Corey Isenberg

500641310
Geography of Toronto
GEO793 Section 4
Essay Assignment
Monday March 13, 2017
 Uptown Yonge is a Business Improvement Area (BIA) located in North Central Toronto,

as it is directly on Yonge Street, and is north of Bloor. Through an in depth analysis of

gentrification, and how it has evolved since its emergence in the 1960s, it is clear that Uptown

Yonge is experiencing a process of gentrification. This paper will discuss the concept of

gentrification, how it has evolved since the 1960s, and how it has been implemented in the City

of Toronto. The claims found in existing literature clearly validate that gentrification is going on

in this Business Improvement Area.

Gentrification is a term that did not exist until the 1960s, when a British scholar named

Ruth Glass created it (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 142). She was understanding and observing

the inner city in London, and the socio-spatial transformations that it was experiencing. She

observed that in the inner city in London, high income people were coming into low income

neighborhoods and renovating the property (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 142). By doing this, the

prices of these properties increased (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 142). The low income people

who were living there before could no longer afford to live there so as a result, they were pushed

out.

Revitalization and restoration of a neighborhood’s physical environment can make the

area more attractive to middle and upper-class residents, and less attractive to low income

residents who could no longer afford to live there (Bélanger, 2012, pg. 31). Residents fear

‘‘forced’’ displacement as a result of the revitalization of neighborhoods (Bélanger, 2012, pg.

32). Gentrification leads to displacement and segregation, rather than reducing social

segregation. This results in working-class and minority residents being pushed out of gentrified
areas (Lees, 2008, pg. 2458). Housing all around where gentrification is taking place, both

renovated and not renovated, experience a significant price increase (Meligrana & Skaburskis,

2005, pg. 1571). The revitalization of the inner city, in the form of gentrification, compresses

housing markets in higher-growth metropolitan areas, and serves to push lower income residents

towards the inner suburbs (Bunting, Walks, & Filion, 2004, pg. 386).

The term gentrification is known as “the transformation of working-class neighbourhoods

into middle and upper-class residential neighbourhoods through reinvestment” (Lehrer &

Wieditz, 2009, pg. 142). The process of gentrification was initially recognized as small areas of

reinvestment in larger cities, such as London, New York, and Toronto, but gentrification has now

spread globally and outside of major cities, into suburban and rural regions (Lehrer & Wieditz,

2009, pg. 143). It is expanding beyond the immediate core. Gentrification used to be limited to

the inner city, but today that is no longer the case.

Gentrification is seen across major cities, and it is a very common sight. Gentrification

has gone from the upgrading of individual houses to the construction of new condominium

towers. The condominium tower is a new form of gentrification (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg.

141). It is seen in Toronto that there is a ‘condofication’ of its inner city. This is because of the

massive reinvestment of productive capital into the ‘secondary circuit’ since the late 1980s and

early 1990s recession (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 144). There has been a huge growth of inner

city residential developments in the form of condominiums because of this massive reinvestment

of productive capital (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 144). The condominium boom is in part

powered by foreign investors and wealthy migrants (Moos, 2016, pg. 2912). In Toronto, a
condominium boom has been the contributing factor to high densities within the downtown core

(Moos, 2016, pg. 2912). This has spread to some suburban municipalities inline with

improvements to public transit infrastructure (Moos, 2016, pg. 2912). A study of Toronto’s

subway system, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), found that property values increased

with increased access to the network, and this is a common indicator of gentrification (Grube-

Cavers & Patterson, 2014, pg. 180).

Gentrification has moved from an individual initiative to a process involving larger

developers and the state. Gentrification used to be about a wealthy individual who decided to buy

low income property, and renovate it. But today, it is also seen that larger developers are

involved (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 143). Builders and construction companies buy a lot of

old houses in a row, knock them down, and then build condominiums. There is also a strong

support of gentrification from the state, and from all three levels of government, which include

the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. There has been a trend throughout the years

of support from the local and provincial government on gentrification (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009,

pg. 143). This is part of a process that has taken place over a number of years.

Specifically, within Toronto, gentrification has taken place in the form of a condominium

boom. This has all evolved through a process, specifically from city reports and policies. There

has been a trend throughout the years from support from the local and provincial governments on

gentrification. This is part of a process that has taken place over a number of years. In 1976,

Toronto created Toronto’s Central Area Plan. This plan did not specifically mention

gentrification, but mentioned the need to keep building in the inner city (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009,
pg. 145). It stated that is not good to keep spending money to build new homes in the suburbs,

but it is more economically satisfying to build in the inner city (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg.

145). In 1994, Mayor Barbara Hall came up with economic development policies. She made a

speech in Liberty Village where gentrification was already taking place (Lehrer & Wieditz,

2009, pg. 145). She was in favor of taking over abandoned factories and replacing them with

condos, to make room for new residents in the city (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 145).

Toronto has always faced global competition from other cities, and several documents,

such as the Toronto Economic Development Strategy in 2000 stated that if Toronto wants to

come on top, they have to attract the creative class (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 147). The more

people buy, the more taxes they pay. As a result of these taxes, the city makes more money. This

was done by luring the creative class through gentrification (Lehrer & Wieditz, 2009, pg. 147).

The creative class are a group of individuals, which includes artists, self-employed professionals,

and scientists (Peck, 2005). This group of individuals are very valuable and an important factor

for the economic growth of cities, as these people are highly productive (Peck, 2005). In order to

attract these people to a city, a city has to offer amenities for them, such as a lively cultural scene

(Peck, 2005). Toronto has attracted the creative class through the Toronto Economic

Development Strategy.

I visited Uptown Yonge on Friday, March 3, 2017 at 1 pm. This Business Improvement

Area is located directly on Yonge between Glengowan Road and Roehampton Avenue. It is

located in North Toronto, and it consists mainly of restaurants and retail shops. My impression of

Uptown Yonge was a good one. I visit this BIA frequently, as it is near where I live. I like how
it has a lot of retail shops that I like to shop at, and a lot of restaurants that I like to eat at. I took a

walk on my visit, and I started at Glengowan Road, which is the northern boundary. When

walking down towards Roehampton Avenue, I did not witness any construction going on until I

approached Montgomery Avenue, which is very close to Eglinton Avenue East. On this property,

there was a historic building, a bank, that was boarded up around it with a condominium

development sign. On the next block down at Helendale Avenue, there were buildings that were

knocked down by Teperman Demolition, and it was covered with scaffolding. From my

previous knowledge and experience visiting this BIA, I remember that there were shops, such as

used clothing stores located on that site.

When visiting Uptown Yonge, it is clear from my observations that gentrification is

taking place. This is validated by the existing literature on gentrification in several ways. Firstly,

one of the claims mentioned in the existing literature is that gentrification is no longer seen only

in the inner city, but it has not expanded outward beyond it. Toronto is growing and expanding

north. Uptown Yonge is not located within the inner city of Toronto. It is located around Yonge

and Eglinton, which is north of the inner city. Construction is going on in this BIA. As a result, it

is clear that gentrification is expanding beyond the inner city.

Secondly, where I witnessed construction taking place is where there are going to be

condominiums going up. Previously there were retail shops, such as a used clothing store that

occupied the space. Builders and construction companies bought this space to build

condominiums, so this is not an individual initiative, but rather an initiative done by a larger

group. They bought a row of retail shops, and decided to knock them down to build
condominiums. The stores that were originally there were aimed at low to middle class people.

Thirdly, I did not witness any construction going on as I walked down Yonge towards

Eglinton, until I got closer to Eglinton. This could be because the Eglinton Subway station is

located a few blocks away. This is validated by the claim that a condominium boom is attributing

to high densities, and is spreading to suburban areas inline with public transit. Property values

increase the closer they are to a subway. This is a common indicator of gentrification, so as a

result of construction taking place very close to the subway station, it is clear that gentrification

is taking place in this Business Improvement Area.

In conclusion, the Business Improvement Area of Uptown Yonge is clearly going

through gentrification. This is backed up by the existing literature that is present. There is

currently construction going on in this BIA a few blocks south of Eglinton Station, on Yonge,

and this clearly is a sign of gentrification. Gentrification is expanding outward beyond the inner

city, as the City of Toronto is continuing to expand. Groups of builders and developers are

knocking down retail spaces that they think could be used to build condominiums and by doing

this, they make a lot of money. The existing literature on what gentrification is, how it has

evolved since the 1960s, and how it has been implemented in the City of Toronto clearly prove

that gentrification is currently taking place in Uptown Yonge.

 Works Cited

Bélanger, H. (2012). The meaning of the built environment during gentrification in

canada. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 27(1), 31-47. doi:10.1007/s10901-011-
9248-3

Bunting, T., Walks, A. R., & Filion, P. (2004). The uneven geography of housing affordability
stress in Canadian metropolitan areas. Housing studies, 19(3), 361-393.

Grube-Cavers, A., & Patterson, Z. (2014). Urban rapid rail transit and gentrification in Canadian
urban centres: A survival analysis approach. Urban Studies, 0042098014524287.

Lees, L. (2008). Gentrification and social mixing: towards an inclusive urban

renaissance?. Urban Studies, 45(12), 2449-2470.

Lehrer, U., & Wieditz, T. (2009). Condominium development and gentrification: The
relationship between policies, building activities and socio-economic development in
toronto. Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 18(1), 140-161.

Meligrana, J., & Skaburskis, A. (2005). Extent, location and profiles of continuing gentrification
in Canadian metropolitan areas, 1981-2001. Urban Studies, 42(9), 1569-1592.

Moos, M. (2016). From gentrification to youthification? The increasing importance of young age
in delineating high-density living. Urban Studies, 53(14), 2903-2920.

Peck, J. (2005). Struggling with the creative class. International Journal of Urban and Regional
Research, 29(4), 740-770. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2427.2005.00620.x