Where appropriate the CRA will work to highlight and champion local issues that impact our community. Sometimes this will start following an inquiry or an idea from a community member, sometimes as a result of our regular interactions with the City or local organizations.
Recent examples include:
- Working with local social services provider Dixon Hall to raise money to address acute food insecurity in Cabbagetown and the Downtown East.
- Liaising with film production companies operating ion the neighbourhood to raise $15,000 to support local concerns such as the Cabbagetown Youth Club, Local Schools, Dixon Hall, etc.
- Addressing community concerns about plans to establish a new Pot Shop within the Wellesley Street residential area, when there were already half a dozen pot shops scheduled to open within a km of this location.
- Working with the Cabbagetown BIA to support neighbourhood beautification projects and art installations
- Helping residents concerned about a new seven story mixed residential and commercial development planned at 597 Parliament Street, that threatened to cast shade on surrounding houses on Wellesley Street, Iroquois Lane and Amelia Street.
- Providing community insights into the needed redevelopment of the rooming houses in the four large Second Empire properties at 502-208 Parliament Street.
The CRA is also an active member of FoSTRA (Federation of South Toronto Residents’ Associations) which liaises on issues/initiatives such as laneway housing/garden suites, affordable housing and PlanTO.