Work

We’re working in partnership with the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation (SCCR) to help refine and build support for their vision of a cultural and recreation centre, a vision that has been committed to by Toronto City Council in July 2022. In partnership with the SCCR team, we’ve produced the following report that identifies the need for community-led social infrastructure geared to Toronto’s diverse Black communities. It highlights both the growing importance of community-led social infrastructure as recognized by academia and public policy, and the undeniable gaps for Toronto’s Black communities to access and lead these spaces.

The report draws from a policy context scan, a case study of 36 community centres led by ethno-cultural community organizations, and an analysis of existing gaps in social infrastructure serving Black communities using the latest census data. The report concludes that the SCCR is well-poised to address the existing social infrastructure gaps and inequities in Toronto’s Black communities with high-level recommendations for public policy, ideal location for the SCCR, and creative mixed-use strategies. Please read our report to learn more!