Little Portugal, Toronto

Little Portugal (also known as Portugal Village; Portuguese: Pequeno Portugal/aldeia Portugal) is a neighbourhood and ethnic enclave in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located west of downtown in the "Old" City of Toronto. It is bound on the west by Lansdowne Avenue, on the north by College Street, on the east by Ossington Avenue and on the south by the Go Transit and Union Pearson Express railway tracks. The area is mainly residential, with Portuguese businesses along Dundas Street West and College Street. The area west of Dufferin Street was a part of the former Town of Brockton. The area to the east of Dufferin and south of Dundas Street is also known as "Beaconsfield Village" dating back to the days of the sub-division of lots in the area around Beaconsfield Avenue.[1]

Little Portugal
Neighbourhood
Street view of Little Portugal, Toronto.
Street view of Little Portugal, Toronto.
Location of Little Portugal
Little Portugal, Toronto is located in Toronto
Little Portugal, Toronto
Location within Toronto
Coordinates: 43°39′00″N 79°26′08″W
Country Canada
Province Ontario
CityToronto
Annexed1884 into City of Toronto
Government
 • City CouncillorAlejandra Bravo (Ward 9)
Dianne Saxe (Ward 11)
 • Federal M.P.Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport)
Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale)
 • Provincial M.P.P.Marit Stiles (Davenport)
Jessica Bell (University-Rosedale)

Character
Portuguese signs at a Bank of Montreal branch in Little Portugal. The area is home to a number of Portuguese stores along College and Dundas Street.

Little Portugal is predominantly a residential area. The largest ethnic group are Portuguese and numbers of Portuguese storefronts are located along College and Dundas Streets, giving the area its name. There is a fine stock of mid-century homes.

A major hub of activity in the area today is McCormick Park, home to McCormick Recreation Centre and Arena on Brock Avenue. This area has long been a focal point for youth living in the area.

The area once was home to Ideal Bread Company, which operated a bakery at 183 Dovercourt Road from 1919 to 1957[2] and marketed Wonder Bread in Canada from 1934 to 1940. Since 2007 the former bread factory is now a residential complex known as Argyle Lofts.

Demographics

The area has many residents of Portuguese and more recently Brazilian backgrounds.[3] The second largest language group used after Portuguese are Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese.[3] Above 50% of the population in Little Portugal identify as Portuguese.

Transportation

The area is well-served by the TTC. There are the 505 and 506 streetcar lines along Dundas and College. There are north-south bus lines on Lansdowne, Dufferin, and Ossington.

Main streets

Dundas Street West is a four-lane east-west arterial road running through the centre of the neighbourhood. From Ossington Avenue west the street is known as Rua Açores. There are storefronts along most of the street and are primarily local businesses. College Street West is a four-lane arterial road approximately a quarter-mile north of Dundas meeting Dundas at its western end just west of Lansdowne Avenue. It has storefronts along most of its length. College Street has several areas of Portuguese restaurants and bars east and west of Dufferin Avenue.

Dundas Street is a major four-lane east-west road running through the centre of the neighbourhood.

In 2006, the businesses on Dundas Street from the CNR tracks on the west to Rusholme Road on the east organized the 'Dundas West Business Improvement Area.'[4] In 2007, the 'Little Portugal Business Improvement Area' was formed for the stretch of businesses along Dundas Street from Rusholme Road (just east of Dufferin) to Roxton Road (one block east of Ossington) on the east.[5]

Schools
  • Shirley Street Public School - Junior Elementary
  • Alexander Muir/Gladstone Avenue Public - Junior and Senior Elementary
  • St. Helen's Catholic School- Catholic Elementary School
  • Ossington/Old Orchard Junior Public School

See also

References
  1. "Beaconsfield Village". Toronto Neighbourhood Guide. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  2. "Ideal Bread Company Factory - Now Edwardian Classical Lofts". September 13, 2020.
  3. "Social Profile #2 - Neighbourhoods, Language & Ethnicity" (PDF). City of Toronto. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  4. "City of Toronto: Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) - Dundas West BIA". City of Toronto. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  5. "City of Toronto: Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) - Little Portugal BIA". City of Toronto. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
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