Toronto’s Blackhurst Cultural Centre received $750,000 from BMO in honour of the centre’s annual Emancipation Day walk in the city on Aug. 1.

The donation comes as the organization plans construction for a new cultural centre in Mirvish Village, where Toronto’s earliest Black settlers established homes. The new centre is expected to open in 2025.

“The Blackhurst Cultural Centre is proud to have BMO as a partner in this new anthropological model of development,” managing director Itah Sadu said in a statement. “Blackhurst welcomes the community, government, and the corporate sector to lay a foundation for a permanent and sustainable cultural infrastructure in the historic Bloor and Bathurst neighbourhood. The ancestors who came through the Underground Railroad and settled in this neighbourhood must be cheering this new Canadian chapter.”

The donation will support an operating and endowment fund to help the centre deliver outreach programs such as youth arts programs and a business e-course in partnership with the Schulich School of Business (York University).

And for the past 25 years, the Blackhurst Cultural Centre has operated a Black-owned bookstore, A Different Booklist, which is expected to move into the new hub in Mirvish Village. The completed structure will include four bookstore floors, cultural centre programming, and a drumming studio.

“This new centre will help support financial progress, racial equity, and inclusion for Black customers, colleagues, and the community,” Stanley Julien, head of special accounts with the Management Unit at BMO, said in a statement. “Our purpose to boldly grow the good in business and life, inspires our Zero Barriers to Inclusion strategy that’s breaking down systemic barriers and enabling access to opportunities for all. We are excited for the benefits this centre, and its programs, will bring for our community.”

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Black organizations joining in the fight for freedom and equity

A coalition of Black-led organizations and corporation are calling on the federal government to make permanent multi-million dollar programs for Black entrepreneurs and refugees during Emanicipation Month.

Tropicana Community Services are among those on the frontline, calling for the feds to allocate $97 million to ensure that refugees can integrate, find housing and job opportunities, and paths to education.

"My team and I are driven by an unwavering commitment to empowering and uplifting individuals from diverse backgrounds. Our collaboration with the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative exemplifies our shared vision for aiding Black, African and Caribbean people in overcoming barriers to their progress. Extending that wrap-around support to facilitate sustainable refugee integration that asylum seekers in Toronto and beyond can find their footing, thrive, and become valued contributors to the fabric of Canadian society."

Other organizations such as the BlackNorth Initiative in Toronto, Black Business Initiative (BBI) in Nova Scotia, Africa Centre in Alberta, and Groupe 3737 in Quebec, among others, have also been doing the work.

"Immigration has proven to be one of the most powerful drivers of economic development in Canada, enriching our nation with diverse skills, talents, and resilience. As we welcome asylum seekers seeking refuge within our borders, we must recognize the immense potential they bring to our communities," Tiffany Callender, CEO of the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE), said in a statement. "Effectively integrating these individuals is not just a moral imperative, but a strategic one. By providing them with the necessary support and resources to thrive, we unlock a wellspring of innovation, creativity, and untapped talent that will further bolster our country's growth and prosperity."