With almost two decades of place-based work behind us, neighbourhoods are what we at United Way Greater Toronto know best. It is where our network of local agencies offers the programs, services and space people need most. And it’s where we delve into research, build strong partnerships and pilot progressive models for community prosperity that are to everyone’s benefit.
What does that look like?
The same on-the-ground experience has taught us that truly inclusive communities have:
- A strong network of community services
- Engaged and connected residents
- Financial stability
- Housing stability
The time to double down on neighbourhoods is now. We are experiencing rapid growth. With that comes added pressures on our infrastructure and communities—for housing and transit, for government and social services. We know that change is not neutral. United Way is working to avoid the pitfalls of gentrification and displacement that reinforce inequalities, and instead accommodate and leverage that growth, protecting and strengthening neighbourhoods, and directing development and revitalization so that they lead to greater inclusion. We believe that the solutions to our communities’ greatest challenges can be found in our neighbourhoods and in the residents who call them home.