Restoring Public Control of St. Patrick's Market - We Won!
As our downtown grows, it is vitally important that our publicly-owned properties and buildings are used for the public benefit, to provide the vital services and facilities that our vibrant and dense communities need. After decades of neglect, historic St. Patrick's Market in the heart of downtown Toronto on Queen Street West, will be returned to the City of Toronto. I'm thrilled to inform you that last week, the Ontario Superior Court ruled in the City's favour, restoring public control of St. Patrick's Market!
Situated on bustling Queen West at 238 Queen St. W, St. Patrick's Market is a heritage structure visible in the backdrop of television programs produced from the iconic 299 Queen Street West across the street, and broadcast across Canada. Bequeathed to the City of Toronto in 1837 to become a public market benefitting residents of Toronto, St. Patrick's Market has the potential to be an iconic, city-wide and local destination.
Regrettably, St. Patrick's Market has been underutilized since 1989 when a 50-year lease was signed with a private operator. In September 2019, after years of work, t
he City initiated a legal process to terminate the lease on grounds that the private long-term leaseholder had not complied with key terms that require a publicly-accessible food market to operate in the building, along with grounds related to non-payment of rent, and others.
On December 12th, a decision was issued by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, that formally terminates the lease with the private lease-holder, and permits the City to re-enter and take possession of the Market.
Now, we will begin a robust public process to determine the future use of the Market. This week, we took another step forward in bringing the Market back to life, as Council approved my motion to convene a community working group to plan for its future. Through this process, we must consider its original intention as a public market, our plan to revitalize the adjacent public park, and other community and cultural uses that are critical to support our downtown communities.
It is unacceptable that St. Patrick's Market has been left derelict by a long-term tenant. The principal lesson of this saga is that public land must be used better. In an increasingly unaffordable city for artists to create, small businesses to thrive, and people to live, we must ensure that we utilize public land for public good.
Please stay tuned for future updates!
