Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force
In 2003, Toronto City Summit Alliance (now CivicAction) called upon the Prime Minister and Premier to implement a new fiscal deal for municipalities.
Problem Addressed
Growing poverty and demographic change in the city drove demand for social services at a time of intense funding pressures on Toronto’s network of social services. These competing pressures led to community hot spots, “neighbourhoods where residents lack even the most basic programs and services”.
Solutions Implemented
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In 2004 the Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force was established and has led to 1,200 initiatives in six years across 13 priority neighbourhoods.
Key Results
Mobilizing and leveraging investment to support under-served communities
The targeted focus on specific, priority investment neighbourhoods enabled the City of Toronto and United Way to mobilize and leverage many millions of dollars in additional investment to strengthen these communities.
Building strong partnerships for strong neighbourhoods
This focus led to many Provincial and Federal initiatives that have been successfully aligned with neighbourhood action in Toronto. It also led to new forms of partnership and collaboration that have taken shape between local service providers, community agencies, and private sector partners.
Building social infrastructure in underserved neighbourhoods
New community hubs, the revitalization of youth facilities, and efforts to open other types of publicly owned facilities improved the resources available to existing services.
This task force was required to support essential community needs, such as affordable housing, post-secondary education, newcomer integration, and social infrastructure in poor neighbourhoods.
Read more about the task force here.