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Toronto’s Chinatowns original location was not where we know it today, with the current main intersection of Dundas street west and Spadina avenue, Chinatown was originally placed within St. John’s Ward mainly on Elizabeth street, with Chinese owned businesses opening up on George, Queen, and York street in the early 1900’s. Sam Ching was the first working Chinese recorded in Toronto at that time. With his initial laundry business opening in 1878, around 100 more laundries owned by Chinese were operating by 1902 as it was a pioneering business at the time for  immigrants from China.Chinese owned businesses expanded from laundries to restaurants, from 1912 there was a recorded 19 restaurants owned by Chinese immigrants, which increased to roughly 100 restaurants and cafes by the early 1920’s.

Chinatown, despite xenophobic policies such as new Laundy lincencing fee’s targeted at Chinese immigrants, and the threat of denying liscences to restauraunts who hired white women, managed to expand to Bay street between Queen street west and Dundas street in the 1930’s. In 1947 the proposal to build New City Hall was approved, and between 1948-58 land was acquired by the city of Toronto to start building. Many businesses in the area were forced to move from Elizabeth street to Dundas. The Save Chinatown committee was formed in 1967 to save old Chinatown on Elizabeth due to the recommendation of Toronto’s Commissioner of Development that the buildings were not fixable. At the time, Canada’s immigration laws had relaxed to allow more people to immigrate from China, with many settling around Dundas and Spadina, which is now known as Chinatown West.

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The current population of Chinatown is batting in the ballpark of just under 18 thousand (17,945). With an average of 60% of the population being Chinese and the other 40% dispersed by african-american, south east asian and other minority folk, the livability of Chinatown comes in at a 68 out of 100, that's just short of a B grade. This number is both attained because of the high rating due to its low crime and quality use of amenities and short of being placed further up because of the poor housing and school system. Some other notable statistics include that the median age 25-34, the majority of people are married (59%) and that the most people make about 20-40K in household income.

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What upgrades have been made to Grange Park and Bellevue Square Park to make them more welcoming to the community?

Both parks are now equipped with splash pads which replaced the older wading pools. These  are especially useful during heatwaves! Over 80 new trees have been planted in Grange park as well.

Does this community have enough access to green spaces compared to other communities?

Chinatown is a neighborhood made up of mostly buildings, shops, and crowded streets. There are few trees on the side of the road. Green space is not enough for Chinatown.

Why are urban green spaces important for climate change?

There are many types of green spaces, all of which can provide health and climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits. Green space describes what may be referred to as green infrastructure, natural spaces, open space, or engineered green spaces. There are diverse sizes, types and functions of green spaces, including:

Public spaces such as parks, conservation areas, greenways, trails, urban and rural forests, street trees, community gardens, school grounds, shorelines and ravines; and

Private and institutional spaces and infrastructure such as gardens, green roofs, green walls, cemeteries, golf courses, and other outdoor spaces.

The presence of and access to urban green spaces has been shown to reduce the rate and impact of chronic diseases. At the same time, green spaces can also help mitigate and improve resilience to climate change and its impacts.

Does this community provide the minimum amount of green spaces per capita recommended by WHO?

WHO’s recommendation of the minimum amount of green spaces per capita should be 9m2, and the ideal of green spaces is 50m2. However, Kensington-Chinatown’s park provision is less than 12m2 per capita. And we can see from the graph what 12m2 green spaces means to each resident.

Is there any municipal plan for more green spaces in this community? + Is there any short-term solution to enhance green spaces in this area? What about a long-term solution?

In the current day, Although two of the biggest green spaces in Chinatown have undergone some serious reconstruction and have received a serious face lift in terms of bettering the space for more accessibility. However, there still remains a problem that Toronto either neglects or refuses to take care of and that we will have to watch closely over the following months or years to see if any changes rise up.

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How are the organics in green bins processed by the city and what happens to the byproducts of this process?

The city of Toronto uses anaerobic digestion to turn the waste from green bins into high quality compost. This process generates biogas and through partnering with Enbridge gas this byproduct is then turned into renewable natural gas that is then used by the city through the natural gas grid.

How is Toronto engaging the community to reach net strategy?

Transform TO Net zero strategy across Toronto

If this project is actually viable, Chinatown will be transformed into a healthier neighborhood in a better way than gentrification.

What is Toronto implementing for new homes and buildings to ensure they reach net zero by 2040 in regards to the TransformTO strategy?

A- In 2017, Toronto City Council unanimously adopted TransformTO, Toronto’s climate action strategy, and set the target of reducing GHG emissions by 80 per cent against 1990 levels by the year 2050. City Council adopted an interim target of reducing community-wide GHG emissions by 65 per cent by 2030 from 1990 levels, and a short-term target of reducing GHG emissions by 30 per cent by the year 2020. The vision of TransformTO is a low-carbon future that reduces emissions and achieves multiple community-wide 23 priorities including poverty reduction, good quality jobs, healthy communities, and increased resilience to extreme weather.

In October 2019, Toronto City Council declared a climate emergency, joining a global call to recognize the urgency of the climate crisis, and adopted a stronger emissions reduction target for Toronto: net zero by 2050 or sooner. In April 2020, the City established the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild (TORR) to engage with Torontonians on a city-wide approach for recovering and rebuilding from COVID-19. The results of TORR’s work and extensive engagement was published in the COVID-19: Impacts and Opportunities report, which provided recommendations for the City of Toronto and its agencies and corporations to support the recovery and rebuild of communities, organizations, partners and businesses. This Net Zero Strategy includes consideration of the extensive work done by TORR and City staff across the organization to ensure the implementation of bold policies cross-corporately that enable an equitable low-carbon transition. Development of this Net Zero Strategy began shortly after City Council approved the Climate Emergency Declaration in 2019 and included several rounds of stakeholder and public engagement over the past three years, an update of the TransformTO technical modelling to re-align with the more ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner, and collaboration internally and externally to identify those climate actions that need to be implemented and accelerated in order to achieve the Council-approved 2030 target. The results of the modelling and engagement were used to identify a potential pathway for Toronto to achieve net zero emissions, based on a collection of bold climate actions and available technologies

What are some grants and loans available to incentives Chinatown’s residents to go green?

There is no specific grant or loans for Chinatown’s residents to go green, but there are some grants and supports for all the residents in Toronto, such as “Rebates & Energy Conservation” offering energy-efficient upgrades for income-qualified homes, “Grants for Green Roofs and Cool Roofs” offering support the installation of green roofs and cool roofs on Toronto homes and buildings, etc., as well as grants for non-profit organizations such as “Community Planting and Stewardship Grant”. Chinatown’s communities and residents should be informed about the information which could be the incentive of acting.

What is Toronto doing to curb the amount of road salts from entering the waterways?

There are some quick and easy steps that the community can take to mitigate the use of road salt during the winter months. the neighborhood can come together to shovel the busy streets to reduce the use of salts. There have also been more expensive chemicals that have been tested to do the same job as road salt but with less of the negativity around it. Furthermore, in 2016 the city of Toronto created a Salt Management Plan. Some of the tips included spending more time training workers and fitting trucks with anti icing equipment.

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Are there regulations or systems in place to prevent power outages during a possible hurricane?

Most Power outages happen during high winds, tree falls, or animal interference. Toronto Hydro responds to assess the situation and makes repairs.

Do the buildings have the technical equipment to produce energy? For example solar panels etc. Or are renewable energy sources used in buildings? Is there thermal insulation or systems in the houses?

Unfortunately, a system that can generate energy in buildings in Chinatown has not been established yet. Even though some conscious neighborhood residents have started to apply heat insulation in houses, we cannot say that it is common.

Are non-emission systems such as zero carbon buildings used to heat the buildings? For example, are electric heat pumps or biogas-based district heating systems used?

Toronto’s new strategy will require the owners of all existing buildings in Toronto to decarbonize their buildings by 2040, with support from the City of Toronto. With the goal of reducing building emissions to net zero, the Strategy supports the City’s TransformTO climate action strategy and Toronto’s vision of a low-carbon city. Buildings are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto today. Toronto will soon be using green bin waste to produce renewable natural gas to help fuel the city and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.

Are there systems in which buildings can collect and reuse rain and snow water?

I don’t think there is any system for dwellings to collect and reuse the rain and snow water. Rainwater harvesting plays an important role as a non-potable source for uses such as toilet flushing, urinals, and irrigation. It’s actually saving cost and energy associated with the reduced use of treated municipal water, reducing the volume of stormwater runoff, helping to prevent flooding and channel erosion, and saving cost associated with drainage infrastructure and downstream management of stormwater.

Is it a neighborhood suitable for a 15 minute city?

According to the maps provided, there are several transit stations and restaurants within the radius of the city. however there could stand to be moderate to severe improvements in the employment and transport districts.

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During prolonged heat waves in Toronto, what can residents in Chinatown do to avoid heat related illnesses?

To cool down in the summer there is both an outdoor public swimming pool and indoor public swimming pool that residents can access, as well as a splash pad in Kensington Market and Grange Park. The Toronto Public library is also an available cooling centre.

What percentage of pollutants should be removed to form a sustainable healthy lifestyle?

It is very difficult to give a fully accurate answer to this question by considering only Chinatown. But we can say this: Chinatown is a very old neighborhood. So are the houses and shops. It is also a dense area in terms of traffic and human circulation. There are many workplaces, restaurants and markets here. The heating system used in homes and shops, the transportation system of Chinatown and the constructions around it, the gases of cars, etc., are at a rate that will pollute the air.

In the next decade, how many people would suffer from pollutants in the environment?

A- Toronto Public Health estimates that air pollution in Toronto from all sources currently gives rise to 1,300 premature deaths and 3,550 hospitalizations annually This number is likely to increase in the next decade of sufficient pollution control have not taken immediately for the long term care of the environment.

How much of a strain is being put on hospitals as a result of people affected by pollution?

There is no specific data toward Chinatown, but we can see from the graph, according to Toronto Public Health the air pollution in Toronto from all sources currently gives rise to 1,300 premature deaths and 3,550 hospitalizations annually due to the air pollution.

What should be the primary steps taken by people to reduce pollution in their home?

The primary steps should be to conserve electricity in your home and reduce use of gas products. For instance,  using electric utensils over gas utensils would reduce pollutants in your home.

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The closest subway station to Chinatown is the St Patrick subway station and the streetcar stations are Dundas at Spadina and Spadina Ave at Dundas St West North Side. The nearest bus station is Bathurst St at Dundas St West (Toronto Western Hospital) and University Ave at Gerrard St West. The traffic around Chinatown is very hectic around weekends and the pedestrian traffic is heavier that time too because of incoming tourists and shoppers.

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The main shopping mall is the Dragon city mall located at Dundas and Spadina intersection with various shops and stores inside with a Canada Post outlet. The major intersection in Chinatown is Dundas and Spadina. There is a huge number of Chinese and Asian shops, restaurants, market on either side of the street with inexpensive food and shopping options which attracts lots of tourists as well as locals. Chinatown is also located very close to Kensington market which is a very famous spot for inexpensive shopping and entertainment. The restaurants are always very populated because of the huge demand for Chinese/Asian cuisine. The streets are adorned with gift shops on either side. There is grocery market/street where you can get almost all your grocery needs at a fair price than any other grocery chains. At Dundas and Beverly, you can see the Art Gallery of Ontario. Chinatown hosts a variety of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese restaurants that range from dim sum and pho to modern fusion. Asian open-air markets and shops along Spadina Avenue offer fresh fruits and vegetables, along with herbal medicine and souvenirs. Chinese New Year celebrations draw tourists and locals to live stage shows, martial arts demonstrations and lion dances. Chinatown is also home to many electronic shops, repair stations, and fast-food chain outlets.

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Most of the business buildings in Chinatown are two to three storeys in height. Dragon City Mall, located at the intersection of Spadina and Dundas was the tallest building for the last decades. There are many open-air markets spill out from stores onto the sidewalks, making a blur space between the private business and public area.
In Kensington-Chinatown Neighborhood, there are 4 rail transit stops and 54 street-level transit stops, including St Patrick Station and Queen's Park Station.

There are many public facilities around this neighbourhood, including 10 public schools and 3 private schools, and multi-service agencies, including University Settlement Center which offer a wide range of programs and services for newcomers, seniors, adults, youth and children, as well as hospitals and health agencies.

For its green space, there are Julius Deutsch Park, Sonya's Park, Bellevue Square Park, etc., especially Grange Park which is cared for and used heavily by residents.

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With the onset of the pandemic Covid 19, racist repressions against the Chinese and Chinatown have increased. Also, as the future of Chinatown is in jeopardy from increased property development in Toronto, lawyers are scrambling to have the area recognized as a heritage site.

Chinatown residents state that if the neighborhood is not designated as heritage, historical buildings will be demolished and the cultural heritage will disappear. City of Toronto staff are working to create a "cultural district plan" to protect Chinatown and places like it.

Another of Chinatown's biggest social issues is that due to commercial gentrification, low-income neighborhood residents will have to leave the neighborhood.

Another social issue is that businesses in Chinatown are in danger of being destroyed, with the belief that epidemics are transmitted by Chinese Canadians who migrate to China. For example Sars in 2003 and Covid 19 in 2020.

Increasing real estate prices is another situation that puts the historical neighborhood in a difficult situation.

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What can you as a resident do about the pollution caused by carbon emitting travel options in Chinatown and how can you realistically approach it?

Bike, walk and use public transit when possible. To safely bike in China town proper bike lanes need to be installed.

What are your opinions about bringing about more Electric buses as part of the TTC to regulate emissions even though it is still in its starting stages?

It is possible to go to Chinatown by bus, subway, or streetcar. However, since electric buses are not widespread in Toronto yet, we cannot say that they are widely used in Chinatown as well.

How effective do you think the transit system (TTC) in Chinatown area is in regards with cutting pollution and emissions?

The TTC have started electric bus services but only very few as per their announcements. The transition of TTC's bus fleet to 100 per cent zero-emissions technology by 2040 will significantly advance the TTC and City's innovation and sustainability objectives. Planning work for infrastructure installation is currently underway with construction slated to begin in 2022. As of now, there is progress in these plans, but work needs to be done vigorously to achieve this.

How reliable is the transit here in winters when we are having more and more storms each winter due to climate changes that we cause?

Frequent storms in winter caused by climate change will result in more delays, restricted speed, failing power supply, as well as other emergencies, which will lead to less transit reliability. However, according to 2016 Neighbourhood Profiles data, 46% residents in Kensington-Chinatown walk to work, and 63% residents take less than half an hour of commuting, which means those residents may suffer less from the transit’s unreliability, but they may suffer from frequent storms in winters as well.

What do you think about the road transport in the area and how the increasing number of cars adding up to weather related hazards and pollution even though electric cars are on the rise? Would you opt for an electric car so that you can help battle the climatic changes?

Opting to choose an electric car would be beneficial to the environment. However, the current price of electric cars compared to regular cars is staggering. For example, a regular car on the cheaper end would be 15 thousand whereas an electric car on the same level is 27 thousand, almost doubled.

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Using surveys as counseling tools, it will be measured what the Chinatown community knows about climate change, climate resilience and how ready they are to take responsibility in this regard.

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According to the results of the survey, workshops will be held with the Chinatown community on climate change, its causes, consequences and necessary precautions, and they will be informed by scientists.

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To advocate for Chinatown Community, meetings will be held with non-governmental organizations, lawyers, and municipal representatives, and requests will be made.

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Petitions will be prepared stating that the people of Chinatown demand more electric buses, more green spaces, use of renewable energy, renewing the buildings with an environmentally friendly system, and renewing Chinatown's historical fabric without damaging it.

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Median household income and Median family income (2016)

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Poverty rate and Low-income rate (LIM-AT) (2016)

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 Expansion of electric buses- Renovation of buildings with environmentally friendly systems- Application of heat and insulation systems to houses- Increasing green areas and parks and carrying out afforestation works.- Ensuring the use of renewable energy

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 Expansion of electric buses- Renovation of buildings with environmentally friendly systems- Application of heat and insulation systems to houses- Increasing green areas and parks and carrying out afforestation works.- Ensuring the use of renewable energy

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Sharon
Yesim
Xinrui
Vaisakh
Maxim