@isshumawatte
Canada is weirdly against commercial shops on the first floor of apartment buildings, whereas it's the norm in everywhere else in the world. Places like Kensington Market is where people actually enjoy going to and living nearby.
@eddybarber-rozema9112
I was born and raised in Kensington Market and it's been disheartening to watch all the shops change especially after covid. So interesting to learn about this though. maybe if I move back home I could get involved! I'd hate to see my neighborhood be destroyed by gentrification
@chemariz
The key is "Community". People need to learn that individualism only benefits the big corporations. In housing, in politics, agriculture, and everything.
@tranquil2706
I wrote a dissertation on community land trusts. Didn’t make a splash in the US, but seems to have aroused interest in other countries, based on the scholars who contacted me. Glad to see this happening in Canada.
@beylethdirons2160
Proof that local public ownership is better than private ownership, full stop.
@kbarracuda
I’ve lived in Toronto for only 5 years and honestly I’ve been shocked at how quickly Kensington market became more gentrified after the pandemic. A lot of places that were small grocers are now coffee shops or dispensaries. It’s good to hear there are efforts to slow it down.
@no_mercy225
replacing diverse shops with generic big brands? could explain why ppl are suddenly blaming immigrants for issues that have persisted for decades, big corporations are definitely behind the push of this narrative
@abdulmohammed5461
I am from Harlem NYC and lived in Broadway Housing Communities almost my whole life. it’s a Non profit that does a similar thing with 99-year leases focusing on families and struggling people and combining art, education, and affordable housing. it’s tough in NY but it’s definitely a diamond in the rough. We need to organize this kind of work all over America and work to reinstate displaced families
@MaximilianFischer497
One potential solution to address gentrification is through strategic investment. By focusing on value-growth stocks in gentrifying areas, investors can help revitalize neighborhoods while generating returns. This approach can support local businesses and community initiatives.
@icomefromcanadia2783
The easy answer to both protecting popular areas like Kensington Market and helping making more affordable housing is to simply look at WHY these old neighbourhoods are popular and fix our zoning. These communities are popular because they're built like exactly that...communities. Walkable and with less zoning restrictions, allowing mixed use and little to no absurd setback and side space requirements, and loosening these zoning laws across the board instead of just small areas one at a time as that just increases the values of those small areas. UK style terraced/row housing and similar styles like those in old Toronto neighbourhoods, are the ideal way to go for single family homes. Way more density, yet with street facing communities, back alley parking where needed, getting cars off main streets, and still maintaining non-strata/HOA private ownership. Along main streets mixed use mid-rise rental apartments and condos are ideal. You should be able to do with your property what you wish, with very little restrictions, and if you don't own the property, you don't get a say. NIMBYism and red tape has run amok in Canada.
@baronjutter
Land trusts are nice, but ultimately we need to simply allow places like Kensington market to form by-right. Zoning keeps new ones from naturally forming and shifting around as they have historically in cities.
@brandonpeniuk
I love how you covered all aspects of gentrification. I lived a couple blocks from Kensington Market a decade ago. I loved Kensington because there were basically ma-and-pop shops and independent retailers that sold terrific foods. I also love vintage clothing, so there were a lot of clothing stores. If you need a Halloween costume, check; if you need an empanada or fresh avocados, check; if you need a delicious cup of coffee, check. The community would not be better with a Canadian Tire, a Walmart, or a McDonald's in the neighbourhood. Keep it local!
@janinebean4276
This is amazing! Putting the land back in the hands of the community, not developers, is incredible. Maybe another way to acquire land would be for people to leave property to the trust in their wills!
@KabochaOu
I literally wrote my thesis on community land trusts (and against zoning) and I grew up hanging out in Kensington. I don’t live in Toronto anymore so I didn’t know there was a CLT being developed but this makes me so happy!!
@mikekitterhing1618
They should rename them “Community Land Investment Trusts” or C.L.I.T ‘s for short. Then nobody would be able to find them .❤
@gmg9010
A Walmart there would absolutely ruin the look more over the community.
@fernbedek6302
Raccoon petting zoo also seems good for fighting gentrification all on its own.
@kapitankapital6580
I think it's really interesting looking at that payment breakdown. Just under 0.02% of that money actually comes from the community, the rest coming from governments and banks. That means these organisations exist almost entirely on the whim of local government, and presumably these banks aren't donating out of the kindness of their hearts. These seem to act as glorified debt traps for local people, and as repayments and maintenance costs rise these community land trusts will feel the exact same market pressures that landlords currently do and will themselves become a force for gentrification.
@leobethge6002
Thank you community land trusts for maintaining our eclectic neighborhood s.
@krissydiggs