Item - 2021.EC26.8

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council request the Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing Corporation to request the President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing Corporation to undertake the capital improvements required to establish a community food space at 200 Wellesley Street East and to lead a Request for Expressions of Interest process, identifying a collaborative of community agencies to activate the space and operationalize the coordination, activation and resident participation for the space.

This report responds to City Council direction to determine the operational and staffing cost requirement to support the mandate of the Interim Collaborative Framework for Healthy Food Security in St. James Town and the costs related to providing community space at 200 Wellesley Street East. The report provides a summary of the Collaborative Framework, actions taken to date, a model for supporting the mandate of the Collaborative Framework as well as details of the design and costs for redesigned community space at 200 Wellesley Street East.

The St. James Town Community Food Table was established in January 2021. This table was initiated by City staff following direction from City Council and convened with representation from community agencies, residents and residential apartment owner groups, including Toronto Community Housing Corporation and City divisions. In July 2021, a report was submitted to Council outlining the outcomes of the table, including an Interim Collaborative Framework developed by the members of the table.

The report recommends that funds be provided: i) to advance the goals and principles of the Collaborative Framework and key actions of the Food Table through start-up resources for facilitation, coordination, activation and resident focused capacity building and ii) to advance capital investments in a new community food space at 200 Wellesley Street East.