Item - 2021.EC22.8

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1.  Requested the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to apply the City of Toronto's Community Space Tenancy Policy and the appropriate granting process to Councillor Paul Ainslie's request on behalf of 5n2 Kitchens and to report in September 2021.

City Council on May 5 and 6, 2021, referred Motion MM32.9 to the Economic and Community Development Committee.

Summary from Motion MM32.9 by Councillor Paul Ainslie, seconded by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie:

5n2 Kitchen serves 3,500 residents with food packages per week to the area encompassing: West: the Don Valley Parkway and Woodbine Avenue, South: Danforth Avenue, North: Finch Avenue and East: Port Union Road. Since 2013, they have served 474,000 feeding families across Scarborough.

During COVID-19, Seema David founder of 5n2 Kitchen has been instrumental in ensuring local families are supported, working with several agencies, schools and communities to address hunger in our Scarborough communities. Without their community support many would have had great difficulty in working through their food security needs.

Knowing how essential 5n2 Kitchen is to the community, it is important to ensure they remain in the community and receive financial assistance. As their current lease is coming to an end, I am asking that the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration accelerate their work with the agency to ensure a long-term site for occupancy no later than December 31, 2021 in the community.

Thank you for your support.