Kensington Market hub moves into community's hands, acquired by local land trust
A slice of Kensington Market is now in the community’s hands — for good.
The Kensington Market Community Land Trust (KMCLT) has acquired 54-56 Kensington Avenue — a part-commercial, part-residential property that homes five commercial spaces and 12 residential units.
The property is home to a variety store, a barbershop, a tattoo parlour and a hat shop, in addition to its residential upper half.
“54-56 has a lot of symbolic resonance for the community and the neighbourhood and people who come to this neighbourhood,” Dominique Russell of the KMCLT told CTV News Toronto.
Just two years ago, the tenants of the building faced renovictions, says Russell. She fought alongside City Councillor Mike Layton, MPP Jessica Bell and the Kensington-Bellwoods Legal Clinic, amongst others, to ensure tenants knew their rights.
In the end, tenants were able to remain in their homes.
“When we realized that 54-56 was on the market, we contacted [Layton] and said, ‘Can you help us get this building?’ Russell said.
“We’d been having conversations with KMCLT for some time about what their goal was. When the opportunity came forward, it was an excellent chance to protect affordable housing in the community,” Councillor Layton told CTV News Toronto,.
Layton brought the item to the city council, where it was seconded by Councillor Joe Cressy and passed, granting the trust $3M towards the acquisition.
“I was very happy to see it more forward,” Layton said, adding that he hopes this will help give KMCLT the means and assets to help grow their portfolio.
Executive Director of Housing Secretariat at City of Toronto, Abi Bond, was also glad to see the acquisition.
“The acquisition of this multi-tenant home, provides a critically important form of deeply affordable housing for low-income households, including vulnerable and marginalized groups, who may otherwise be at risk of homelessness,” Bond said.
“This project demonstrates the value of community land trusts and the City working together,” she continued.
Two years since the threat of evictions hung over tenants’ heads, 54-56 now belongs to the community — and the trust doesn’t have any plans to stop there.
“We’re interested in protecting as much as we can of the neighbourhood,” Russell said, adding that the KMCLT’s timeline is “in perpetuity” and the project is very much a long-term one.
“The emphasis is really, on the one hand, keeping the neighbourhood vibrant, [..] keeping it diverse and keeping it accessible to everyone. The idea as well of just holding in common, giving ourselves some say in what happens in our neighbourhood, and helping our neighbours have some stability,” she added.
To continue their work, KMCLT has started a GoFundMe, hoping to raise a total of $50,000 — at the time of publication, just over $6,400 had been donated.
The funds will go towards ensuring the permanent affordability of 54-56 Kensington and pursuing further acquisitions in the Market, says the group.
Russell says that this victory — and any future success they see — is dedicated to the tenants of 54-56 Kensington Avenue.
“The victory of being able to buy the building is really in connection to my gratitude of the tenants who could withstand that pressure. I hope it gives some optimism in what is generally not a very optimistic picture for renters in Toronto.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.