Little Jamaica - A Future vision

Type: Community, Urban Design, Master Planning, Engagement

Location: Toronto, Ontario.

Status: Completed 2020

Media: Globe and Mail Global News

Click here to view report

In partnership with Black Urbanism TO Inc. and Open Architecture Collaborative Canada, SOCA co-authored a report A Black Business Conversation which outlined a future vision for Toronto’s ‘Little Jamaica’ to address issues of affordability, new development, and other challenges facing Toronto’s largest Caribbean neighbourhood. Like many of Toronto’s culturally distinct retail strips, Little Jamaica has faced continued challenges of demographic change and gentrification which have been further exacerbated by the construction of the new LRT line and more recently COVID-19.

The report was drafted to inform a City of Toronto planning framework study as a way to help guide the future development of the neighbourhood in a holistic manner, with full consideration of Little Jamaica’s economic and cultural needs. This includes guidelines for preserving and constructing affordable housing and commercial spaces, incremental densification that builds upon and enhances the existing community character, along with pedestrian centred public space design that celebrates a Caribbean and broader African-Canadian culture.