Letter to Restaurants from City of Toronto

Moving into the Grey Zone Toronto will move into the Grey Zone of the Provincial COVID-19 Response Framework on Monday, March 8 and we will remain at this level for at least two weeks. In the Grey Zone Level, in-person shopping is permitted for retail sales, with capacity limits: 50% capacity limit for supermarkets, convenience […]

WQW Must Know Covid February 22nd

Commercial Façade and Property Improvement Program The Commercial Façade and Property Improvement Grant Program is now accepting applications APPLICATION Completed application forms should be submitted via email to Michael.Saunders@toronto.ca by May 6. EMAIL TO “Michael Saunders” The Commercial – Industrial Façade and Property Improvement Program provides funding to commercial and industrial property owners to redesign, renovate or […]

cafeTO 2021

City Council adopted a report to approve an expanded CaféTO program in 2021 The program this year will have an enhanced registration and installation process, improved public parklet areas and the ability for BIAs and restaurants to apply to install decks and platforms in their curb lane closure areas, where permitted. The City is also […]

HASCAP

HASCAP Available NOW Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) The Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) provides businesses heavily impacted by COVID-19, access guaranteed, low-interest loans of $25,000 to $1 million to cover operational cash flow needs. HASCAP is available to businesses that operate in sectors such as tourism and hospitality, restaurants and those […]

CEBA

CEBA provides interest-free, partially forgivable, loans of up to $40,000, to small businesses and not-for-profits, that have experienced diminished revenues due to COVID-19 but face ongoing non-deferrable costs, such as rent, utilities, insurance, taxes, and wages. Eligibility of CEBA 1.    The Payroll Stream (Applicants with employment income paid in the 2019 calendar year between Cdn. $20,000 and […]

Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS)

Canadian businesses, non-profit organizations, or charities who have seen a drop in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for a subsidy to cover part of their commercial rent or property expenses, starting on September 27, 2020, until June 2021. This subsidy will provide payments directly to qualifying renters and property owners, without requiring the participation of landlords. If you are eligible for the base […]

Provincial Covid Financial Assistance for Businesses

Provincial Assistance for Businesses Ontario’s Main Street Relief Grant: PPE support Assistance for small businesses with the unexpected costs of PPE. Eligibility To be eligible, your business must have two to nine employees and be in one of the following sectors: retail accommodation and food services repair and maintenance personal and laundry services What you’ll get Eligible small […]

Ontario is helping businesses recover costs for personal protective equipment

Apply for Funding Overview of available funding Your business can apply online for funding from one or more of the following initiatives: Main Street Relief Grant for Personal protective equipment (PPE) providing up to $1,000 for PPE costs to eligible small businesses across Ontario with 2 and 9 employees Property Tax and Energy Cost Rebate Grants for […]

Get help with COVID-19 costs

On November 16, businesses in modified Stage 2 regions or, going forward, in areas categorized as control or lockdown, can apply for rebates to help with fixed costs, such as property tax and energy bills. Application forms will be available starting on November 16, 2020. LINK TO SITE You will be able to complete a single form to apply […]

WQW Must Know Covid Update November 11th

CEWS & CERS Programs PLEASE note from the bulletins that there is no official date when applications will be open. As per previous iterations, the application portal will need to go up first before applications can be received and processed. We are tracking when those portals will go up (open) as they will be the […]

WQW 2020 AGM Meeting Reminder

AGM NOTICE 2020West Queen West Business Improvement Area (BIA)As a member of the West Queen West, you are invited to attend theAnnual General Meeting:Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020, 7:00 PMLocation: Virtual-Only Agenda Call to Order, Introductions and Opening Remarks Electronic meeting, recording of the meeting and voting protocols Declaration of Conflict of Interest Approval of 2019 […]

Phillip Carter Recipient of the 2020 Eric Arthur Lifetime Achievement Award

WAY TO GO PHIL!!!!!!Phil Carter, WQW member, WQW Board member, former WQW Chair, and all round amazing gentleman, has won the 2020 Eric Arthur Lifetime Achievement Award from the Architectural Conservancy Ontario The Award recognizes his outstanding contribution to the heritage conservation movement in Ontario over a sustained period of time. “…Phillip Carter is both […]

Pick Up, Take Out, Delivery

There are dozens of great West Queen West restaurants, cafes, diners and eateries that have pick up and delivery available. Here’s your handy guide, including links to the delivery services. We’ve put the guide in alphabetical order, and included the website address, email and phone number, where appropriate, in case you have any questions. Bon […]

CAMH COVID-19 SELF HELP BOOKLETS

Covid-19 has been devastating to all of us in so many ways; emotionally, physically, financially, and mentally. We all need to make sure we take care of ourselves and CAMH has some fantastic resources to help with that “..The Self-help Booklet Series is for people with intellectual disabilities and can be used with the support […]

Ontario banning indoor dining, closing gyms, theatres for 28 days

Effective 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 10, new measures will be implemented in Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa, which includes the shutdown of indoor dining and gyms for the next 28 days. The indoor dining restriction applies to restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, including nightclubs and food courts in malls. Indoor gyms and […]

October 6-12 is Mental Illness Awareness Week

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), more than 500,000 Canadians will be absent from work in any week as a result of mental illness. ​It is expected that by the year 2020, depression will be the world’s second leading cause of disability (heart disease is the first leading cause of disability). Stress, anxiety, and […]

Crime Prevention Tips & Tools for WQW Business

Business Crime Prevention GuideLaying a Foundation for Prevention. Business owners should take a hard look at their businesses in areas such as physical layout, number of employees, hiring practices, and overall security to determine vulnerability to various kinds of crime, from burglary to internal theft. Once this step has been taken, crime prevention measures can […]

CafeTO Fall Update

CafeTO_Fall-Update-1Download The City of Toronto has announced they will allow for portable heaters to be placed on all outdoor patios, including CafeTO curb lane closures. Information included in above CafeTO Fall Update Please take the feedback survey which is included in the Update; as a 2021 program is considered! Additional Resources: CPA_FactSheet_Cylinder-Markings_2016-003DownloadPropane_Safety_EnDownloadCPA_Fact-Sheet_Carbon-Monoxide-Safety_August-2016-1Download Yoast SEO The […]

The Day the Music Died

 WQW Remembers:  Covid-19 has brought lots of sadness to the world; taken lots of lives and destroyed so many others.  WQW, like other neighbourhoods, have lost many of our businesses, our members our friends.  For the next few weeks, I will be writing about some of the businesses’, that WQW has lost due to Covid-19. […]

WQW WEEKEND HIT LIST JAN 25-27th

WQW WEEKEND HITLIST JAN 18-20

What are YOU bringing to Thanksgiving Dinner?

Preparing for the turkey/tofurkey coma? Bring some dessert from any one of these West Queen West locations.    

This Weekend in West Queen West September 21st-23rd

Friday, September 21st: have a laugh. Saturday, September 22nd: book launch and an open mic. Sunday, September 23rd: get musical. Happening all Weekend: the Queen West Art Crawl. What to eat: Grandmama’s Waffles Dinner in WQW Harlem Underground, Convenience, Agora, Milagro Cantinas, Oyster Boy, Hooky’s Fish & Chips, The County General, Lisa Marie, El Almacen, […]

This Weekend in West Queen West: Labour Day Edition

Labour Day weekend has dawned upon us once more! With the bitter-sweetness of back to school and fall around the corner, cherish one of these last weekends of summer bliss in West Queen West! EVENTS: Friday, August 31st Saturday, September 1st WHAT TO EAT: Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream! Our neighbourhood is loaded cones of […]

This Weekend in West Queen West: August 24th-26th

Friday, August 24th Saturday, August 25th Sunday, August 26th   Dinner in WQW Harlem Underground, Convenience, Agora, Milagro Cantinas, Oyster Boy, Hooky’s Fish & Chips, The County General, Lisa Marie, El Almacen, The Swan, Banu, Terroni, Rickshaw Bar, Noce, Entice Culinary Lounge, Butter Chicken Roti, Lamesa, The Drake Hotel, Gladstone Hotel, Fresh, Otto’s Bierhalle, Carmen, […]

This Weekend in West Queen West August 17th-19th

Friday, August 17th Saturday, August 18th Sunday, August 19th All Weekend:  Where to Eat: Dinner in WQW Harlem Underground, Convenience, Agora, Milagro Cantinas, Oyster Boy, Hooky’s Fish & Chips, The County General, Lisa Marie, El Almacen, The Swan, Banu, Terroni, Rickshaw Bar, Noce, Entice Culinary Lounge, Butter Chicken Roti, Lamesa, The Drake Hotel, Gladstone Hotel, […]

This Weekend in West Queen West August 10th-12th

Friday, August 10th Saturday, August 11th Sunday, August 12th All Weekend: SummerWorks Performance Festival Where to Eat: Dinner in WQW Harlem Underground, Convenience, Agora, Milagro Cantinas, Oyster Boy, Hooky’s Fish & Chips, The County General, Lisa Marie, El Almacen, The Swan, Banu, Terroni, Rickshaw Bar, Noce, Entice Culinary Lounge, Butter Chicken Roti, Lamesa, The Drake […]

This Weekend in West Queen West July 20th-22nd

Friday, July 20th Saturday, July 21st Sunday, July 22nd Art Exhibitions   Where to eat this weekend: make a final reservation with Summerlicious! Make a reservation with these participating WQW restaurants: Banu Entice Culinary Lounge Fonda Lola Harlem Underground Lisa Marie Milagro Cantina Montgomery’s Noce Dinner in WQW Harlem Underground, Convenience, Agora, Milagro Cantinas, Oyster Boy, […]

This Weekend in West Queen West July 13th-15th

Friday, July 13th Saturday, July 14th   Sunday, July 15th   Art Exhibitions Where to watch FIFA World Cup Finals this weekend: Gather your pals and hit up these spots to see if Croatia will make history against France: Otto’s Bierhalle H Bar Convenience The Dog & Bear The Done Right Inn Where to eat […]

This Weekend in West Queen West July 6th-8th

Friday, July 6th Saturday, July 7th Sunday, July 8th Art Exhibitions See Jiri Ladocha’s “Architectonics” at The Modern Gallery, 68 Abell Street. On until July 22nd. Amy Bowles “Bottled” at Paul Petro Gallery until July 7th “Meditation” Group Exhibition on at Paul Petro Gallery until July 7th. Where to eat this weekend: make a reservation […]

This Weekend In West Queen West June 29th-July 1st

Friday, June 29th Saturday, June 30th Sunday, July 1st     Art Exhibitions See Jiri Ladocha’s “Architectonics” at The Modern Gallery, 68 Abell Street. On until July 22nd. Amy Bowles “Bottled” at Paul Petro Gallery until July 7th “Meditation” Group Exhibition on at Paul Petro Gallery until July 7th. Where to eat this weekend: More […]

West Queen West Weekend Guide June 22-24

Friday, June 22nd Saturday, June 23rd   Sunday, June 24th All Weekend Art Exhibitions Extracurricular Fun: Where to Eat: Featured Places   Dinner in WQW Harlem Underground, Convenience, Agora, Milagro Cantinas, Oyster Boy, Hooky’s Fish & Chips, The County General, Lisa Marie, El Almacen, The Swan, Banu, Terroni, Rickshaw Bar, Noce, Entice Culinary Lounge, Butter […]

Queer Street West Events: Pride Edition

West Queen West is excited to celebrate everything proud and loud this month. After all, it’s pride month! Our favourite month of the year. There are so many awesome events happening right here in our neighbourhood. The Beaver The Gladstone Hotel   The Drake Hotel Brunch in WQW (Saturday & Sunday) Harlem Underground, Milagro Cantinas, […]

West Queen West Weekend Guide. June 1 – 3.

Friday, June 1. Saturday, June 2nd   Sunday, June 3rd New Places to Check Out: The Feral: (890 Queen St. W)   Allbirds Pop-Up Shop (700 Queen St. W)   Dinner in WQW Harlem Underground, Convenience, Agora, Milagro Cantinas, Oyster Boy, Hooky’s Fish & Chips, The County General, Lisa Marie, El Almacen, The Swan, Banu, Terroni, […]

West Queen West Weekend Guide. May 25 – 27.

Friday, May 25th. Saturday, May 26th.             Sunday, May 27th                           Dinner in WQW Harlem Underground, Convenience, Agora, Milagro Cantinas, Oyster Boy, Hooky’s Fish & Chips, The County General, Lisa Marie, El Almacen, The Swan, Banu, Terroni, Rickshaw […]

West Queen West Weekend Guide. May 18 – 20.

? West Queen West’s Pollinator Paradise is back in full bloom! ? Welcome to Toronto’s very first bee-friendly streetscape. In partnership with Restorative Landscapes, this West Queen West community project aims to create an edible, bee-friendly streetscape amidst our thriving urban landscape. How does a Pollinator Paradise Work? Our planter beds hold a mix of pollinator, edible, and medicinal plants primarily native […]

Mother’s Day Weekend Guide in West Queen West. May 11 – 13.

Treat your mother this weekend to plenty of fun activities, amazing food, shopping and more in West Queen West. Poppies Play of Joy Surprise mom with any gorgeous plants or flowers from this local West Queen West gem. Be sure to pre-order before May 13th! Twist Gallery Open Friday & Saturday, 11AM – 6PM. www.twistgallery.ca […]

This Weekend in West Queen West April 27th-29th

Entertainment The Beaver (1192 Queen St.W) Friday: Scream: Werewolf  Join Jacklynne Hyde and special guest Ash Ashlee Stewart (ASHLEE WARCHILD) as we howl the night away. Performances and dancing all night long. 10pm $5   Saturday: FIT: Our 100th Party Celebrate FIT’s 100th party with a special midnight show from Sapphire Titha Reign. 19+ 10pm-2am […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: #OneBravePlaylist

What song helps you through difficult times? CAMH is putting together a Spotify playlist for One Brave Night and needs YOUR help. Go to www.facebook.com/end.stigma/ and tell us what your go to song is and it could be included in the #OneBravePlaylist!

WQW CAMH Wednesday: My One Brave Night in memory of my brother Carey.

On April 6, #OneBraveNight participant Shael will be playing the piano in honour of his brother Carey, a die-hard music fan. Read his story. My One Brave Night in memory of my brother Carey   I’m taking the #OneBraveNight challenge because of my brother Carey. He struggled with profound mental illness for many years until it finally took […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: CAMH’s new Azrieli Centre for Adult Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Mental Health will provide better care, fuel new breakthroughs and share ground-breaking knowledge with the world.

Meeting the needs of adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities and mental illness TORONTO, February 5, 2018 – Adults with both neurodevelopmental disabilities and a mental illness will have greater opportunities to live healthier lives, thanks to Canada’s first centre for this population being opened at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The Azrieli Centre […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Groundbreaking Begins for Next Phase in Boldest Redevelopment in CAMH History

Groundbreaking Begins for Next Phase in Boldest Redevelopment in CAMH History ​TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2017 – Today, as we mark the beginning of Mental Illness Awareness Week, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) held the official groundbreaking for the boldest phase yet of its Queen Street Redevelopment Project. When construction is completed, the […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Mental Health Film Series – Free Screenings

Get ready for #BellLetsTalk with three free film screenings centered around mental illness, happening at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema on January 24 and 31. Click here for more information and showtimes. The official trailer for THE S WORD, a groundbreaking documentary that shatters the silence around suicide and reveals a movement of survivors, […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: The 150 Leading Canadians For Mental Health

CAMH has announced their full list of Difference Makers for Mental Health! Meet 150 people across Canada who are making a difference in mental health in their communities: bit.ly/2ENd6JD

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Is there a cost to protecting, caring for and saving others? Beware of Compassion Fatigue

Is there a cost to protecting, caring for and saving others? Beware of Compassion Fatigue By Dr. Katy Kamkar, Clinical Psychologist at CAMH, Director at Badge of Life Canada What happens to our helpers, who are continuously hearing, seeing or witnessing tragedies, pain and suffering while also providing care, support and protection? Being continuously exposed […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Welcome to the CAMH podcast.

Published on December 15th, 2017 | from CAMH Welcome to the CAMH podcast By Sean O’Malley, Senior Media Relations Specialist Attention audiophiles, the official CAMH podcast is now online. Co-hosted by myself and CAMH Senior Medical Advisor Dr. David Goldbloom, the CAMH podcast will introduce listeners to the work we do here, our world-class experts and clinicians on the […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Gifts of Light

For a patient who arrives at CAMH’s doors with nothing, even the most basic items can mean everything. You can purchase an Emergency Kit to give patients at CAMH essentials like socks and toiletries: bit.ly/2B6odvU        

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Dog Therapy at CAMH

Pets have long proven to have restorative and calming effects on their owners and those around them. At CAMH, dogs do much the same for our clients.

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Making strides towards recovery at the CAMH pool. By Mike Hajmasy.

There’s something to be said about the therapeutic nature of water. It can be a calm and humbling presence; a place to focus on the task at hand. Lifeguards at the CAMH pool know this better than most, and recently took the initiative to organize a ‘learn to swim’ group for clients enrolled in the […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: A note to caregivers: “Save some love for yourself”

A note to caregivers: “Save some love for yourself” By Dr. Yona Lunsky, H-CARDD Director and Clinician Scientist, CAMH  The first week of November is Canadian Down Syndrome week. It also marks the beginning of National Caregiver month. And while both deserve attention, I am unsure of how often we consider their overlap.  This week, families across […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Patients at CAMH experience the healing power of music when attending Smile Serenades.

Smile Serenades Patients at CAMH experience the healing power of music when attending Smile Serenades — a new program run by performers from Smile Theatre. Once a week, patients and staff join together to sing, dance and experience the restorative sounds of the “Serenaders.” In doing so, patients are able to use music as a tool to […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Gifts Of Light

Gifts of Light are practical, meaningful gifts that meet the unique needs of mental health and addiction patients at CAMH. Purchase Gifts of Light on behalf of your friends and family and help people in crisis on their journey to recovery. With over 20 great gift ideas, there is something for everyone on your list! […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Read why programs like Feel Good Fridays are so important to patients at CAMH

Helping patients look – and feel – their best When faced with difficult life events, finding the time for self-care and rejuvenating activities can feel impossible, but they are important tools in recovery. In supporting Gifts of Light, you are helping CAMH patients participate in Feel Good Fridays and enjoy the revitalizing effects of a […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: What message would you share with a CAMH patient on the journey to recovery?

Share Your Note! Please share an encouraging thought with the patients who rely on CAMH every day. It is our vision that every person know that life is worth living and that recovery is possible. Leave a note here: bit.ly/2ymcH2g

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: Personality Disorders

What are personality disorders?  Personality is the synthesis of behaviours, cognitions and emotions that makes each person unique. Despite this uniqueness, both “healthy” personality and personality disorder have defined patterns. Although our personalities allow others to predict and anticipate our responses to situations, a person with a “healthy” personality demonstrates a range of coping responses […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday: New study shows people with schizophrenia are dying younger

Poorer physical health care over their lifespan a leading cause TORONTO, Sept. 18, 2017 — People with schizophrenia have a mortality rate that is three times greater each year than those without schizophrenia, and die on average, eight years earlier than people without schizophrenia according to a new Ontario study by researchers at the Centre for […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday Story: Psychosis

What is psychosis? The word psychosis is used to describe conditions that affect the mind, in which people have trouble distinguishing between what is real and what is not. When this occurs, it is called a psychotic episode. A first episode of psychosis is often very frightening, confusing and distressing, particularly because it is an […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday Story: CAMH announces opening of Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics

Breakthroughs in understanding mental illness are coming from a surprising new source—big data. This morning CAMH announced the creation of the Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics that will accelerate global collaborations in brain science using the power of big data, artificial intelligence and brain modelling to fundamentally change how mental illness is understood. Thanks to a transformational $15-million gift […]

West Queen West CAMH Story Wednesday: CAMH’s 13 Reasons Why Not

  By Sean O’Malley, Senior Media Relations Specialist  This Sunday, September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day.  On average at least 10 Canadians a day die by suicide.  Worldwide it claims the life of 800,000 people each and every year, more than homicides and all natural disasters combined. This project was originally conceived as an antidote […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday Story: A ruff day at work

By Miguel Amante, Communications Coordinator, Public Affairs As the popular saying goes, “Every dog has its day”. For Pet Therapy Volunteer Toni Barkston (yes, that’s her full name!), a five-year-old Black Lab mix, and her human owner Gina Kish, that day is Sunday. For the past three years, Toni and Gina have been visiting CAMH’s inpatient Unit 3-1 […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday Story: #BackToSchool 2017

The back to school season is exciting. Children r​eunite with friends, teens head off to university and parents get back into the routine that summer tends to disrupt. But for some, this time of year ca​n be very stressful. CAMH encourages students, parents and teachers to take care of their mental health during this busy time of […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday Story: Dietary kit reduces baby blues, a precursor to postpartum depression

Over the past decade, CAMH’s Dr. Jeffrey Meyer has studied brain imaging with the goal of discovering the causes of depression. His research led to the development of a natural and effective dietary supplement that reduces baby blues, a precursor to post-partum depression. This is significant; 13% of new moms experience post-partum depression, often with […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday Story: CAMH imagines the future of mental health

The relationship between a patient and clinician is an essential part of treatment and one we are committed to ensuring will be strengthened by new high-tech tools and technologies under development. These will provide more effective care in the clinic, which can be extended seamlessly into patients’ daily lives through digital supports. This isn’t only […]

West Queen West CAMH Friday Story: Redeveloping the Queen Street Site

CAMH is in the midst of a bold redevelopment project to transform our historic 27-acre site on Queen Street West into the mental health facility of the future. We are building innovative treatment, research and education facilities that integrate with the surrounding neighbourhood and the grid of the city, featuring public spaces, parks, through-streets, and […]

West Queen West CAMH Wednesday Story: A world without dementia is within our sight

CAMH is making tremendous breakthroughs at the intersection between mental illness, the aging process and neurodegenerative diseases – and we have a unique approach to thank for these breakthroughs. CAMH has the largest geriatric mental health program in Ontario and provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient services. If you aren’t in that area […]

CAMH Wednesdays: New support boosts development of a promising therapy for multiple sclerosis

In a major boost for multiple sclerosis (MS), a promising new treatment that may prevent nervous system damage in MS will be developed. The research will be led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), working with University of Toronto’s Centre for Collaborative Drug Research (CCDR), with support from a major new grant […]

Celebrating individuality at the Suits Me Fine Fashion Show

    If you haven’t already heard, this CAMH highlight event brought it once again for the 13th year running. In the words of host and fashion icon Jeanne Beker, “positive vibes” were a plenty as clients, staff and members of the community gathered in CAMH’s Sandi and Jim Treliving Gymnasium to celebrate clients proudly […]

A Promising Treatment for Eating Disorders

The number of people who are currently suffering from eating disorders like anorexia is at its highest ever rate. People never think that someone they know could ever have a disorder like this which is part of the issue. People should always look out for the signs of anorexia nervosa, especially if they know someone […]

Pollinator Paradise

Our Bee Hotels are getting BUZZ.  Toronto Star CBC Metro News   Be part of the Pollinator Paradise in West Queen West! Welcome to Toronto’s very first bee-friendly streetscape. In partnership with Restorative Landscapes, this WQW community project aims to create an edible, bee-friendly streetscape amidst our thriving urban landscape. How does a Pollinator Paradise Work? Our […]

West Queen West Launches “FREE WQW Wi-Fi”

West Queen West Launches “FREE WQW Wi-Fi”   West Queen West (WQW), working with its partners from Besify, will be launching “Phase 1” of it’s “FREE WQW Wi-Fi” on Thursday February 22nd, 2017. WQW will be offering “FREE WQW Wi-Fi” along Queen Street West from Niagara Street to Markham Street. “I’m excited, that now when […]

Celebrating New Year’s on an Indian Farm

          Countdown to the Reveal: How to Celebrate New Year’s on an Indian Farm                     By Rosie Kristina   Lessons Learned I’ve learned as many new things while living in India in a matter of days as I have living in a city my whole life. It might sound unreal, but living among locals teaches […]

How does Main Street “Brick & Mortar” survive and THRIVE?

How does Main Street “Brick & Mortar” survive and THRIVE? The West Queen West (WQW) is the Art & Design District, the Creative Heart of Toronto, and one of Toronto’s amazing 82 BIAs. The WQW Board and its 400 members share the same philosophy; every day is a day to celebrate “Art & Culture”, all […]

WQW Friend Travels to India

From Toronto to India: Day 1 in Delhi By Rosie Kristina I decided to head out to India with the end of 2016 approaching and the uneasy realization that I would soon be turning thirty. Planning a trip for India is challenging, as it should be. Nothing goes as expected and nothing can prepare you for […]

SMALL BUSINESS ACTS LIKE BIG BUSINESS Toronto’s First Neighbourhood e-Gift Card

Toronto, ON – One of Toronto’s trendiest shopping destinations, West Queen West (WQW) between Bathurst and Gladstone, is set to launch Toronto’s first Neighbourhood e-Gift Card program on November 1st. The WQW e-Gift Card provides shoppers with a more local alternative rather than a mall gift card or big box chains. Maybe they could look […]

Nuit Blanche 2016

Nuit Blanche 2016 By Rosie Kristina Nuit Blanche happened this past Saturday October 1st from sundown to sunrise, or 6:58 pm to 7:00 am Sunday October 2nd to be exact. It was a smaller event this year with 90 exhibits but the crowds were as large as they’ve ever been. Having been wooed by pictures […]

myStreet Mobile App – What’s near me?

Download myStreet Mobile App to learn the stories of WQW                    Also a chance to win one of 20 X 25$ WQW Digital Gift Cards or the Grand Prize a $500.00 WQW Digital Gift Card.  

October 1st & 2nd: Queen West Art Crawl

When: Saturday, October 1st and Sunday, October 2nd from 11am-6pm Where: Trinity Bellwoods Park, 790 Queen Street West QWAC is an established cultural and artistic hub in Toronto, allowing visitors to see art, buys art, make art and taste art. With new partnerships with TD Bank (Presenting sponsor), Steam Whistle and Indie88 Radio, 2016 promises to […]

Matthew Varey Artist & Teacher at Etobicoke School of the Arts

Head of Visual Arts Etobicoke School of the Arts September 2007 – Present (9 years 1 month)Etobicoke School of the Arts Department Head of the World’s top High School Visual Art Department www.esava.ca Instagram: esa_visual_art & matthew_varey WQW Outdoor Art & Artist Gallery Artist Interview Question #1 : Who is Matthew Varey & Why did […]

Zion Artist Page

WQW Outdoor Art & Artist Gallery Artist Interview Question #1 : Who is Zion and how did you get involved with Graffiti? Question #2 (pt. 1) : How, why and what is/was the “Bomb Shelter”? Question #2 (pt. 2) :  How, why and what is/was the “Bomb Shelter”? Question #3 (pt. 1) : Zion discusses the […]

Holly-Mclachlan

Holly-McLachlan Holly Mclachlan is a visual artist living in Oakville, ON. She explores freedom, vulnerability, body image and love within her drawings and paintings. Holly’s keen perception of the human form results in work that is both playful and honest . She often incorporates poetry into her paintings and is constantly reading new books and […]

WQW Murals

Photos by Rosie Kapun  

Huffington Post readers declare WQW is number one in the Country! “

August 3rd, 2016 –       Huffington Post readers declare WQW is number one in the Country! Congratulations to all our WQW members and folks in the neighbourhood! “…cool has migrated west — to West Queen West — a continuation of the community just a bit further out of the way of the downtown strip. While […]

WQW and its members are located in one of the “hottest urban retail markets in North America”,

WQW and its members are located in one of the “hottest urban retail markets in North America”, according to the 2016 Cushman & Wakefield Cool Streets 2016. A very interesting “Retail Read” “…Make no mistake about it, these are largely hipster neighborhoods notable for their embrace of the unconventional, out-of-the-box, and the cool. But they […]

West Queen West & “myStreet” The Perfect Partnership for the Times

  The City of Toronto is the 4th largest city in North America. Mexico, New York, Los Angeles & then Toronto; and yet what makes Toronto so special & so unique, is that Toron­­­­to it is still known as the “City of Neighbourhoods”. Toronto’s 82 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) are at the heart of those […]

WQW’ Nuit Blanche “Outdoor Art & Artist Gallery”

  Nuit Blanche 2016, Oct,1st WQW, Art & Design District, Creative Heart of Toronto, is going to celebrate its “WQW Outdoor Art & Artist Gallery” Along Queen Street West from Bathurst to Gladstone! 50 planters covered in Art by  amazing Artists LEARN A WHOLE LOT about the Artist & their work with the WQW myStreet app. PLUS, WQW […]

A Bite of West Queen West to go Around

A Bite of West Queen West to go Around By Rosie Kristina Photos by MoiMeme  from Toronto Arts & Culture Betty Ann Jordan is a tour guide of the aptly called Culture and Food Walk, which she leads every second Thursday from 6 pm to 8 pm of each month in the West Queen West […]

WQW Joins Bee City, adds to the Outdoor Art Gallery and uses Tech to tell the story

By Rosie Kristina   Thursday August 4th 2016 saw a bevy of community leaders gather at Trinity Bellwoods Park for the unveiling of West Queen West’s latest green venture –bee planter pollinators –as part of their West Queen West’s Bee City and Outdoor Art Gallery initiative. With the recent headlines of bee populations dwindling, it […]

Bricks & Clicks: How Digital Main Street Will Change & Aid Toronto Small Business

To some retailers, the switch to an online presence and adoption of digital technology is an easy transition. To many more, it seems like an impossible and time-consuming leap without a 21-year-old employee. This is why Monday morning’s breakfast at The Drake Hotel was so exciting: City of Toronto’s launch of Digital Main Street will […]

Monday with the Mayor in West Queen West

By Rosie Kapun The morning of Monday May 9th saw an early crowd gather for the annual Mayor’s Breakfast hosted by the West Queen West BIA, in the Restaurants Canada building located at 1155 Queen Street West. The invited guests attended a breakfast reception with John Tory for the hour-and-a-half event with the spotlight squarely […]

June 8th at The Theatre Centre: The 2016 Legal Landscape For Creatives

Heads-up Arts Workers, here is an opportunity to gain an understanding of the new copyright laws in Canada. This CAPIC Legal Clinic will be a Q&A session with Dan Pollack, an international copyright lawyer. Feel free to ask on topics of contracts, copyright for the digital age, infringement, licensing agreements, releases, and more. The clinic […]

Enter To Win A $1000 Mother’s Day Shopping Spree!

Your mom is awesome. She’s been there every step of your life, nagged you to clean your room, and has put up with every mood swing you’ve swung at her. She’s the best. So, how would you treat your mom with a $1000 shopping spree in WQW?Tell us three places you would take her by […]

Invitation to join a focus group on supervised injection service at Queen West — CTCHC

Dear members of the West Queen West business community, We invite you to join a focus group for local businesses about the plan to add a small-scale supervised injection service to the existing clinical health and harm reduction services at Queen West — Central Toronto Community process, and we want to make sure the needs […]

Quiz Coconut Trivia Nights at Nunu

It’s the first part of a two part triviathon. Quiz Coconut is the new trivia host in Toronto and we’re pretty darn stoked to have them in West Queen West. Last Wednesday was a sold out hootenanny. The next trivia night in our neighbourhood will be on April 20th at Nunu, 7:30pm. To reserve a […]

City of Toronto Discussion Paper on Small Business Taxation

    The Small Business Council Advisory Body of the City of Toronto have published a Small Business Taxation Discussion Paper. It is available to the public and is a highly recommended read for any small business owner. Last April, the Deputy Mayor of Toronto held a Small Business Roundtable directed at understanding the challenges […]

Commercial Façade Improvement Program

Open to all members of the West Queen West BIA, this program is available to owners and tenants of buildings used for commercial purposes at street level. What’s awesome: the city will fund up to half the costs in approved improvement applications to a maximum grant of $10,000 (or $12,500 for a corner property). Good […]

Mayor Tory to champion Toronto region as global centre of innovation

    February 11, 2016 – Toronto Mayor John Tory today launched a new city website and strategy to champion the region as a centre of startups, innovation and growth, in partnership with City of Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic.   The two mayors will participate in a dual city mission to San Francisco and Silicon […]

Carnovsky closing party at Nuvango

  The Nuvango flagship store on Queen and Bathurst hosted the closing party for their Carnovsky RGB exhibit in the gallery above. The exhibit used lights that cycled through strong red, green, and blue lights to alter the images that were plastered on prints, pants, dresses and even the walls. Nuvango takes local artists and applies […]

Come Up To My Room for the Thirteenth Time

Yet again, another inspirational curation of interactive design installations have been gathered into rooms of the Gladstone Hotel. CUTMR is more than just an exhibition; it is a display of what happens when a risk is taken and “what if?” turns into a reality. For four days, the hotel transforms into a four-floor experiment. Choose […]

Quiz Coconut Trivia Nights

Let’s shake things up in West Queen West a bit and have some fun by rewarding the trivial amounts of knowledge you managed to cram in your cranium… or should we say, coconut? Last night at H Bar, we partnered with Quiz Coconut for an evening of wit battling. The bar was packed, the food […]

Congratulations to our Winner of the $1000 WQW Shopping Spree!

A massive congratulations to Jocelyn Morris for winning the WQW $1000 Shopping Spree! We would also like to extend a warm thank you to everyone who participated. Stay tuned for more contests to come.

Real Santa Visits WQW

By Rob Sysak Tis the season of mall Santa’s, corner Santa’s and even a Fashion Santa, but only WQW gets visited every Saturday before Christmas by the Real Santa Claus. Santa, with assistance from his Elf and personal Caroling Duet, walked along the coolest 2 kilometre stretch in North America, (According to Fashion Bible, Vogue), […]

Win a $1,000 Holiday Shopping Spree in WQW!

  Win a WQW Shopping Spree!More West Queen West ideas on how to spend your $1,000 WQW Holiday Shopping Spree. Enter for your chance to win at westqueenwest.ca/win-a-1000-west-queen-west-shopping-spree/ Posted by West Queen West Business Improvement Area on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 We just need your name, email address and postal code to enter you in […]

West Queen West Holiday Fest Charity Drive Participating Locations

Black Friday Night Time Celebrations

It’s not worth shopping-until-you-drop only to lose a good Friday night. Keep the party in tonight with this hit list: 8:00 pm THE ACORN + EVENING HYMNS at The Drake Hotel. $15. It’s going to be a Canadiana indie-folk night with The Acorn’s Rolf Klausener performing a solo set with Toronto’s Evening Hymns. Feel your roots […]

West Queen West Holiday Fest: A Collaborative Charity Event

How can a small business help a community? It’s simple: all you have to do is care. Welcome to the Holiday Fest in West Queen West, a collaborative charity drive to support the Salvation Army Florence Booth House. Everyday from December 1st until Christmas Eve, participating businesses are offering a unique promotion in exchange for […]

Way to Create! Phil Carter Award Winner!

Congratulations to WQW’s own Phillip Carter, Architect extraordinaire, WINNER of…. “Institutional/Commercial Wood Design Award <$10M” (Toronto Public Library, Scarborough) Institutional/Commercial Wood Design Award: < $10 M. “…Wood Design Awards honours the creators of new projects that push the limits of wood design in structures that demonstrate excellence in the use of wood. Winning projects will showcase […]

A FAREWELL THAT ENDED TOO SOON

  By Rosie Kapun West Queen West adoption truck full of plants This past weekend saw numerous plants given away to excited owners. On Saturday November 14th, the West Queen West BIA handed out dozens of plants, marking the beginning of the winter season by reusing formerly decorative plants. These former inhabitants of the BIA’s […]

Vogue Declares WQW the 2nd Coolest Neigbourhood in the WORLD

    WEST QUEEN WEST/ TORONTO / CANADA “…Toronto is currently enjoying newfound prominence—and desirability—amongst globe-trotting tastemakers. Queen Street West is a verifiable artery of indie patisseries, homegrown labels, and hidden-from-view galleries—hallmarks of hipness, if ever they existed…” Vogue Article

West Queen West Study – Wards 14, 18, and 19

In November of 2013, City Council adopted a motion which directed City staff to undertake a planning study of Queen Street West, from Bathurst Street to Roncesvalles Avenue. The study will look at the following: heritage character and value of buildings in the area, built-form and height of new developments, existing policy context, transit capacity […]

Erin Zimerman

Erin Zimerman is an interdisciplinary artist, active in both the community arts and gallery exhibitions. His experience in graffiti art led him to working with the City of Toronto’s Graffiti Transformation Project for 10+ years, as an artist, facilitator and coordinator.  Erin’s murals have been featured in the books, “My Mania,” “World Graffiti,” and in […]

Bruno Smoky Artist Page

The artist Bruno , also known as “Smoky”, dedicated his life to visual art. Since childhood, drawing and creativity was always part of his daily routine. In 2004, he began painting on walls with spraypaint in Brasilandia where he grew up, a precarious neighborhood of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Smoky has gained international and professional recognition […]

Jay Soule Artist Page

Jay Soule aka CHIPPEWAR is a Native multimedia artist from the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation (Deshkaan Ziibing Anishinaabeg) located twenty minutes south west of London, Ontario on the north bank of the Thames River.   Jay creates art under the name Chippewar which represents the hostile relationship that Canada’s native people’s have with […]

Sandro Liberato Artist Page

Sandro Liberato About Sandro Liberato began painting at the age of seven and became the youngest member of Sociedade Brasileira de Belas Artes (Brazilian Society of Fine Arts) at the age of 15. The Rio de Janeiro native who resides in Toronto also graduated from the Cartooning/Illustration program at George Brown College and gained recognition […]

Andre Castro Artist Page

Andre Castro holds a Bachelors of Graphic Design from University of La Salle, Leon, Mexico. He arrived to Toronto in 2006 to pursue his passion and career in art. Over the last eight years Andre has worked closely with Toronto Arts Community, specifically painting murals for U for Change, Developing and Designing Commission Projects for […]

Angel Carrillo -cruz1 Artist Page

Angel Carrillo started his art journey as an urban artist, project coordinator, educator, and one of Toronto’s well-known street artist. Angel has created art for Samsung, StreetARToronto, Pemberton Group, Holt Renfrew, Athlete’s World, Bell, Telus, Campbell’s, Rogers, MTV, City of Toronto, the O.P.P., OCAD, and University of Toronto. He has been featured in Pound Magazine, […]

Stuart Pearce Artist Page

Stuart Pearce is an interdisciplinary artist, art director and magazine founder based in Toronto, Canada. Stuart currently works in the Canadian film industry as a graphic designer and art director and has also been creating murals and public art interventions for well over a decade. In 2012, he founded Bizarre Beyond Belief Magazine, a free […]

Moises Frank “Luvsumone”

Moisés Frank is a Toronto based graffiti artists under the alias Luvsumone. Coming from the street culture he works fast at a large scale. His preferred medium is aerosol, however is recently learning how to paint with a brush and work on canvas. Luvsumone has exhibited his work at Xspace, Gladstone, the Art Gallery of […]

Heel Boy Mural

WQW MURALS

BrooklynnBar Mural by @DUROTHETHIRD

Arturo “Duro The Third” Parada. was born in Toronto, Ontario, 1976, to Chilean and Italian parents who immediately identified an incredibly talented son. He was only six years old when he joined the Lego Club and built a 4-foot working windmill demonstrating his name in lights that glowed nothing but artistic talent. His parents quickly […]

BLAZEWORKS At Brookfield

Blaze Wiradharma is an OCADU Graduate with a BDES in Illustration. He is currently freelancing as an Book illustrator and Graphic Designer in Toronto. In his early beginnings, his interest in visual communication was sparked by graffiti and street art. These influenced him heavily, and his style reflects the vibrant and often bold nature of […]

Mural on Wine Rack Wall

Located on the wall of Wine Rack at 1018 Queen Street West. WQW MURALS

Laneway On Gravity Pope Wall

Located in the Laneway West of Ossington. On the wall of Gravity Pope WQW MURALS

Head Candy Salon Mural

Head Candy Salon Mural Located at the corner of 616 Queen Street West & Markham. @wamurals WQW MURALS

Flight Centre Mural

Designed & Painted By: Christiano De Araiujo Assisted by:  Nick Sweetman Visual Artist Christiano De Araujo is a self-taught artist who was born in Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil. His earliest memory as a child is the moment when he discovered his love of art. As a toddler, he remembers picking up a crayon that his older sister […]

“Japantown”

vimeo.com/89521390 Ken Galloway,Timothy Fukakusa, Mitsuo Kimura, Takashi Iwasaki, Darcy Obokata, and Shogo Okada—used the mural project as an opportunity to provide a physical presence for the community in a city without a Japantown. WQW MURALS

“Loiterers” Muralist Kellen Hatanaka

Title: Loiterers Concept: Conceptually, the mural was designed to reflect everyday life in the Queen West area. I wanted the subject matter to mirror it’s surroundings while acknowledging the presence of gentrification and how it affects and changes the community.  Bio:Kellen Hatanaka is an artist and designer from Toronto, Canada. He works in a variety of disciplines […]

“Stay True” Muralist Ben Johnson

The “Stay True” mural is by Ben Johnston. Instagram handle: @benjohnston25 WQW MURALS

“You’ve Changed” Muralist: Jesse Harris

Muralist: Jesse Harris Mural Titled: “You’ve Changed” Completed in October of 2012. Location: 1075 Queen Street West WQW MURALS

De Anne Lamirande

Artist Bio: De Anne Lamirande  De Anne started painting at a very young age. In her home there is an oil painting of Black Beauty painted when she was only seven. As a child she would go to work with her Mom on PA days at ‘Bell Canada’ Graphics Department, there she learned how to […]

Joel Richardson

In Joel’s own words JOEL RICHARDSON Joel Richardson is a contemporary artist whose work spans over twenty years. His extensive body of art includes large scale instillation, performance, re-workings of digital technology, video projections, portrait and mural painting. He rose to national attention in 2011 when then Toronto mayor Rob Ford erased his 150 meter […]

Kristina Falcomer

About K Kristina Falcomer is a raw and influential pop artist living and working in Toronto Canada. Never one to settle for the mundane dystopian ideology that society burdens us with, Kristina’s work embodies youthful curiosity, subversive context and wonderment. An avid traveller and musician has seasoned Kristina into a prolific professional with ability that […]

Angela Porter

Angela Porter Angela is a Toronto based artist who works primarily in acrylic and watercolour, and in an illustrative style. She has had amazing success in private commissions and commercial works since her graduation from York University where she received a BFA Honours degree. In her illustrative, immediate style she seeks to arouse and challenge […]

Edward Gajdel

Edward Gajdel “I have been creating editorial portraits for several decades, and have been blessed to have met and photographed many amazing people along the way. The transformation from analogue to digital has become the fertile soil upon which the nonlinear-portrait© took root. This evolution of The Portrait is my evolution as an artist, and […]

“WQW Outdoor Art & Artist” Artist Page

The Big Launch Day Approaches!

The launch of the new, official West Queen West BIA website is upon us! Stay tuned for more information and local business deals, as well as featured festivals and events. Also, come back to learn more about the people that make this place so great! We’re talking about you! Do you or anyone you know […]

Stephen Bulger Gallery celebrates 20 years in West Queen West

Inside Toronto talks to Stephen Bulger about his 20 years in WQW.. “….The Stephen Bulger Gallery has been in the Queen West area for the past 20 years. Initially, the gallery lasted nine years at 700 Queen St. W. before it moved to its current, larger home at 1026 Queen St. W. where it’s been […]

Queen-4-a-Day with West Queen West

For Mother’s Day, the West Queen West Business Improvement Area association held a contest to win a shopping spree! I was fortunate enough to be the grand prize winner of $1000 to spend at some of Toronto’s finest shops with my mom! For those that aren’t aware, West Queen West is a 2km stretch that runs […]

WQW moving map