Toronto City Council unanimously approved a motion to explore partnerships for a Filipino community centre on July 30, the first step toward creating a permanent cultural hub for the city’s Filipino community.
Council adopted Motion MM43.8 in a 24-0 vote Thursday, directing City staff to work with Filipino community representatives and CreateTO to explore partnerships for a new ethnocultural community centre.
Staff will also consider Scarborough, alongside other areas of the city, as potential locations that could best serve Toronto’s more than 270,000 residents of Filipino origin.
Introduced by Councillor Neethan Shan and seconded by Mayor Olivia Chow, the motion also directs staff to examine possible development models while building on the work of grassroots Filipino organizations already serving the community.
It launches a planning process to examine partnerships, possible locations and development models while building on the work of grassroots Filipino organizations already serving the community.
A cultural hub with housing initiatives
The vote came one day after hundreds of residents attended a Filipino community town hall at Earl Bales Community Centre.
During the event, organizers urged community members to support the proposal and outlined a broader vision that links a future cultural hub with affordable housing initiatives.
Tom Tan, president of the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) and one of the organizers behind the initiative, said conversations over the past several years have consistently pointed to the need for a permanent Filipino cultural centre.
“We’ve been talking to some of you guys and heard about some of the things that we want for our community, including a Filipino cultural centre,” Tan said.
“If we combine our efforts, I think we could achieve what we want.”
Forced to choose between rent and necessities
Tan said organizers have also been working with the mayor’s office, housing developers and community stakeholders to explore affordable housing opportunities alongside the proposed cultural centre.
Former City of Toronto medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa said affordable housing emerged as a concern across every part of the city during community consultations.
“We heard about housing issues in Scarborough. We heard about housing issues in Etobicoke. We heard about it in North York, Toronto, East York, York,” de Villa said.
She added that many families are forced to choose between paying rent and covering necessities such as food, clothing and medication.
Michael Herrera, chief financial officer at George Brown College, said organizers have launched Bayanihan Spirit Inc. to share affordable housing opportunities with the Filipino community.
Herrera also said community consultations are expected over the next several months on the future of the City-owned 770 Don Mills site.
Organizers hope a Filipino community and cultural centre could eventually be developed alongside affordable housing.
“Over the next nine months, we will begin a broader community consultation of what might be possible for a community and cultural hub for Filipinos at 770 Don Mills,” Herrera said.
The proposal received written support from community organizations ahead of Thursday’s vote.
A shared space for Filipino youth, seniors, newcomers
The Filipino Student Association of Scarborough told council that a dedicated community centre would provide a shared space for Filipino youth, seniors, newcomers and families while helping preserve Filipino heritage and strengthen community connections.
Kababayan Multicultural Centre also endorsed the motion, saying a permanent community space would create opportunities to expand Filipino programming, services and cultural initiatives while supporting the work of grassroots organizations.
The motion cites Toronto’s Filipino population as the largest in Canada and notes that the community remains underserved by dedicated cultural facilities despite its size.
It asks City staff to study partnership opportunities by drawing on models such as the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto and the Tamil Community Centre.
Although Thursday’s vote does not commit the City to constructing a facility or allocating funding, supporters say it represents a significant milestone after years of advocacy.
Addressing the crowd before council met, de Villa urged residents to attend City Hall and demonstrate their support for the proposal.
“The best way we can show our power and be influential in the process is for you to show up,” she said.
Less than 24 hours later, council unanimously adopted the motion, formally launching the process of developing a Filipino community and cultural centre in Toronto.
