.How Inclusive or Exclusive is the Public Discourse on
Weston Road?
Which voices are represented in private and public media? Who is heard in Weston, and whose voice is not heard?
Stephanie Shih, Criminology and Sociolegal Studies // Woodsworth College
Stephanie Shih, Criminology and Sociolegal Studies // Woodsworth College
Misrepresentation weaves overrepresentation with underrepresentation, intertwining the two in its intricate pattern.
The news and media often portray Weston as an unsafe neighbourhood with high crime rates and low income. This portrayal often focuses on racialized and gendered criminality of the “Black male offender”, depicting violent crimes as a cultural norm rather than isolated incidents.
The media tends to sensationalize violent crimes, particularly homicides and shootings. The over-exaggeration of the frequency and prevalence of violent offences dominates the public discourse.
This media depiction draws a connection to the current overrepresentation of the Black population in the criminal justice system. It infers the underlying structural inequalities in wealth, resources, and location that contribute to the experiences of marginalization and injustice— distributive, procedurally and recognitional.
The news and media often portray Weston as an unsafe neighbourhood with high crime rates and low income. This portrayal often focuses on racialized and gendered criminality of the “Black male offender”, depicting violent crimes as a cultural norm rather than isolated incidents.
The media tends to sensationalize violent crimes, particularly homicides and shootings. The over-exaggeration of the frequency and prevalence of violent offences dominates the public discourse.
This media depiction draws a connection to the current overrepresentation of the Black population in the criminal justice system. It infers the underlying structural inequalities in wealth, resources, and location that contribute to the experiences of marginalization and injustice— distributive, procedurally and recognitional.
Internet search engines and published news articles show Weston as a problematic neighbourhood exclusive to crime and disorder instead of an inclusive site of immigration and cultural diversity.
The misrepresentation of Weston as a purely crime-ridden neighbourhood comes from the overrepresentation of violent offences and the under-discussion of Weston as a neighbourhood— of history, culture, people, and character.
The exclusionary media discourse undermines the principle of justice and recognition, especially recognizing Weston's contemporary legacy as a diverse, vibrant, and culturally rich community for newly arrived immigrants from the Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa to Canada.
Source: Global News
Apartment Buildings in Weston
The mixed-use buildings on Weston Rd. embody the community spirit of the main street
by combining residential, commercial, and industrial uses in one space.
The primary types of housing in Weston are apartments and condominiums,
reflecting the socioeconomic composition of Weston as a renting majority.
The mixed-use buildings on Weston Rd. embody the community spirit of the main street
by combining residential, commercial, and industrial uses in one space.
The primary types of housing in Weston are apartments and condominiums,
reflecting the socioeconomic composition of Weston as a renting majority.
Businesses on Weston Rd.
The strip of businesses on Weston Rd. including haircare, restaurants, and convenience stores, reflect the demographic composition and cultural identity of Weston as a working-class, multicultural, and immigrant-based neighbourhood with strong African, Caribbean, and Latin American backgrounds.
The strip of businesses on Weston Rd. including haircare, restaurants, and convenience stores, reflect the demographic composition and cultural identity of Weston as a working-class, multicultural, and immigrant-based neighbourhood with strong African, Caribbean, and Latin American backgrounds.
Community Spaces and Sites of Activism in Weston
Sites significant to the Weston community reflect the socioeconomic struggles
and living needs of a family-centred, low to moderate-income, immigrant community—
greater accessibility to green spaces amidst new developments, better living
environments for raising children, and more affordable housing units in light of rising
rent across Toronto.
Sites significant to the Weston community reflect the socioeconomic struggles
and living needs of a family-centred, low to moderate-income, immigrant community—
greater accessibility to green spaces amidst new developments, better living
environments for raising children, and more affordable housing units in light of rising
rent across Toronto.
Weston went from one of the most affordable areas in Toronto to an unaffordable neighbourhood.
Environmental injustice is not limited to harm done to the physical environment;
it also refers to the harm experienced physically on the land,
spatially in between buildings and socially constructed spaces.
Environmental injustice occurs when built spaces are intentionally or unintentionally,
spatially, physically, and socially designed and constructed to exclude and marginalize certain groups of people
based on social categories such as class, race, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
This perpetuates and reinforces pre-existing socioeconomic inequalities,
leading to the unfair treatment and disadvantage of these marginalized groups.
Exclusionary sites of environmental injustice prioritize the needs of particular groups of people
as more important than others and more deserving to stay in a geographic area than others.
it also refers to the harm experienced physically on the land,
spatially in between buildings and socially constructed spaces.
Environmental injustice occurs when built spaces are intentionally or unintentionally,
spatially, physically, and socially designed and constructed to exclude and marginalize certain groups of people
based on social categories such as class, race, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
This perpetuates and reinforces pre-existing socioeconomic inequalities,
leading to the unfair treatment and disadvantage of these marginalized groups.
Exclusionary sites of environmental injustice prioritize the needs of particular groups of people
as more important than others and more deserving to stay in a geographic area than others.
The starting point of the 2018 protest began at 1705 Weston Road— the site of the proposed 25-storey mixed-use condo tower— “The Charlton Residences.” The protest moved along the main street of Weston Road and ended at 1966 Weston Rd., the site of the locally known affordable grocery store “Greenland Farm Supermarket” that is permanently closed.
2018 anti-gentrification protest on Weston Rd. On March 24, 2018, residents protested and united in solidarity to raise awareness about the challenges of unaffordability and escalating housing prices due to gentrification as they marched down Weston Road. The protest was led by The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), a national association advocating for housing and affordability issues affecting low and moderate-income families.
Source: CBC
Source: CBC
The 2023 tenant protest on Weston Rd. On July 16th, 2023, more than 300 Weston tenants from The Residence at Weston at 33 King St. and West22 Apartments at 22 John St. marched together to protest against their shared landlord, Dream Unlimited Corporation's continuous efforts to raise rents by applying for above-guideline rent increases (AGIs).
Tenants participating in a rent strike. York South-Weston Tenant Union Demands Dream Unlimited to:
Source: York South-Weston Tenant Union, Twitter
- Withdraw the existing above guideline rent increases (AGIs) at 33 King
- Commit to no more above-guideline rent increases (AGIs) at 33 King
- Rent discount to compensate for the loss of services at 33 King and 22 John
- Abide by rent control at 22 John
Source: York South-Weston Tenant Union, Twitter
The Rent Strike is ongoing.
Over 300 tenants are participating in a rent strike that has been going on since last year.
(Source: Now Toronto)
. Over 300 tenants are participating in a rent strike that has been going on since last year.
(Source: Now Toronto)
What is rent control? What is the above-guideline rent increase (AGI)?
New Buildings, built and first occupied after Nov. 15, 2018, are exempt from Rent Control.
If the property was built after Nov. 15, 2018, landlords can raise rent by whatever they want.
Above-guideline rent increases (AGIs) affect rent-controlled units built before Nov. 15, 2018.
Newer buildings are exempt.
Without approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board,
landlords in Ontario are only allowed to increase rent by the province's annual rent increase for inflation.
Ontario's rent increase guideline for 2024 is 2.5 percent.
However, landlords can apply for an above-guideline rent increase (AGIs).
This allows them to charge tenants up to an additional 3 percent per year.
In most cases, landlords can file to increase rent under one of 3 conditions:
New Buildings, built and first occupied after Nov. 15, 2018, are exempt from Rent Control.
If the property was built after Nov. 15, 2018, landlords can raise rent by whatever they want.
Above-guideline rent increases (AGIs) affect rent-controlled units built before Nov. 15, 2018.
Newer buildings are exempt.
Without approval from the Landlord and Tenant Board,
landlords in Ontario are only allowed to increase rent by the province's annual rent increase for inflation.
Ontario's rent increase guideline for 2024 is 2.5 percent.
However, landlords can apply for an above-guideline rent increase (AGIs).
This allows them to charge tenants up to an additional 3 percent per year.
In most cases, landlords can file to increase rent under one of 3 conditions:
- For major capital expenditures, such as renovations of balconies or an elevator.
- When security service costs increase or are incurred for the first time.
- To offset an "extraordinary" increase of municipal taxes on a property.
Source: Government of Ontario
Anti-gentrification voices against Dream Unlimited Corporation on the Artscape Weston Commons Facebook page
Source: Facebook
Gentrification resulted in non-White immigrant residents in Weston, who are mainly low to moderate-income earners, along with families of three who are concerned with childcare increasingly displaced further away from the main street due to the unaffordable high condo prices.
“33 King St. is currently facing the highest number of above-guideline rent increases (AGIs) in Toronto”
“22 John St. was one of the first buildings in Toronto to operate without rent control... they have seen monthly rent increases of 7-10% every year, and sometimes as high as 20%.”
“Weston is made up of residents with 70 per cent low-to-moderate income with half of the residents being immigrants to Canada.”
“We want the place to become developed. We want to live in a nice area as well. We just don't want to be displaced."
— CBC
Research Summary
Premise
This chapter studies the recent public discourse on Weston Rd. The research is conducted within the geographic area from Church Street to Denison Road and the chronological time frame of the past decade.
This research chapter asks the following questions by exploring the two domains of spatial justice, procedural and recognitional: How inclusionary or exclusionary is the public discourse?
Which voices are represented in private and public media? Who is heard in Weston, and whose voice is not heard?
This research chapter asks the following questions by exploring the two domains of spatial justice, procedural and recognitional: How inclusionary or exclusionary is the public discourse?
Which voices are represented in private and public media? Who is heard in Weston, and whose voice is not heard?
Methodology
This research primarily uses media analysis as the central strategy to study public discourse. The study analyzes digital content, including news articles, published statements, online websites, and social media like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
This research primarily uses media analysis as the central strategy to study public discourse. The study analyzes digital content, including news articles, published statements, online websites, and social media like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Findings
- The news and media discourses undermine recognition justice by portraying Weston as a crime-ridden, disorderly, and dangerous neighbourhood. The narrative of Weston as a problematic “hood” dominates the public discourse. Violent crime is overrepresented, and local businesses, ethnic diversity, cultural heritage, and growth and development are under-discussed.
- On the intersections of class, race, and immigration, the public discourse of Weston excludes the voices of racialized communities of low to moderate-income immigrant families that comprise the majority of Weston. Whether it is through media agencies, neighbourhood activities, or community meetings, the voices of Black Weston are underrepresented, excluded, and overpowered by a dominant White home-owner narrative that constitutes the elite minority of the geographic vicinity.
- The private discourse of the Weston community has failed so far in promoting procedural justice and community inclusivity. From existing records and limited information gathered on community meetings, social activities, and cultural events, it can be inferred that there is a lack of community representation, inclusive consultation, and authoritative decision-making power on matters concerning community development.
Oversavtions and Implications
Recent anti-gentrification protests and rent strikes in Weston bring attention to ongoing community pushback on new development and the concerns surrounding gentrification, including the rise of unaffordable housing, the displacement of residents, the removal of small businesses, and the erasure of sites of cultural heritage and community legacy. Weston residents experience diverse forms of environmental injustice at the intersections of race, class, and immigration status, unique to their urban environment and spatial conditions. This section of the visual study reiterates the importance of promoting community involvement in procedural, spatial, and recognition justice to meet the needs of the Weston community. Simultaneously, it advocates for future research and initiatives in urban studies, city planning, and public policy to uphold principles of accountability, equity, and respect for diveristy that are central to Canadian society.