Item - 2019.EC6.18

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, to include a request in the 2020 budget submission for $0.085 million, 1 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Community Development Worker to project manage the implementation of the Regent Park Social Development Plan.

2.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to review the proposed actions, services and programs in Attachment 1 to the report (June 13, 2019) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration and report to the October 16, 2019 Economic and Community Development Committee meeting on priority actions and a strategy to resource these needs in time for consideration for the 2020 budget process.

The Revitalization of Regent Park in 2007 created a unique opportunity to transform Canada's largest social housing community to a mixed-housing community. A Social Development Plan was developed in addition to the Physical Development Plan to ensure social cohesion and social inclusion were prioritized. Ten years later in 2017, community partners recognized the need to update the original 75 recommendations of the Social Development Plan. The Refreshed Regent Park Social Development Plan document was developed through feedback received from consultations and workshops attended by residents, organizations, City divisions, and social service agencies held in 2017 and 2018. 

In early 2019 community partners supported by the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing Corporation relaunched the Regent Park Social Development Plan Stakeholders Table.  The Stakeholders Table is the primary partnership vehicle for the implementation of the Refreshed Regent Park Social Development Plan. The Stakeholders table began a process to recruit resident and community service partner leaders to identify specific actions for implementation based on the recommendations of the Refreshed Regent Park Social Development Plan. A number of community partners including the Regent Park Neighbourhood Association and The Regent Park Executive Directors Network have asked the City to support the resourcing of the Social Development Plan.

This report describes priority actions identified by local partners in Regent Park. The report will also identify the City resources required to support the ongoing coordination of the Social Development Plan through Phase 4 and 5 of the Regent Park Revitalization.