Jane and Finch

Jane and Finch is a neighbourhood located in the northwest end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in the district of North York. Centred at the intersection of Jane Street and Finch Avenue West, the area is roughly bounded by Highway 400 to the west, Black Creek to the east, Sheppard Avenue to the south, and Steeles Avenue to the north.

Jane and Finch
Elia
University Heights
Neighbourhood
Aerial view of Jane and Finch (2021)
Aerial view of Jane and Finch (2021)
Jane and Finch is located in Toronto
Jane and Finch
Location within Toronto
Coordinates: 43°45′26″N 79°31′4″W
CountryCanada
ProvinceOntario
CityToronto
Municipality established1850 York Township
Changed municipality1922 North York from York Township
Changed municipality1998 Toronto from North York
Population
 (2016)[1][2]
 • Total52,228
 • Density6,073/km2 (15,730/sq mi)

The Jane and Finch community is a high density and low-income neighbourhood. It is made up of single-family detached and semi-detached houses, along with several high-rise apartment buildings.

History
The Joseph Crossan House in Elia, on the northwest corner of present-day Jane St. and Finch Ave. in 1878.

Jane-Finch was originally the rural community of Elia. The area was developed as a model suburb in the 1960s in response to the rapid urban growth of Toronto. The community was planned to accommodate a socially diverse population and included a substantial amount of public housing, but insufficient thought was given to the social infrastructure needed to sustain community life.[3]

The 1960s development plans spearheaded by the Ontario Housing Corporation (OHC) coincided with North York Planning Department’s goal of creating a more urban-looking suburb. Known for its series of high-rise buildings and, concomitantly, its above average population density, Jane-Finch experienced astronomical growth from 1961 to 1971 when the population went from 1,300 to 33,000, thereby accounting for more than 40% of the growth in North York.[4] In general, urban planners, local politicians, residents of Jane-Finch, and others today are of the opinion that the OHC and North York erred seriously, contributing to rapid population growth in the area without anticipating its negative consequences.

By 1967, 22.5% of all residential dwellings in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood were designated public housing. Meanwhile, just 3% of North York was designated public housing at the same time.[5] Throughout the 1960s, many of the private and public housing buildings were constructed in the modern architectural style.[5] The high concentration of public housing units, transformed the area into a high-poverty neighbourhood.

Throughout the 1960s, a number of buildings in the neighbourhood were built in a modern architectural style.

In 1973, a group of dedicated residents, politicians and community workers started identifying ways to address community problems. They concentrated their efforts on improving their neighbourhood’s negative image and creating a sense of community pride. Since then the neighbourhood has developed over 30 grassroots associations, including social and health service organizations, based on principles of mutual aid. Jane-Finch residents managed to create the infra-structure that their community needed to become healthy and sustainable. They succeeded in bringing together various sectors to address a wide range of economic, social and recreational needs.[6] Still, a 1975 study by a planning consulting firm identified the following problems resulting from the rapid growth of the community: overcrowded schools, disconnected social services, inadequate recreation facilities, and a serious issue with youth crime. They also wrote that youth felt a "general malaise…about living in the Jane-Finch area" and that the area had a "poor self-image".[5]

The Toronto City Summit Alliance’s Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force identified the Black Creek Neighbourhood as one of the 13 Priority Neighbourhoods across the city, where there are not enough social services to address the growing needs of the community. The United Way "Strong Neighbourhoods: A Call to Action" (2001) Fact Sheet on Black Creek also reports that the Black Creek Neighbourhood, which is encompassed in the catchment region of this project, has a higher rate of racialized groups, immigrants, recent newcomers, children, youth, lone parents, low-income families, low-income unattached individuals, lower median household income, higher percentage of households with incomes below $20 000, higher proportion of rental households, higher unemployment, lower percentage of population with university education, and higher percentage of population with less than high school education.

In 1983 Jennifer Hodge de Silva, a pioneering filmmaker of the 1970s and 1980s produced the film, Home Feeling: Struggle for a Community[7] which revealed tensions between police and area residents.[8]

Between 1981 and 2001, the total population of North York grew by 8.7%; higher economic families by 9%, but poor economic families by 80.5%. Poverty intensified in 5 main areas. The most prominent is the Jane-Finch area, where four poor neighbourhoods turned into regions of very high poverty, and a region that previously had low to moderate poverty became classified as having high levels of poverty. By 2001, a major shift had taken place, with the immigrant family population now accounting for 62.4% of the total family population in these communities, and Canadian born families making up the remaining 37.6%. Between 1981 and 2001, the number of racialized individuals also increased by 219%. The Toronto City Summit Alliance’s Strong Neighbourhoods Task Force identified the Black Creek Neighbourhood as one of the 13 Priority Neighbourhoods across the city, where there are not enough social services to address the growing needs of the community.

As part of a rebranding strategy in 2008, Toronto City Councillor Anthony Perruzza had banners attached to hundreds of hydro poles in Jane and Finch, calling the area University Heights, referencing the existing name of the neighbourhood in municipal planning documents.[9]

21st century (2001–present)

By 2002, the area had "one of the highest proportions of youth, sole-supported families, refugees and immigrants, low-income earners and public housing tenants of any community in Toronto".[10] That year, only 70% of people in the neighbourhood had proper indoor plumbing (compared to 95% of Canadians), and brownouts were common.[10] Over half of the neighbourhood's residents lived below the poverty line.[11] The United Way’s “Poverty by Postal Code-The Geography of Neighbourhood Poverty: 1981–2001” (2004) report explained that by 2001, there were more high-poverty neighbourhoods in the former City of North York than in any of the other former cities.

Several community-based organizations, businesses, community residents and city staff have joined together to form the Black Creek West Community Capacity Building Project. Funded by the City of Toronto, the project aims to "improve the quality of life for residents living in the Black Creek West community by placing emphasis on building on assets and capacities, prevention, community involvement, diversity and community well-being." There are also a number of other organizations and networks that have come together to develop programs and solutions to the problems that have been identified in the various reports.

In December 2017, an extension of the western branch of the Line 1 Yonge-University subway line was opened, with a station; Finch West, at Keele Street, about 1.5 km east of the neighbourhood.

Gang activity

Over the past few decades, multiple gang raid attempts have been carried out to crackdown on gang violence in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood. The first raid took place on June 13th, 2007, when nearly 700 officers from 16 different forces (including the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police), participated in the series of raids, which was part of a multi-year investigation dubbed Project Kryptic, which targeted a street gang known as the "Driftwood Crips", a black-Canadian street gang that was founded & based in Driftwood Avenue (aka "the Woodz" by locals), north of Finch Ave. West. The gang were rumoured to have been founded in mid to late 1980s, and later adopted the Crip identity in the mid 1990's & were known rivals to the nearby "South Side Connection Bloods", "The Lanes Crew" (two Blood street gangs located south of Finch Ave. West) and the "Jamestown Crips" who were located in Rexdale. Project Kryptic saw 95 suspects arrested and more than 700 criminal charges laid after executing 88 search warrants, which led to the seizure of 32 firearms, including 24 handguns, four sawed-off shotguns and 900 rounds of ammunition.[12][13][14][15]

Four years later on December 13, 2011, more than 900 officers across Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, arrested 60 suspects in massive seven-month investigation named Project Marvel, which attempted to dismantle two street gangs, The "Up-Top Young Buck Killers" (or YBK) and the "G-Side Crips" (or simply the "G-Siders"). The G-Side Crips were rumoured to have been founded on Gosford Boulevard in 1990s, while the Young Buck Killers were founded in early 2000s and operated in the Driftwood Avenue area and Gosford Boulevard area of Jane Street.[16][17][18][19] Over 300 charges were laid in the Project Marvel raid, ranging from gun and drug trafficking to prostitution, robbery and attempted murder. Of the approximately 60 people taken into custody, 10 were young offenders at the time, including a 15 year-old Quinton Armani Gardner, who would later be professionally known as the rapper, Pressa.[20][21]

A third gang raid, took place on June 15, 2017, over 800 police officers from 20 different police services conducted an early morning raid in the GTA, St. Catharines and Sudbury, dubbed Project Kronic. This raid again targeted the Driftwood Crips street gang and its associates, and in total, 120 people were arrested and over 660 charges were laid, including murder, attempted murder, and trafficking guns and drugs.[22] Police seized 18 firearms, 208 rounds of ammunition and more than $177,000 cash as part of the year-long investigation into the Driftwood Crips street gang. Chief Mark Saunders said that the gang is one of the oldest in Toronto and has expanded over the years from the Jane and Finch area all the way to the west coast of Canada. Toronto police Det. Sgt. Brett Nicol, alleged the Driftwood Crips “have infiltrated various communities” across the province and beyond. “They’re throughout Saskatchewan, Alberta and even into B.C.” he added.[23][24][25]

Demographics
Historical populations
YearPop.±%
19611,300—    
197133,000+2438.5%
199659,495+80.3%
200158,055−2.4%
200652,595−9.4%
201153,447+1.6%
201652,228−2.3%
Source: Statistics Canada

Two city neighbourhoods cover the area commonly known as Jane and Finch. From Finch north to Steeles is considered part of the Black Creek community while from Finch south to Sheppard is called Glenfield-Jane Heights.

The population of Jane and Finch has generally been in decline since the 1996 census.[26]

Median Household Income[27]2001200620112016
North Jane & Finch (Black Creek)$37,081$39,755$39,986$46,580
South Jane & Finch (Glenfield-Jane Heights)$41,361$44,208$44,488$51,964
City of Toronto$49,345$52,554$58,381$65,829

North Jane & Finch (Black Creek)

As of 2016, the northern half of the neighbourhood had a population of 21,737.[2]

Major ethnic populations (2016):[2]

South Jane & Finch (Glenfield-Jane Heights)

As of 2016, the southern half of the neighbourhood had a population of 30,491.[1]

Major ethnic populations (2016):[1]

Education
Westview Centennial Secondary School is a secondary school located in Jane and Finch.
Regina Pacis Catholic Secondary School is a defunct Roman Catholic secondary school located in Jane and Finch. The building has been occupied by Monsignor Fraser College.

Two public school boards operate schools in Jane and Finch, the separate Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), and the secular Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Before 1998, they were overseen by the Metropolitan Separate School Board (MSSB) and North York Board of Education (NYBE) respectively. Both TCDSB, and TDSB operate public primary education institutions in the neighbourhood, including:

  • Blacksmith Public School (TDSB)
  • Blessed Margherita of Cittá di Castello School (TCDSB)
  • Brookview Middle School (TDSB)
  • Driftwood Public School (TDSB)
  • Firgrove Public School (TDSB)
  • Oakdale Park Middle School (TDSB)
  • Shoreham Public Sports and Wellness Academy (formerly known as Shoreham Public School) (TDSB)
  • St. Charles Garnier Catholic School (TCDSB)
  • St. Francis De Sales Catholic School (TCDSB)
  • St. Jane Frances Catholic School (TCDSB)
  • Stanley Public School (TDSB)
  • Topcliff Public School (TDSB)
  • Yorkwoods Public School (TDSB)

In addition to public primary education institutions, TDSB also operate two public secondary schools, Westview Centennial Secondary School and C. W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute.

TCDSB currently does not operate a regular secondary school in the neighbourhood as of 2023, with TCDSB secondary school students residing in Jane and Finch attending institutions in adjacent neighbourhoods. However, the board previously operated Regina Pacis Catholic Secondary School, opened in 1980 until its closure in 2002. The building has been occupied by Monsignor Fraser College's Norfinch Campus is also situated in the neighbourhood. Monsignor Fraser College is a secondary education institution operated by TCDSB as a specialized dual-track alternative and adult secondary school.

The French first language public secular school board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and it separate counterpart, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir also offer schooling to applicable residents of Jane and Finch, although they do not operate a school in the neighbourhood. CSCM and CSV students attend schools situated in other neighbourhoods in Toronto.

Recreation
Tinsmith Shop at Black Creek Pioneer Village, an open-air heritage museum of 19th-century Ontario.

Several municipal parks are situated in Jane and Finch, including Fennimore Park, Driftwood Park, Edgeley Park, Hullmar Park, Oakdale Park, Remberto Navia Sports Field, Silvio Colella Park, and Topcliff Park. Several municipal parks are situated near the Black Creek, a tributary of the Humber River. The Black Creek, and its valleys, forms a part of the larger Toronto ravine system. Municipal parks in Jane and Finch are maintained by the Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division. The division also operates several community centres in the neighbourhood, including Driftwood Community Centre, Domenico DiLuca Community Recreation Centre, Northwood Community Centre, Oakdale Community Centre.

The Oakdale Golf & Country Club is a private, parkland-style golf and tennis club located in the neighborhood; Black Creek runs through the course..[28] It hosted the 2023 Canadian Open, and will host the tournament again in 2026.[29][30]

Two branches of the Toronto Public Library also operate from the neighbourhood, York Woods branch, and Jane/Sheppard branch.

Black Creek Pioneer Village, located in the northeast of the neighbourhood next to Black Creek, is an open-air museum of 19th-century Ontario life.

Transportation

Several major roadways bound the neighbourhood, including the two namesake streets that form its core; Jane Street and Finch Avenue. Other major thoroughfares that pass through the neighbourhood are Steeles Avenue to the north, Sheppard Avenue to the south, and Highway 400 to the west. Highway 400 is a controlled access highway that forms a part of the province's 400-series highways.

Public transportation in the neighbourhood is provided by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). The TTC operates several bus routes in the neighbourhood. Finch West station, on the western branch of Line 1 of the Toronto subway, is located at Keele Street, 2 km east of the Jane-Finch intersection, and is accessed via the 36 Finch West bus.

Construction of a light rail line through the neighbourhood, the Finch West LRT, is presently underway with the line expected to open in 2023.[31] In conjunction with the Finch West LRT, construction of a new community hub is planned to be built in the Jane and Finch area.[32]

Notable people

References

Media related to Jane and Finch at Wikimedia Commons

  1. "2016 Neighborhood Profile Glenfield-Jane Heights" (PDF). City of Toronto. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  2. "2016 Neighborhood Profile Black Creek" (PDF). City of Toronto. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  3. "History of Elia". Toronto Neighbourhoods Guide. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  4. Sakamoto, 1986
  5. "An Overview of Development in Jane-Finch; 1950s to Present" (PDF). York University. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. Trillium Foundation, Press Release, 1998 cited by MacNevin, Wanda, From the Edge: A Woman’s Evolution from Abuse to Activism, Picas and Points Publishing, 1999, p. 236-37
  7. Jennifer Hodge; Roger McTair (1983), Home Feeling: Struggle for a Community, National Film Board of Canada, retrieved April 14, 2017 57 min
  8. Jennifer Hodge de Silva (1951–1989) Documentary Filmmaker, Celebrating Women's Achievements, Collections Canada Government of Canada, retrieved 14 April 2016
  9. Aveling, Nick (January 8, 2009). "Rebranding Jane and Finch". Toronto Star.
  10. p. 5, A Report of the Jane-Finch Street Involved Youth Issues Coalition, December 2002
  11. The Griffin Centre (November 2005). "Jane Finch Neighbourhood Action Plan Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2007.
  12. "Suspects charged after raid appear in T.O. court". Toronto. 2007-06-14. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  13. "Driftwood Crips - Rap Dictionary". www.rapdict.org. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  14. Reporters, Betsy Powell , Tamara Cherry Staff (2007-06-13). "60 nabbed in pre-dawn raids". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2023-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. "Anti-gang raid nets more than 60 arrests, 30 guns". The Globe and Mail. 2007-06-14. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  16. "Young Buck Killers - Rap Dictionary". www.rapdict.org. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  17. "G-Siders - Rap Dictionary". www.rapdict.org. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  18. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/weapons-cash-from-police-raids-displayed-1.1055696
  19. https://www.yorku.ca/cityinstitute/wp-content/uploads/sites/247/2011/05/file_2_DYoungJane_FinchGM_16062007.pdf
  20. https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/country-wide-project-marvel-police-raid-involving-900-officers-spured-by-probe-of-two-toronto-street-gangs-bill-blair
  21. Davis, Stephen Spencer (2011-12-16). "Toronto police play the part of The Avengers (and improve their image in the process)". Toronto Life. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  22. "CityNews". toronto.citynews.ca. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  23. Mirror, Andrew Palamarchuk North York (2017-06-16). "Toronto police seize 18 firearms, 208 rounds of ammo in Project Kronic". Toronto.com. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  24. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/guns-fentanyl-project-kronic-driftwood-1.4164096
  25. https://torontosun.com/2017/06/15/driftwood-crips-gang-targeted-in-toronto-police-raids
  26. "Glenfield-Jane Heights neighbourhood profile" (PDF). City of Toronto. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-17. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  27. Statistics Canada, 2001, 2006 and 2011 Census
  28. Adam Stanley (June 5, 2023). "Five things to know: Oakdale Golf Course". PGA Tour.
  29. "Oakdale Golf & Country Club to host 2023 & 2026 RBC Canadian Open". Golf Canada. May 19, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  30. "Canadian Open to be held at Toronto's Oakdale Golf and Country Club in 2023, 2026". CBC Sports. May 19, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  31. "Finch West LRT". Metrolinx. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  32. "Jane and Finch residents want a community hub in their neighbourhood". Toronto.com. December 14, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  33. Anderson, Kelli (March 18, 2013). "Canada's Got Talent". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  34. White, Patrick (May 31, 2019). "Toronto Rapper Pressa Stands Before His Make-Or-Break Moment". The Globe and Mail.
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