St. James Town

St. James Town began to grow in the 19th century when it became a semi-suburban area home to the city's middle class. It was also part of the City Liberties bounded roughly by Bloor, Don River, Dundas and Bathurst.

Many of St. James Town's highrises were originally designed after the Second World War, inspired by Le Corbusier's towers in the park concept.

View of St. James Town highrises from street level

St. James Ward was rezoned in the 1950s, and the nineteenth century homes were leveled, and apartment towers — inspired by Le Corbusier's Towers in the Park concept — were erected. Each tower was named after a major Canadian city with some accommodating over a 1000 residents. The 14 story Quebec was completed in 1959, the 18 story Victoria in 1965, and The Toronto's 24 floors in 1967. In the same census time period (1961 - 1971) St. James Town's population grew to 11,462 from only 862.[2]

In the late 1960s, the developers attempted to acquire land south of Wellesley, as far as Carlton Street, to expand the St. James Town development. Many residents of the area resisted, with the support of civic activist and future Mayor of Toronto John Sewell. The St. James Town expansion was cancelled, and the homes that had been demolished were replaced with several housing cooperatives.

The plan for St. James Town's highrises was conceived in the 1950s to house young middle class residents who worked downtown. It was spurred forward by the federal government, which saw city building as a key to the nation's recovery after the Depression and the Second World War.[3] The buildings failed to attract the large number of demographics the developer envisioned, and the neighbourhood was designed without proper amenities to support the spike in density.[3] Parallel to the development of St. James Town were large suburban developments of detached family homes in the Toronto suburbs. Many prospective tenants chose suburban houses in the developing areas of Scarborough, Etobicoke, and North York. After the first generation of tenants left the buildings, the area quickly started attracting tenants of a lower income bracket. Four buildings were later built by the province to provide public housing. The towers are now mostly home to newly arrived immigrant families, with only 33% being born in Canada, according to the 2011 Census.

In 2001, a new Toronto Public Library branch and community centre was opened in St. James Town.

After the provincial health care restructuring of the mid-1990s, the Princess Margaret Hospital site on Sherbourne Street became available. In 2001, the City of Toronto launched a major initiative to add social amenities in the area and began the construction of a new Toronto Public Library branch and community centre, which opened in 2004 at the corner of Sherbourne and Wellesley. Lanterra Developments has also proposed plans to replace some of the remaining Victorian homes in St. James Town with several more towers.[4]

On September 24, 2010, a fire broke out on the 24th floor of 200 Wellesley St. East (the white building behind the library and community centre). Fourteen people were taken to hospital due to injuries, including three firefighters and two children. Three of the injuries were classed as serious. The cause of the fire was determined to be a cigarette thrown from a balcony above.[5]

In 2013, St. James Town became the host of the world's tallest mural, pending approval by Guinness.[6]

On August 21, 2018, a fire broke out in an electrical box at 650 Parliament St. Two people suffered only minor injuries, but the entire building, containing 1,500 or more people, had to be evacuated. It took six hours to douse the flames. Reports indicated that evacuees would have to wait "several days" before they would be allowed to return.[7][8] As of May 2019, re-occupancy had been postponed to late that year due to the complexities of restoration work, including the discovery of a "minor amount" of asbestos.[9][10]

Census tract 0065.00 of the 2006 Canadian census covers St. James Town. According to that census, the neighbourhood had 14,666 residents at that time. By the 2011 Canadian census, population had fallen to 13,910. In the 2021 Canadian census, the combined census tracts of 0065.01 and 0065.02 showed a population of 13,770.[11]

Average income reported in the 2006 census was $22,341, one of the lowest in Toronto. In the 2011 National Household Survey, the average income of residents in Ontario is reported to be $42,264. When compared to the average income of residents in this Census Tract from the 2011 Census year, this is a difference of $19,923. When further examined against the average income of residents in Canada, whereby it is reported to be $40,650 in the 2011 National Household Survey, the difference remains similar at $18,309. Both of these differences therefore shows us the sharp income disparities in this Census Tract and its resulting socio-economic impacts on its residents (Census 2006, Census 2011). In addition, this can be seen in the income distribution of the neighbourhood in 2011 with 57% of the inhabitants earning less than $19,999 and only 6% earning more than $60,000. In fact the majority of individuals (82.6%) over the age of 15 earn an income of less than $39,999 before tax.

Property ownership in the area is falling. According to census data, in 2006, 50 people owned one of the limited number of older model properties in the area, but by 2011 that number had fallen to 40.

In terms of the 2011 National Household Survey, there was Global Non-Response rate of 21.7% which means that only 25.8% of the population completed the survey. This number is actually higher than the 20% response rate of the 2006 Long Form census, however due to the voluntary nature of the census, the data is not as reliable compared to the mandatory long form census of 2006. This is because when it is a voluntary census rather one required by law, there is a high chance of non-response bias especially as the GNR grows larger which means that there is a higher chance that those who are responding to the voluntary survey is not completely randomized. In comparison to Canada, which has a GNR of 26.1%, and Ontario, which has a GNR of 27.1%, CT5350065.0 has a lower GNR rate which that there may be less of a non-response bias.[12]

A corner store in St. James Town.

In October 2009, St. James Town contained the following businesses, organizations and institutions:

• Rose Avenue Public School, a Toronto Board of Education school for Kindergarten through grade 6, on Ontario Street north of St. James Avenue
• a community centre and branch of the Toronto Public Library, at the intersection of Sherbourne Street and Wellesley Street East
• a Food Basics at Ontario Street and Wellesley Street East. Previously, a No Frills had also operated at Sherbourne Street and Earl Street, but the grocer lost its lease effective as of July 2013. In October 2015, the owner of the No Frills formerly located on Sherbourne Street reopened a new store two blocks away at the Greenwin Plaza shopping centre located at 345 Bloor Street East.
• a FreshCo on Sherbourne Street, on the Eastside near Isabella Street.
• The Corner, a fully accessible set of offices, meeting spaces, program rooms and community kitchen dedicated to local initiatives and services to benefit the neighbourhood.
• three pharmacies, including a Shoppers Drug Mart box store on Sherbourne Street near Howard Street, an independent pharmacy on Howard Street at Bleecker Street, and an independent pharmacy on Ontario Street south of St. James Avenue
• at least six convenience stores, two on Howard Street, two on Sherbourne Street, one on Ontario Street south of St. James Avenue, and one on Wellesley Street East
• a food bank at the rear of the building on 275 Bleecker Street
• The St. James Town Youth Council, a body of community youth who meet regularly to address issues in their community. Currently, they host an annual talent show called "Urban Flair" featuring performances by local youth. This competition allows members of the community to support each other and provides an opportunity for new and upcoming stars to take to the stage.
• The St. Jamestown Community Cafe was launched in 2011. This pay-what-you-can cafe hopes to find a permanent home and establish Toronto's first community powered PWYC eating establishment while also providing a place for community members to interact and be entertained. The cafe founders also hope to provide an incubator for other community organizations interested in developing and establishing their own neighbourhood's version of a community powered pwyc cafe.[17]
• In May 2011, the St. James Town Community Corner at 200 Wellesley opened its doors. The Corner is a fully accessible set of offices, meeting spaces, program rooms and community kitchen dedicated to local initiatives and services to benefit the neighbourhood.

The Corner currently operates out of two spaces one at 200 Wellesley Street East which focuses on health, social and settlement services. The other location at 240 Wellesley Street East focuses on local sustainability, waste diversion, green initiatives and skill building. However all services are accessible to residents at both locations.

• Olivia Chow, mayor of Toronto, former Member of Parliament and city councillor
• Stephan James, actor, most notable for his role as Jesse Owens in the 2016 film Race

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. James Town.

• Sherbourne (TTC)
• List of neighbourhoods in Toronto

• Research Essay on the construction of St. James Town

43°40′9″N 79°22′22″W