowerment day along with a school-wide luncheon. Nick Westoll speaks with several of the organizers.

The Green Line team visited Golfdale-Cedarbrae-Woburn to learn how one local bike hub is filling in transportation gaps.

Little Ethiopia is largely concentrated on Danforth Avenue between Greenwood and Coxwell avenues in Toronto.

For those with disabilities, attending a show at just any Toronto venue isn’t that simple. That’s why one local theatre in Greenwood-Coxwell is trying to change that. The Redwood Theatre has been a…

While many might associated Danforth Avenue with Greektown, there are other cultural districts on the vital east-end Toronto corridor. One area that continues to thrive is Little Ethiopia. Nick Westoll has more.

The Green Line learned how the theatre’s innovative technology helps people with hearing loss feel sound.

The Junction Residents Association has developed the ‘Hate has no home here’ campaign.

DJ equipment costs a pretty penny and this financial barrier blocks many Torontonians from learning the artform. The Junction’s DJing community has seen ups and downs since the COVID-19 pandemic flatlined…

The Green Line visited The Junction to learn how Offshore Studio is helping locals learn DJing skills without the financial stress.

In order to build inclusivity in The Junction neighbourhood, a group of residents has developed the ‘Hate has no home here’ campaign. Nick Westoll has more.

In the north end of Toronto, the neighbourhood of Downsview is best known for its urban park.  Nestled in this expansive green space is the Toronto Black Farmers and Food Growers Collective, which…

A planning process is underway for the massive 520-acre Downsview site. It’s expected there will be 100,000 people living in the area by 2050.

The Green Line team spoke with the Toronto Black Farmers and Food Growers Collective to learn how they’re empowering local residents in Downsview by teaching them how to farm.

The company leading the massive redevelopment of the Downsview airport lands is preparing to shut down the airfield in mid-2024 as work to transform the 520-acre site over 30 years ramps up. Nick Westoll reports.

Scarborough Health Network has begun on a 10-year plan for redeveloping Birchmount Hospital. Also, a health hub is being built in L’Amoreaux.

Public art downtown is plentiful, but not all local artists have the same access to the resources everywhere in the city, including the Scarborough neighbourhood of L’Amoreaux. One organization, Next…

As Scarborough and the region continue to see an influx of new residents, planning is underway for a massive expansion at Birchmount Hospital. Nick Westoll has more on what this means for the L’Amoreaux neighbourhood and the surrounding community.

The Green Line checked out the VIEWS mural program in L’Amoreaux to learn how it’s helping local youth bring public art to Scarborough.

As Your Community visits Downtown Yonge East, CityNews visits The Teresa Group to learn more about its services.

A charity in Downtown Yonge East is working to make counselling and therapy more accessible, especially in a neighbourhood dominated by students. The direct and surrounding area, which houses universities…

In the heart of Downtown Yonge East, The Teresa Group is working to provide valuable supports to Toronto children and families affected by HIV and AIDS. Nick Westoll reports.

Hard Feelings is new to the Downtown Yonge East neighbourhood and has begun surveying to identify gaps in mental health aid. Its goal is to support local families and students with its low-cost counselling and programming.

Stella’s Place has provided mental health support to youth and young Toronto adults for 10 years. Since March, it has been in Alexandra Park.

Starting fresh in a new city — let alone a new country — can be overwhelming. But in the downtown west-end Toronto neighbourhood of Alexandra Park, a local community centre is helping newcomers…

Stella’s Place settled into its new space in Alexandra Park early in 2023, but for a decade it has provided mental health supports and services to people between 16 and 29 years old. Nick Westoll has more on the Toronto organization.

The Green Line team visited Scadding Court Community Centre to learn how their unique structure empowers them to run programs for the community, by the community.

All summer long, the last Sunday of the month is pedestrians-only in Kensington Market. It’s a chance to listen to live music, do a bit of shopping, and more. Here’s a look at what the market has to offer.

The El Mocambo in the Toronto neighbourhood of Kensington-Chinatown has been operating since this late-1940s.

Toronto’s Chinatown on Spadina and Dundas has witnessed a lot of ownership changes over the years. In March 2023, a condo developer purchased 315 to 325 Spadina Ave. to build a 13-story, mixed-use building,…

Mother’s Dumplings, a family-owned restaurant located on Spadina Avenue in Toronto’s Chinatown, is known for its homemade dishes. Husband and wife duo, Zhen Feng and Richard Stuart, first opened the…

Like many of Toronto’s distinct multicultural neighbourhoods, Little Portugal has seen changes fuelled by redevelopment and other factors. Nick Westoll has more on the efforts to preserve Portuguese and Lusophone culture.

Murals along Dundas Street West in Little Portugal are one of the ways the community’s history and culture are being preserved.

The Good Fork, located near Dundas Street West and Dufferin Street, is bringing Anatolian cuisine to Little Portugal in Toronto. It was started by two brothers, Ali and Tolga Yalcin. “We are Kurdish…

Emerging artists don’t often get their start in major galleries, but rather through grassroots collectives in unassuming parts of our city. BONAFIDE, a new local arts collective is pushing the definition…

Henry Farm is something the president of its Community Interest Association calls Toronto’s “best kept secret.” The small community in the northeastern part of Toronto was first established in 1809…

The online bakery ito Desserts and Gifts, based in the Henry Farm community near Don Mills Road and Sheppard Avenue East, offers a combination of French and Japanese pastries. The mini cake business…

The community centre in Henry Farm is helping seniors socialize by spreading the joy of music. Brandon Rowe has more on the program a number of people take part in every single week.

Dan Berry takes a look at the history of the Henry Farm community, who it was named after, and how it’s evolved over the last couple centuries.

In this edition of Your Community, CityNews spoke with three community advocates who share their pride for the Jane and Finch neighbourhood.

A new centre opening in the Jane and Finch area is taking a holistic, community-driven approach to addressing youth violence in the city. The Youth Association for Academics, Athletics and Character…

A decade ago, the Mohammed family started Debes Roti and Doubles, a staple for Trinidadian food in Toronto’s Jane and Finch community. The first location, which is now closed, was started by Jenny and…

Many people don’t know that Cabral “Cabbie” Richards spent his younger years growing up in Jane and Finch. Brandon Rowe got the opportunity to speak with the journalist about his upbringing and career.