Central Etobicoke Community Hub Initiative
The Hub Initiative
What is a Hub
A hub is a place that provides central access to a variety of health, social, cultural and recreational services that promote and support community life. A hub could be a school, a neighbourhood centre, an early learning centre, a library, a seniors’ centre, a community health centre, a government building, a place of worship, or another public space.
Importance of a Hub
A hub is a concept that both residents and policymakers agree makes sense. Hubs reflect local needs, offering a variety of support programs for people of all ages that can help forestall more intensive and costly programs in the future. They bring community members together while providing improved access to services, as well as better health outcomes for residents. Healthier people lead to stronger communities and, ultimately, significantly lower health care costs.
Organizations like the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Toronto, and the Government of Ontario are often key funders in building a hub, but others like United Way, service partners, and donors can also play an important role. Funding a hub’s ongoing service programs is the responsibility of the agencies running those programs and occupying the hub.
Background data on Central Etobicoke
| Central Etobicoke | City of Toronto | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 164,465 | 2,794,356 |
| Population Aged 0 - 17 | 18.2% | 16.7% |
| Population Aged 65+ | 20.5% | 16.5% |
| Percentage of Persons in Low Income Households* | 5.0% | |
| Percentage of Persons Aged 0 – 17 in Low Income Households* | 12.6% | |
| Percentage of Persons Aged 65+ in Low Income Households* | 11.0% |
Source: Statistics Canada 2021 Census
* Statistics Canada After-Tax Low Income Measure
Even though Central Etobicoke has a higher proportion of youths and seniors than the City of Toronto as a whole, it has fewer neighbourhood services than any other part of the city.
Each red dot on the map represents a community service agency or program. Each icon of a group of persons represents a community centre. Central Etobicoke has the lowest amount of community services in Toronto.
Source: www.Toronto.ca/wellbeing
What Can We Do About The Lack of Services?
The Central Etobicoke Community Hub Initiative (CECHi) is working to fix this problem. We are a resident-led volunteer organization advocating for increased community services and the creation of a community hub to deliver those services.