Toronto’s Black social infrastructure, like libraries, parks, schools and community centres, is struggling, according to a report from the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation (SCCR), which is calling for immediate action.

The report, produced in collaboration with the University of Toronto’s Infrastructure Institute, calls for public and private investment and identifies the need for more community-led and targeted social infrastructure in Toronto’s various Black neighbourhoods.

The report case-studied and reviewed 36 Black organizations in the Greater Toronto Area to highlight inequities and the lack of funding.

Out of the 36 groups surveyed, only five were found to have been led by Black people. Other highlights of the report include the shortage of multi-use facilities for Black organizations that already exist.

The report cited the lack of ownership among Black community organizations as another issue. For example, only six out of the 36 case studies leased their locations, and Black people ran only three; therefore, 60 per cent of the Black-led cultural centres were found not to own their buildings, making it difficult to raise money with event space rentals, membership fees and other fundraising events.

Helen Ketema, project lead at the Infrastructure Institute, said ownership of multi-use spaces for BIPOC groups is critical for long-term staying power and growth. Many Black organizations currently operating cultural and recreational hubs lease spaces, largely in the downtown core and North York, excluding Blacks who live in suburban areas.

“A lot of the (spaces) that were historically built and owned by the community organizations ended up being very valuable to the community, and they could leverage that to expand services or relocate,” she told Toronto.com.

In 2017, the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism was adopted by the City Council, which led to the formation of the Confronting Anti-Black Racism unit in the City of Toronto, according to Toronto.com.

The City of Toronto signed on to address some of these long-standing issues last July.

Priorities in its 2022 work plan include expanding Black-led community services, including employment, health and legal aid, which, according to Ketema, could be incorporated into larger facilities and community organizations, as well as developing a Black community hub in collaboration with Black service providers, which fits in well with SCCR’s ongoing efforts.

Source: Toronto.com