Toronto wants to recognize 5 cultural neighbourhoods — but is it enough?

The City of Toronto is looking to formally recognize Little Jamaica, West Chinatown, Church-Wellesley, Little Iran and Bangla Town, but community members and advocates say that recognition isn’t enough.

These meeting notes are part of Documenters Canada, which is partly funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Learn more about our program here. The Green Line maintains full editorial independence to ensure journalistic integrity.

The City of Toronto wants to protect culturally-significant neighbourhoods from development, but is it doing what it takes?

On June 9, 2026, the Economic and Community Development Committee endorsed a Cultural Districts Program that would recognize and protect ethnic enclaves around the city.

The committee members voted to recommend recognition of five cultural districts: Little Jamaica, West Chinatown, Church-Wellesley, Little Iran and Bangla Town.

The program has two main components:

• Formal recognition of the five cultural districts. 
• Response to challenges of commercial displacement in Little Jamaica, Church-Wellesley Village and West Chinatown.

Kai Wong, co-chair of the Chinatown Land Trust, made a deputation and provided a letter written with co-chair Sara Constant. They recommend that the program adopts anti-displacement criteria to assess incoming development, a set of cultural districts policy protections and adequate funding. 

“For Little Jamaica, Chinatown and The Village, cultural districts planning should be a framework for cultural redress, an apology in the form of meaningful action, repairing past harm by protecting what communities have built in spite of it,” says Wong. “Cultural districts recognition is nothing without real policy protections and adequate funding,” they add.

Wong said that in 2020 and 2021, council motioned to create a plan to protect cultural businesses from displacement and erasure. 

“Five years later, West Chinatown is still waiting for action,” they said. 

Councillor Dianne Saxe said the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss budgets. She asked if there were any specific changes requested for the program.

Wong said that a mandate to develop a program was previously brought up and the public indicated gaps. 

Motions were also considered regarding the extension of Bangla Town’s borders to Warden Avenue, and for the General Manager of Economic Development and Culture to engage with local businesses and organizations in the neighbourhood.

The City says further consultation will be needed before introducing financial incentives and anti-displacement measures. The item is going to City Council on June 24, 25, and 26. Community members can reach out to the Chinatown or Little Jamaica Land Trusts to learn more. As of right now, there aren’t any community consultations planned for the public.

Documenter's POV

As a Bangladeshi-Canadian, I’ve spent a lot of time in the cultural district of Banglatown, which falls on Danforth Avenue between Main Street and Pharmacy Avenue. My family and I have frequented many shops/small businesses on weekends since I was a child, and I’ve continued the tradition even after starting university. 

The neighbourhood only gained its identity as a cultural district a couple years ago. It’s lively and vibrant with the kindest owners — some I have even known since childhood. Since economic decline and post-pandemic reintegration, many lives were uprooted, because local businesses were shutting down. For example, Café D Taj permanently closed down in early 2020.

The points made by the deputants in the meeting made me realize that all the cultural districts in Toronto have one thing in common: Most, if not all, local businesses flourished on the foundation created by immigrants and their families, setting the stage for future generations. The local businesses provided a sense of belonging that was left behind, created local relationships and sometimes even brought communities together to mourn a loved one.