Lawrence Heights Revitalization

In 2008, Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) announced plans to revitalize  its Lawrence Heights property, alongside a parallel City of Toronto planning process that covers the broader “Lawrence-Allen” area. Both agencies view revitalization as a means to improve the existing social housing stock, mix it with new housing types, and transform the area over the next 20 years from a geographically isolated low-income neighbourhood to a mixed-income community that is more integrated with the surrounding Lawrence-Allen area - with enhanced community programs, services and facilities.

Whereas planners see revitalization from a bird’s eye view, residents view it from the core of the community. As one resident jokes “in our family, revitalization has become a household word.” Most resident leaders are engaged in the revitalization planning process, but cautiously. They invest energy in working for change towards a better “revitalized” community, all the while wondering “what will the reality hold?” The one change residents have consistently asked for (in casual conversations, at meetings, and in documents) is an equal seat at the planning table.

As planning for this large-scale neighbourhood redevelopment advances, Unison (in collaboration with neighbourhood residents, community agencies and planning authorities) works to advance equity and build residents’ voice and leadership within revitalization planning and implementation activities. Our commitment to anti-oppression dedicates us to supporting residents – as those most affected by revitalization – to become more central players in the leadership of this community change process.

Unison’s health promotion team pursues 3 complementary strategies to meet these goals. These are:

Collaborate with other agencies (LHION Revitalization workgroup)

Support resident-led dialogue and organizing (Community Action Team)

Build equity in collaborations among residents and agencies (BePart)

LHION Revitalization Workgroup

- co-chairing LHION’s Revitalization Workgroup, where planners and community agency staff exchange ideas, feedback and collaborate to enhance diverse resident leadership in revitalization.