Dear Supporters,
As we near the end of the year the West Queen West Community Post wanted to write to you with some updates on our campaign to keep 1117 Queen Street West in public hands, and to provide you with some of our successes over the last year.
As many of you know, our group formed in late Spring 2021 out of concern that Canada Post Corp. was selling 1117 Queen Street West to the highest bidder, and doing so without any public consultation.
Our position has always been that 1117 Queen Street West is public property, and therefore the building must be put to community benefit.
Several community groups, including our own, submitted Letters of Intent (LOI) to Canada Post for ongoing public use of the building and to create a Community Hub for arts, culture, and social innovation, right in WQW. A true centerpiece of our community, next to Lisgar Park.
Canada Post Corp. refused our LOI within just a week. Their focus has been to get the most amount of money for the property, and they have not followed their own mandate to have the interests of community members first.
We ask you to send a message to the federal minister responsible for the flawed Canada Post Corporation Act (1985), Hon. Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, minister@pwgsc.gc.ca and copy our local MP, Julie.Dzerowicz@parl.gc.ca - we must demand change in how our public institutions treat our public assets.
Our goal in 2022 is to reach out to every Member of Parliament in Canada and start a national dialogue on the future of Canada's surplus federal properties. Which political party will step up and take the lead on this? The federal government is the largest landowner in Canada. We do not want to see public buildings sold off without consideration to local communities. The solutions to many of our communities’ challenges are sitting right in front of us. Affordable housing is one such example of an immediate need.
Take care this holiday season, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Instagram (@wqwcommunitypost), Twitter: @qwCommunityPost or send us an email at wqw@qcpost.ca
WQW Community Post
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We made several media appearances in 2021 - including most recently when Canada Post Corp., without reason, forced us to remove the much loved community piano from the Porch.
Below are links to some of our appearances in the media in 2021:
CTV News, November 24, 2021, Neighbourhood working to save beloved public piano | CTV News
The Toronto Star: "Fight for Toronto's Davenport Riding Goes Down to the Wire", September 20, 2021 https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal-election/2021/09/20/fight-for-torontos-davenport-riding-goes-down-to-the-wire.html
Global News: "Toronto's Davenport Riding Among Region's Most Competitive Races", August 15, 2021 https://globalnews.ca/news/8114272/canada-election-toronto-davenport/
The Globe and Mail: Government Should Reconsider this Bid to Create Arts Complex in Toronto's Queen West" August 17, 2021 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/toronto/article-government-should-reconsider-this-bid-to-create-a-topsy-turvy-arts/
Toronto Star: "Residents Face Uphill Battle To Save Heritage Post Office on Queen Street for Public Space", July 26, 2021 https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/07/22/residents-face-uphill-battle-to-save-heritage-post-office-on-queen-street-for-public-space.html