Daniel’s Corporation Spotlight Report on Social and Physical Development at Regent Park over 17 Years

Deborah is a Cooperative student at FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

On April 4th, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, The World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park held a Community Report Back to provide Regent Park community members with an opportunity to learn about Daniels Corporation achievements and learnings in the redevelopment of the neighbourhood. The event was jointly organized by the Daniels Corporation, The World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park, and the Social Development Plan Pavilion Work Group.

Beginning in January 2023, Daniels Corporation released its second annual impact report titled “Bringing Impact to Life: 2021- 2022 Impact Report”. Within the report is Daniels’ account of their involvement in the Regent Park revitalization. The report shares what Daniels considers the six key ‘Building Blocks of Inclusive Communities’, and discusses how they have utilized these approaches in Regent Park over the last 17 years. The World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park is a global hub for exchange of knowledge and innovation in urban development and sustainability. These occasional events of community reporting give The World Urban Pavilion the opportunity to share knowledge and innovation on urban development and sustainability while providing insights into best practices and lessons learned.
 
Unlike many redevelopment projects, the revitalization of Regent Park is unique, meaning that it always involved a two-track approach - a physical redevelopment and a Social Developmental Plan. The Regent Park Social Development Plan (SDP), endorsed by the Toronto City Council and the Toronto Community Housing (TCH) Board of Governors in 2007 and funded by the City of Toronto in 2020, was the first of its kind. The physical development plan operationalized through the zoning bylaw, called for new streets, parks and facilities, along with new residential buildings and townhouses. Thus, the SDP would function as a change management framework that outlined the social, and economic strategies and mechanisms that would improve the quality of life for Regent Park and lead to a revitalized community. In the 10 years after it was established, the SDP fostered several successful initiatives, including collaborative public art installations, the building of Daniels Spectrum Centre - a dedicated arts and cultural hub where community members could gather; expanded community gardening programs; and it inspired the development of a neighbourhood association that draws membership from both TCH and market residents.

Regarding local employment concerns, residents of Regent Park looked at the revitalization as a platform for capacity building and local economic development. Recognizing this, TCHC was intentional in naming local hiring as a key goal for the redevelopment, and Daniels  Corporation made it a top priority since the beginning. Currently, 490 residents have been directly employed as a result of these local hiring initiatives, such that many residents now live and work in their community.

Concerning affordable housing, Daniels believes that affordable housing is part of the fundamental infrastructure of a resilient city. For a community to be truly inclusive, people that come from different socio-economic backgrounds and income levels must feel and be welcomed, he believes. In Regent Park, restoring the quality of social housing is a key goal of revitalization. In partnership with the TCHC, 1,261 rent-geared-to-income replacement homes, and 403 new affordable rental homes built to the highest quality standard were established.

Lastly, Daniels Corporation aims for a mixed-use development, which means that plans for finding opportunities to incorporate services for the community, to create avenues for employment, and for capacity building and community development were important. Harnessing the power of mixed-use development is a priority because it is fundamental to building inclusive communities. At Regent Park, adding a mix of commercial, institutional and community spaces to the community was also integral to the success of the revitalization.

In conclusion, Daniels' Community Report Back provides residents within the Regent Park community the security that local and global initiatives such as the Regent Park Social Development Plan and The World Urban Pavilion are focused on developing strategic plans for the Regent Park Community to become a prosperous neighbourhood with many opportunities that cater to residents from varied socio-economic backgrounds and income levels.