Table Of Contents
  1. Don Summerville Revitalization
  2. Employment Program

Don Summerville Revitalization

In partnership with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), Applegrove has taken on a leadership role in engaging tenants on issues related to revitalization of the TCHC Don Summerville site at 1555 and 1575 Queen Street East.  Tenants are engaged in all aspects of the revitalization process, which aims to transform this aging social housing complex into a vibrant integrated, mixed use and mixed income community. 

The physical redevelopment of Don Summerville is accompanied by social transformation. In January 2020, a community benefits program was launched. The program supports social and economic development for tenants through a $100,000 scholarship fund, a $250,000 economic/social development fund, and TCHC tenant job opportunities valued at a minimum of $500,000. In addition, a community action plan supports social cohesion and connectivity for tenants and the community as a whole.  

Learn more about Don Summerville Revitalization:

Scholarship Program

Toronto Community Housing, its development partners Context Developments Inc. and RioCan Living, and Applegrove are working together to deliver the Don Summerville Scholarship Program. This program supports tenants to pursue post-secondary education in college, university, career academy and/or a trade school and recognizes the commitment of tenants to contributing to their community, bettering the world around them and cultivating change in their career field of interest. 

The scholarship is available to relocated Don Summerville tenants of any age who aim to achieve any of the following achievements to build up or excel in their careers:

  • A post-secondary degree from a Canadian college or university
  • A training or academic certificate from an accredited Canadian educational institute or training school
  • Completion of a single course from an accredited Canadian educational institute or training school

 Key Information

  • Scholarship awards are valued at up to $3,000 and cover tuition fees for any program at a post-secondary institute or an accredited Canadian educational/training institute.
  • A $500 bursary is available to cover expenses such as textbooks, childcare, transportation, etc.
  • Scholarship awards are applicable for full-time studies, part-time studies, and single course enrollment. Programs may be in-person, online, or hybrid.
  • Recipients are selected by a panel of evaluators.

The application deadline for the 2023 Scholarship Program was May 8, 2023.

Questions?

Contact Marveh Farhoodi at [email protected] or 416-688-1583

Instagram: @donsummervillehub

Facebook: don summerville hub

2022 Scholarship Award Winners 

From left to right, our 2022 Don Summerville Scholarship winners: Taryn Raffin; Sami Abdo; Iman Abdo; Abeba Haile Okbamichael; Marlyse Mariette Obono Menounga. Not shown: Welela Leul

Click here to meet 2021 scholarship recipients

Community Action Plan (CAP)

Revitalization is not just about new buildings. It is also about people and facilitating a positive neighbourhood for all. The CAP is a living document created by tenants, TCHC and community partners. It provides a road map for building community engagement, social inclusion and economic empowerment into the revitalization process.

The first pillar in the CAP is celebrating heritage. TCHC, RioCan, Context Development Inc. and Applegrove are working with East End Arts to support a community-driven heritage project based on gathering and sharing stories and photos of Don Summerville tenants.

Employment Program

As part of revitalization, TCHC, RioCan, Context Development Inc. and Applegrove are collaborating with WoodGreen Employment Services and TDSB Next Steps Employment Centre to connect TCHC tenants with employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. Some but not all opportunities are associated with the revitalization project itself, for example in construction and the trades. Applegrove is also committed to providing seasonal employment opportunities to youth from Don Summerville

To see revitalization-related job postings visit www.queencoxwellrevitalization.ca/jobs