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
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.