Toronto's Inclusive Spaces Poll​

Physical spaces in city neighbourhoods are an important part of conversations about rights and discrimination. People marginalized and stigmatized as a function of their being seen as a person with a mental illness, their being impoverished, or across a range of other factors, routinely experience difficulty accessing city spaces and, where access is possible, do not always experience respectful, welcoming environments.

 

With this in mind, a small collaboration of organizations (CAMH, The Dream Team, The Empowerment Council, and PARC) came together to conduct a poll to begin to explore what spaces consumer/survivor communities feel are exceptions in downtown Toronto neighbourhoods – rating both "for profit" and "not-for-profit" spaces where they had experienced inclusion. Inclusion was defined across a range of areas, not limited to mental health concerns, but also addressing socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, gender, and sexual identity. By highlighting places where diverse groups of people felt comfortable, we aim to open a conversation about spaces where some business and organization staff have demonstrated an ability to make people who have faced systematic social adversity feel welcome.

 

 

This program of work has been funded by: