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To: Bill Morneau, Finance Minister

SEND A LETTER: Save the Church and Wellesley Village

Toronto's LGBTQ2S village, centred around Church and Wellesley, is in danger of disappearing due to COVID-19.

We need to act now. The government should take immediate steps to identify endangered businesses and protect them as not only places of employment for LGBTQ2S individuals but also as safe spaces.

As the 519 Community Centre has recently proposed, we need an intergovernmental emergency fund to protect queer owned local businesses/venues that have been hit hardest by COVID-19, before they're forced to close for good.

The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program is not working as it should. Landlords are refusing to come to the table for this program, including many in the Village, leaving businesses ineligible for federal assistance.

In order to save the Village, we're asking you to:

- Make CECRA mandatory for landlords of small businesses.

- As the money in CECRA is already ear-marked for small businesses, release the 50% of commercial rent directly to small businesses in cases where the landlord refuses to apply.

Why is this important?

Between the lockdown and the cancellation of in-person Pride events, the Church Street community, endangered even before COVID-19, may not recover. LGBTQ2S performers, artists, servers, creators and other workers have been particularly hard hit. If our stores, cafes, restaurants and bars close permanently, we will lose an essential, life-saving network for LGBTQ2S youths, now and in the future.

When I was a struggling teenager, bullied in school and often lonely, knowing the community was there was a lifeline for me, even if I was too young to go to bars and had to settle on a Starbucks coffee. I was lucky. For me, "it got better." But LGBTQ2S young people are still struggling, and we've seen an increase in hate crimes during the pandemic.

Canada and Toronto in particular are recognized as a beacon for LGBTQ2S rights. Toronto Pride is rightfully known around the world, contributing millions to the local economy.

But every year, the village shrinks, with queer-opened businesses and venues closing and our once-vibrant community fading.

Now is the time for action, before our neighbourhood disappears forever. Please reform CECRA so it supports community businesses.

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Updates

2020-06-10 10:55:25 -0400

500 signatures reached

2020-06-09 14:15:04 -0400

100 signatures reached

2020-06-09 14:04:10 -0400

50 signatures reached

2020-06-09 13:59:55 -0400

25 signatures reached

2020-06-09 13:57:29 -0400

10 signatures reached