Item - 2026.CR9.3
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee on March 23, 2026 and was adopted with amendments.
- See also EC27.12
CR9.3 - Advancing Community Development through Evidence-Based Planning
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Committee Decision
The Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee recommends that:
1. Economic and Community Development Committee request the City Manager, in consultation with the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit and relevant divisions, to report to City Council as part of the development of the neighbourhood assessment tool and to provide a briefing note as part of the 2027 budget process on a citywide framework for scaling Social Development Plans / Community Development Plans, including:
a. Identification of priority neighbourhoods for implementation, including those with significant Black and racialized populations;
b. Governance models that ensure resident-led and community-based decision-making;
c. Integration with existing City strategies related to community safety, housing stability, employment, and social development; and
d. Opportunities to partner with neighbourhood associations, coalitions, and grassroots organizations.
2. City Council request the Mayor to consider, in the development of the 2027 budget, allocating ongoing yearly funding in the range of $250,000-$500,000 annually per neighbourhood to support neighbourhood associations or community-led coalitions to implement Social Development Plans.
3. Economic and Community Development Committee request the Executive Director, Social Development to consider the establishment of equity-based indicators and accountability mechanisms, in the development and implementation of Social Development Plans / Community Development Plans include, including:
a. Collection and reporting of disaggregated race-based data related to youth opportunities, community safety, service access, and housing stability; and
b. Alignment with the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism, the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (Recognition, Justice, Development), and relevant City equity frameworks.
4. City Council reaffirm that Social Development Plans/Community Development Plans are core anti-Black racism interventions, as they:
a. Address neighbourhood-level disparities in safety, policing, housing access, and economic mobility;
b. Build capacity within Black and racialized communities; and
c. Support resident-led, equity-based governance and community resilience.
Decision Advice and Other Information
John Smith, Manager, Community Development Unit, Social Development, and Safiah Chowdhury, Manager, Social Policy, Social Development, gave a presentation on Advancing Community Development through Evidence-Based Planning.
Summary
This presentation provides a brief history and update of how the City of Toronto uses evidence-based data to support improved community outcomes, local leadership, and place-based investments, and identifies several community, neighbourhood and regional approaches to transformational change that have been implemented over the last two decades, as well as highlighting future community planning approaches.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/cr/bgrd/backgroundfile-285406.pdf
Communications
(March 22, 2026) Letter from Tamanna Yeasmin and Walied Khogali Ali, Co-Chairs, Board of Directors, Regent Park Neighbourhood Association (CR.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/cr/comm/communicationfile-206122.pdf
(March 23, 2026) Letter from Nicole Corrado (CR.New)
Speakers
Motions
That Recommendation 1 in the motion by May Mohamed be amended as follows:
Deleting the words “in advance of the 2027 budget process” and replacing with “as part of the development of the neighbourhood assessment tool and to provide a briefing note as part of the 2027 budget process”, so it reads as follows:
1. Economic and Community Development Committee request the City Manager, in consultation with the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit and relevant divisions, to report to City Council as part of the development of the neighbourhood assessment tool and to provide a briefing note as part of the 2027 budget process on a citywide framework for scaling Social Development Plans / Community Development Plans, including:
a. Identification of priority neighbourhoods for implementation, including those with significant Black and racialized populations;
b. Governance models that ensure resident-led and community-based decision-making;
c. Integration with existing City strategies related to community safety, housing stability, employment, and social development; and
d. Opportunities to partner with neighbourhood associations, coalitions, and grassroots organizations.
That the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee recommend that:
1. Economic and Community Development Committee request the City Manager, in consultation with the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Unit and relevant divisions, to report to City Council as part of the development of the neighbourhood assessment tool and to provide a briefing note as part of the 2027 budget process on a citywide framework for scaling Social Development Plans / Community Development Plans, including:
a. Identification of priority neighbourhoods for implementation, including those with significant Black and racialized populations;
b. Governance models that ensure resident-led and community-based decision-making;
c. Integration with existing City strategies related to community safety, housing stability, employment, and social development; and
d. Opportunities to partner with neighbourhood associations, coalitions, and grassroots organizations.
2. City Council request the Mayor to consider, in the development of the 2027 budget, allocating ongoing yearly funding in the range of $250,000–$500,000 annually per neighbourhood to support neighbourhood associations or community-led coalitions to implement Social Development Plans.
3. Economic and Community Development Committee request the Executive Director, Social Development to consider the establishment of equity-based indicators and accountability mechanisms, in the development and implementation of Social Development Plans / Community Development Plans include, including:
a. Collection and reporting of disaggregated race-based data related to youth opportunities, community safety, service access, and housing stability; and
b. Alignment with the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism, the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (Recognition, Justice, Development), and relevant City equity frameworks.
4. City Council reaffirm that Social Development Plans / Community Development Plans are core anti-Black racism interventions, as they:
a. Address neighbourhood-level disparities in safety, policing, housing access, and economic mobility;
b. Build capacity within Black and racialized communities; and
c. Support resident-led, equity-based governance and community resilience.