A Sampling of Toronto’s Diverse Communities

Toronto is famous for its immensely diverse communities; here is a small sampling of websites to represent some of those communities.

We encourage you to contact the Faculty Relocation Service with any of your particular needs.

• Toronto’s Neighbourhoods
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Communities
• Indigenous/First Nations
• Multicultural Websites
• Specific Ethnic/Cultural/Religious Communities:
  • African/Caribbean/Black Community
  • East Asian Community
  • South Asian Community
  • European Community
  • Latin/Hispanic Community
  • Middle Eastern Community
  • Buddhist Community
  • Hindu Community
  • Sikh Community
  • Jewish Community
  • Christian Community
  • Islamic Community
• University of Toronto Campus Communities
• Accessibility Services

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Communities

• The 519 Church Street Community Centre Diverse programming for the LGBTQ community, including support groups, events, counselling and advocacy.
• Gay Fathers of Toronto (GFT) Peer support group and resources organized by and for gay men who are fathers.
• 2SLGBTQ Family Resources Program promotes the rights and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer parents, prospective parents, and their families and children through education, research, outreach, and community organizing.
• XTRA News, views and arts and culture coverage by Canada’s leading gay and lesbian media organization and one of the most diversified gay media enterprises in the world.
• The Pink Pages Toronto’s online gay and lesbian directory.

Indigenous/First Nations

• University of Toronto First Nations House
• Native Canadian Centre of Toronto
• Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

Multicultural Websites

• Toronto.com contains a wide range of listings of restaurants, bars, shopping, community services, and religious services throughout Toronto’s various communities.
• Toronto Tourism – A site created and maintained by the Toronto Convention & Visitors Association, it provides a brief description of Toronto’s neighbourhoods.
• The Toronto Multicultural Calendar

Accessibility Services

• Accessibility Services at the University of Toronto – A service that upholds the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the University of Toronto’s Statement of Commitment to Persons with Disabilities.
• Abilities: Canada’s Lifestyle Magazine for people with Disabilities – includes information on employment, housing, transportation and entertainment.

African/Caribbean/Black Community

• Share – An online newspaper serving the Black and Caribbean community of Toronto. Contains international and community news, sports, entertainment and community information.
• Black Business and Professional Association – Contains information on this Toronto based organization, its community events and a business directory.
• Caribana Toronto – Modelled after Carnival in Trinidad, this yearly parade and music festival celebrates Carribean culture with more than 1 million participants.

East Asian Community

• Japan Foundation, Toronto – This group aims to promote the understanding of Japanese culture and lists events in Toronto and throughout Canada.
• Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto – A “non-profit, non-political organization with an objective to build a Chinese cultural centre for residents of the Greater Toronto Area.”
• Toronto’s Chinatown BIA
• Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
• Atin Ito – Monthly Filipino newspaper.

South Asian Community

• Gerrard India Bazaar – The largest marketplace of South Asian goods and services in North America.
• The Weekly Voice – Canada’s largest South Asian newspaper.

European Community

• Toronto Ukranian Festival – North America’s largest Ukranian street festival.
• Russian-Canadian Cultural Aid Society (RCCAS)
• Italian Cultural Institute of Toronto – Lists upcoming community events and courses conducted by the Institute.
• Greek Community of Metropolitan Toronto (GCMT) – This site represents over 120,000 Canadians of Hellenic descent in the city of Toronto.
• Greektown on the Danforth – This website aims to represent the “largest Greek community in North America,” lists upcoming events and contains a business directory.
• Oktoberfest – Canada’s largest Bavarian festival.

Latin/Hispanic Community

• Toronto Hispano – A website in Spanish. Includes entertainment, events, sports, job postings, forums and more.

Middle Eastern Community

• Iranian Women’s Organization of Ontario
• CanadaTurk – The leading Turkish-language newspaper in Canada.

Buddhist Community

• Soka Gakkaj International-Canada (Toronto Buddhist Society)

Hindu Community

• Council of Agencies Serving South Asians – A listing of temples in the Toronto area.
• Toronto Kalibari
• Vishnu Mandir Temple

Sikh Community

• Guru Gobind Singh Children’s Foundation – A Foundation run by children/youth with a vision to help other children meet their basic needs, while adding meaning to their lives, and carrying out the work in the spirit of the teachings of Sikh Gurus.
• World Sikh Organization of Canada

Jewish Community

• B’nai Brith Canada (advocacy and service)
• Downtown Toronto’s Reform Jewish Community – City Shul
• Discover Jewish Toronto

Christian Community

• Catholic Community in Toronto – Includes links to Archdiocese, Schools and Institutions of Higher Learning, Hospitals, Charitable Organizations, Religious Orders, Retreat & Pilgrimage Centres.
• Diocese of Toronto – The largest diocese in the Anglican Church of Canada. Contains News, Events, Parishes, links, and more.
• Toronto Baptist Ministries
• United Church of Canada

Islamic Community

• Torontomuslims.com – “Where Toronto Muslims Go First”. Includes information on Masjids/Islamic Centres, schools, events, news and more.
• Masjid Toronto
• Muslim Association of Canada