Regent Park Rising: A Story of Economic Justice, Entrepreneurship, and Grit

The Corner Shop Chronicles’ podcast and interactive map can be accessed here.

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For years, Regent Park was trapped in a cycle of negative perceptions by being framed as a neighborhood rife with crime and poverty. Despite these views, local entrepreneurs thrived and built their businesses on the foundations of community, customer loyalty, and personal connections. Regent Park’s redevelopment has uprooted these foundations, creating a significant void in the area’s business landscape. In this article, we will explore Regent Park’s small businesses in depth, highlighting the successes and challenges that local business owners have encountered on their journeys to becoming entrepreneurs. We will also examine how these entrepreneurs are reviving the once-thriving business scene.  

Background: 

Regent Park is Canada’s first and largest public housing project and is in the midst of its second redevelopment, which began in 2005. Regent Park was framed by city officials as a ‘slum’ in dire need of complete urban renewal. The news cycle and media blamed the deteriorating conditions of the housing stock on the predominantly marginalized residents rather than the landlords in charge of upkeep. City planners saw Regent Park as a haven for crime, poverty and delinquency (1). The city’s plan to fix it? To introduce mixed-income and mixed-use housing into the area, ‘deconcentrate’ poverty, and alter the social composition of the neighbourhood (2) 

While the city’s plan was well intentioned, the reality is that the redevelopment has been far more disruptive than anticipated. The transformation of Regent Park has not just altered its skyline but fundamentally altered its retail and economic landscape. Many essential spaces in the neighbourhood, such as Small Ethnic Grocery Stores (SERGs), which are vital to Regent Park’s identity and community consumption, have closed (3). For many Regent Park residents, spaces like SERGs are crucial to a sense of belonging; these stores weren’t just places to buy food—they were vital to maintaining a connection to their cultural roots and forging ties with others with similar backgrounds (4). Small businesses like SERGs were the bricks that built the community up by creating a sense of belonging and shared history for residents. However, despite their significance to the internal community of Regent Park, these businesses are invisible to the greater population of Toronto, leaving the broader narrative to frame Regent Park as a place of urban decline. 

This narrative was peddled by the mainstream media, who played an instrumental role in shaping the public’s perception of the neighbourhood for the worse. News coverage often spotlighted organized crime, violence, and drug usage, which framed Regent Park not as the vibrant neighbourhood it was, but instead, a dangerous outlier within Toronto. The result of this narrative? A repellent effect which encouraged outside visitors to steer clear of Regent Park. Residents from surrounding areas who might have otherwise frequented Regent Park’s local businesses chose to take their business elsewhere instead. This had a knock-on effect where hopeful entrepreneurs looking to begin had to battle not only the usual hurdles of running a company but also trying to convince their prospective clientele that the neighbourhood was safe, welcoming, and worth visiting. The media-induced stigma fomented real-world barriers for business owners in Regent Park. As a result, foot traffic slowed, sales declined, and the economic vitality of Regent Park, which was already strained by redevelopment and displacement, was further weakened by reputational damage. In a city as vast as Toronto, there is a wide range of neighbourhoods to choose to go and shop. As a result, public perception of the area a business is located in can make all the difference between thriving and folding. For many Regent Park stores, the uphill climb of maintaining a business was made heavier by the weight of stigma. Nevertheless, many have found success in this difficult scenario and, against all odds, created a thriving entrepreneurial scene. Their experience in tackling both stigma and the challenges of running a successful business makes them instrumental in understanding how economic justice can be better understood in Regent Park’s context. 

In addition to the stigma surrounding Regent Park, the COVID-19 pandemic considerably impacted the community and its small businesses. Many small businesses were forced to shut down when the Government of Ontario declared a state of emergency in March 2020; all of these businesses were classified as non-essential by the government (5). Importantly, many of these businesses were also affected because, unlike larger chain stores, they lacked the resources to move their operations online (6). Moving a business online requires ample planning, capital, and human resources. Many entrepreneurs were also hesitant to take loans from the government out of fear that they would not be able to repay them (7). The pandemic also greatly impacted the community of Regent Park, which was vital for small businesses. Without community support and customer loyalty, many businesses experienced a significant loss of revenue.  

While the pandemic presented immediate challenges for small businesses in Regent Park, longer-term efforts were already underway to address economic concerns and support local businesses. The City of Toronto and the Daniels Corporation created the Social Development Plan (SDP) and its various subcommittees to combat issues raised during the redevelopment. The SDP was first implemented in 2007. At the time, it had 75 recommendations for tackling the social change brought to Regent because of its redevelopment from social housing to a mixed housing and mixed-use community (8). Every year, the SDP Strategic Planning Committee works to ensure the SDP stays relevant, effective and strategic (9). The City claims the SDP is “Maximizing social and economic opportunities for residents, businesses, community agencies and other stakeholders” and “...increas[ing] sustainable employment rates and entrepreneurial opportunities for residents.” (10) Notably, the Employment and Economic Working Group (EED), a subcommittee of the SDP, is tasked with “Increas[ing] employment rates and entrepreneurial opportunities for local residents.” (11)

While the SDP laid the groundwork for addressing certain challenges, individuals like Elena Taghizadeh bring the plan to life, ensuring its success. Elena is a familiar face in Regent Park, where she has long been a resident and an advocate for the community. As co-chair of the Employment and Education Development Plan (EED), Elena has witnessed firsthand the implementation of the SDP. She believes in its power to bolster local entrepreneurship in Regent. For her, the EED represents more than just a program—it’s a bridge for rebuilding the economic fabric of Regent Park. As a Corner Shop Chronicles team member, Elena explained that her work for the EED involves mitigating the gaps between Regent Park residents and businesses seeking employees through the “workforce integrator.” She also mentioned that the EED works with Regent Park residents to provide them with training, certifications and even resume help should they need it. Elena’s work also includes planning and executing many promotional events and educational programs for the EED, hoping to involve as many Regent Park residents as possible. For Elena, the work of the EED is vital for Regent Park post-redevelopment because it is a practical solution for local entrepreneurs. It helps them combat the issues brought forward by the redevelopment and promotes economic equity.  

Picture of Project Chronicles team member, Regent Park Resident and EED Co-Chair, Elena Taghizadeh. Photo Credit: Dawar Naeem from Regent Park Focus Media Centre.  

Local entrepreneurs are making a comeback: 

The EED was created to support local entrepreneurs like Mohammad of Mo’s Milshakes and More, who are working hard to grow their businesses and revive the Regent Park business scene. Mo, a lifelong resident of Regent Park, is inspired by his mother’s cooking and heritage and is passionate about selling fusion Somalian and Canadian foods. For Mo, creating and selling his products brings him a profound connection to his family and culture. Mo is dedicated to making every customer feel special; he mentioned that the most rewarding part of running his business is seeing the smiles on customers’ faces when they enjoy his food. Mo’s Milshakes and More is located in the Carousel Cafe within the Daniels Spectrum building and operates Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 9 PM.  

As a new business owner and long-time resident, Mo has experienced the redevelopment from various perspectives; he shared with us the numerous changes it has brought to Regent Park. Mo remarked that the redevelopment has resulted in both positive and negative effects for the area. As a business owner, he stated that the redevelopment has been crucial for networking, allowing him to reach a broader customer base. He mentioned that due to this growth, he has been given the opportunity to participate in regional events such as Taste of Regent Park and Taste of North York. However, the redevelopment has also led to increased rent prices and heightened competition. Notably, this is also under an economy where grocery prices are exorbitant nationwide. Many local entrepreneurs like Mo face fierce competition from large chain stores, making it difficult for small businesses to promote themselves and thrive. Larger businesses have the capital required for additional resources, marketing, and employment. The threat of large businesses is prominent in Regent Park because the more large businesses that enter the area, the more the culture of the area is lost. Small businesses such as Mo’s, which have a unique story and sell unique items, set Regent Park’s small business market apart from others in the city. Ensuring smaller businesses have a voice against the grain of larger companies within the financial landscape of Regent Park assists the community in becoming more economically just for all. 

Despite these challenges, Mo is determined to embrace change, stating, "The old Regent Park was one big family and now the family got bigger, this is the only difference…” and, “In my experience, this is the best community in all of Canada… from my personal experience, I really believe that.” In the coming years, Mo hopes to expand his business beyond Regent Park, opening new locations and reaching a broader customer base.  

Mohammad (Mo) from Mo’s Milkshakes and More at the Carousel Cafe in the Daniles Spectrum Building. Photo Credit: Elena Taghizadeh. 

Many local entrepreneurs share the struggles faced by Mo. Patricia Richards, a member of Corner Shop Chronicles and a Regent Park resident for over twenty years, has recently embarked on her entrepreneurial journey after leaving the corporate banking world. She is focused on turning her passions into her livelihood. Echoing the struggles faced by Mo, Patricia mentioned to us that she wishes there were more dedicated spaces for entrepreneurs in Regent Park. She proposed a year-long venue for resident entrepreneurs to establish themselves and sell their products to community members. After these entrepreneurs can rent their own space, the venue is given to a new business. Patricia states, "Residents should have first priority for space… instead of bringing in Tim Hortons and Shoppers because we have those things already five minutes away… we should help the residents first before the bigger franchises.” This is a crucial point; before the redevelopment, community relations in Regent Park were deep and extensive; however, this bond was fractured when many residents were displaced during the redevelopment. Additionally, the sense of community further diminished due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prioritizing entrepreneurs like Patricia, whose products unite residents of the neighbourhood, helps to rebuild these community ties, subsequently challenging the stigma of Regent Park as a place of urban decline. 

Patricia sells crochet clothing items as well as Rastafarian-inspired food products. She sells her products at local events under the domain name “Kemba Veg Spot.”  She strongly believes in the sentiment that ‘health is wealth’ and brings this mentality to her cooking. She is also a firm believer in using food to unite the community. Patricia has recently obtained her food safety certification and is beginning a new cooking course to refine her skills further. She shared that the most rewarding aspect of her business is seeing customers enjoy her food; she takes great pleasure in knowing her cooking brings them joy.  

Eventually, Patricia hopes to have her own space to sell her products. She is passionate about starting a catering business sometime in the future when she has collected all the qualifications provided by her ongoing cooking courses.  

A picture of Patricia Richards, long-time resident of Regent Park, Entrepreneur, and owner of Kemba Veg Spot. Photo Credits: Elena Taghizadeh. 

A Picture of Patricia’s Crochet Creations. Picture Credits: Patricia Richards. 

A Picture of Patricia’s Food Station called “Kemba Veg Spot.” Picture Credits: Patricia Richards. 

Another resident entrepreneur working hard to break the stigma and revive the business scene of Regent Park is Pereira Santos of B.A. Grocery and Variety. Pereira became an entrepreneur to achieve economic freedom from the harsh and unpredictable conditions attached to working blue-collar and gig economy jobs. While he enjoys the financial independence of self-employment, Pereira finds it hard to keep B.A. afloat; as the sole employee at B.A., Pereira works tirelessly to ensure his grocery store is well-stocked and staffed. This is a common sentiment among small business owners in Regent Park, mainly because the neighborhood faces economic struggles and transient customers (12).

Pereira works diligently so that B.A. can remain a store dedicated to helping the community; he stocks essential grocery and personal items and strives to keep his prices as low as possible for residents. He mentioned that he feels a sense of reward and accomplishment when community members visit his store frequently. Building community support is a significant goal for entrepreneurs like Pereira. After the redevelopment of Regent Park, support for small businesses dwindled. The reasons for this include the displacement of many residents, the arrival of large chain stores in the area, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, due to the redevelopment and the emergence of big-box grocery stores, Pereira faces challenges from competition. He noted that competition impacts various aspects of his business, from initial capital investment to advertising to prices. 

At a time when small businesses are struggling to survive amid the neighborhood’s transformation, community support for stores like B.A. is more crucial than ever. Supporting small businesses such as B.A. aids in rebuilding the retail market in Regent Park and also helps challenge the stigma surrounding the area. Organizing support unites the community around a central cause and reduces the stereotypes of delinquency that the media often perpetuates. 

In the coming years, Pereira hopes to attract more customers to B.A. and grow his business; he wants to continue to support the community through his entrepreneurship. For further inquiries, B.A. Grocery and Variety is located at 140 Sackville Street and opens at 11:30 AM daily. It is also available on Skip the Dishes for delivery.   

Picture of the outside of B.A. Grocery and Variety. Photo Credit: Elena Taghizadeh. 

Picture of the inside of B.A. Grocery and Variety. Photo Credit: Elena Taghizadeh. 

Lastly, Andrew, the manager of Café ZUZU, provides a unique perspective on the stigmatization and challenges entrepreneurs face after redevelopment. Café ZUZU is a café, restaurant, and retail shop located at 555 Dundas Street East. It is a relatively new business that began calling Regent Park its home following the previous stage of redevelopment. Café ZUZU belongs to a larger restaurant investment group called Gusteau 54, which has numerous restaurants throughout the city of Toronto but was particularly interested in opening a location in Regent.  

For Andrew and the rest of the Café ZUZU team, the goal is to bring new customers to Regent Park and simultaneously fight the stigma surrounding the neighbourhood. Andrew stated, “...it’s been wonderful to see many new people come into our space, many people who either hadn’t been to Regent Park in a while or never had been to Regent Park to come here and be a part of what we’re doing….” The story of Café ZUZU brings a different yet vital perspective to this article: new businesses that are not necessarily tailored for intra-community needs also have a large part to play in crushing the lingering negative stereotypes about Regent Park and in rebuilding the business scene.  

Notably, Andrew referred to some challenges that Café ZUZU is facing, namely that they feel disconnected from the Regent Park community. Being one of the larger businesses in the neighbourhood, Andrew hopes that long-time Regent Park residents will frequent the space more often. While Café ZUZU hosts community events, the team hopes that long-time Regent Park residents will drop by as customers, too. In this way, Café ZUZU would become a space for inclusivity–a space for visitors, newcomers, and long-time residents alike–a space for social cohesion. Andrew and the rest of the Café ZUZU team believe that residents should frequent  Café ZUZU because they take great pride in their hospitality, stating that “...people is what we’re about….” With this said, the team recognizes that it takes time to integrate fully into an area. Still, they are invested in the process, saying, "...we’re heavily set foot right here…we are invested in this neighborhood… we’re here to stay….” 

Picture of Andrew from Café ZUZU. Photo Credits: Elena Taghizadeh. 

Picture of the restaurant area in Café ZUZU. Photo Credits: Elena Taghizadeh. 

Final Thoughts: 

The stigma surrounding Regent Park remains prominent in mainstream media; prior to the redevelopment, small businesses thrived despite this negative perception. Unfortunately, redevelopment displaced many families and businesses. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic weakened community ties, directly affecting the ability of small businesses to succeed. Now, amid the final phases of the redevelopment, Regent Park entrepreneurs, many of whom are residents, are diligently working to rebuild the neighborhood's retail fabric.  

The entrepreneurs featured in this article are bravely moving forward with their ideas and passion for business. While the redevelopment has forced them to confront economic injustices, including outreach, growth, capital, and even integration challenges, despite the odds, each entrepreneur has fostered economic justice for themselves by achieving financial independence and/or transforming their passions into a livelihood. The inspiring individuals mentioned in this article are not just building their livelihoods but also contributing to the social and economic fabric of Regent Park. Their success can foster the return of economic diversity that benefits everyone, from long-time residents to newcomers. Therefore, supporting local Regent Park entrepreneurs means endorsing their mission to build their lives and strengthen the community. As MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam stated in an interview with Regent Park Focus, '...the revitalization of Regent Park will not be successful without opportunities for economic advancement, and prosperity belongs to everyone…” (13)

The Corner Shop Chronicles team would like to thank Dr. Mehta and the FOCUS Media Arts team for all their feedback and assistance with this project. Without them, we would not have been able to highlight the stories of these incredible entrepreneurs. We would also like to thank all the interviewees mentioned in this article for their time, trust, and vulnerability.  

Photo of the Corner Shop Chronicles Team. From left to right: Elena Taghizadeh, Jake Knight, Patricia Richards, and Shreya Shourie. Photo Credit: Dawar Naeem from Regent Park Focus Media Centre.  

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 References

(1) James, R. K. (2010). From ‘slum clearance’ to ‘revitalisation’: Planning, expertise and moral regulation in Toronto’s Regent Park. Planning Perspectives, 25(1), 69–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/02665430903421742

(2) August, M. (2008). Social Mix and Canadian Public Housing Redevelopment: Experiences in Toronto. Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 17(1), 82–100. 

(3) Komakech, M. D. C., & Jackson, S. F. (2016). A Study of the Role of Small Ethnic Retail Grocery Stores in Urban Renewal in a Social Housing Project, Toronto, Canada. Journal of Urban Health, 93(3), 414–424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-016-0041-1 

(4) Ibid

(5) Regent Park Focus. (2020, July 16). The Impact of Coronavirus on Small Business – Parliament Optical. Blogspot.com; Blogger. https://catchdaflava.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-impact-of-coronavirus-on-small.html

(6) Ibid 

(7) Ibid 

(8) City of Toronto. (2022, June 30). Social Development Plans. City of Toronto. https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/accountability-operations-customer-service/long-term-vision-plans-and-strategies/social-development-plans/

(9) Regent Park Focus. (2024, December 11). SDP Stakeholders Meeting November 27, 2024. Blogspot.com; Blogger. https://catchdaflava.blogspot.com/2024/12/sdp-stakeholders-meeting-november-27.html

(10) City of Toronto. (2022, June 30). Social Development Plans. City of Toronto. https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/accountability-operations-customer-service/long-term-vision-plans-and-strategies/social-development-plans/

(11) Regent Park Focus. (2021, August 19). Regent Park’s Social Development Plan (SDP) - What is it? Blogspot.com; Blogger. https://catchdaflava.blogspot.com/2021/08/regent-parks-social-development-plan.html

(12) Regent Park Focus. (2025). Restauranteur Navigates Challanges and Community Support in Regent Park. Blogspot.com. https://catchdaflava.blogspot.com/2025/02/restaurateur-navigates-challenges-and_28.html

(13) Regent Park Focus. (2025, February 26). Balancing Revitalization and Advocacy: A Conversation with MPP Kristyn Wong Tam. Blogspot.com; Blogger. https://catchdaflava.blogspot.com/2025/02/balancing-revitalization-and-advocacy.html

Behind the Microphone and the Pages: The Corner Shop Chronicles Week Five

We’re almost at the finish line! This week, our team successfully recorded a portion of our podcast and is now working on editing it! Moreover, we began laying out our ideas for our draft article! Although we initially faced some challenges with creating an overall narrative, we are confident in our ideas for both. 

Getting the podcast started wasn’t as easy as we thought–we were unsure how to approach it. As a team, we decided to record a mock interview with Patricia and Elena, the residents in our group, but after recording, we realized that the podcast was missing lots of the nuance we gained from our interviews with other entrepreneurs around Regent Park. After speaking with Dr. Mehta, we realized we should use those interviews and add them to our podcast! Since the overarching goal of our project is to highlight the voices of Regent Park’s local entrepreneurs and inspire Regent Park residents and visitors to frequent these businesses, we decided that, moving forward, we will edit our podcast to include clips from our interviews and use our voices to narrate their stories, this way we can tell their stories more fully. Once we understood our audience, it made sense to shift our ideas to meet our goal of promoting Regent Park entrepreneurs and highlighting their struggles due to the redevelopment. 

While we are reworking our podcast, we will still use clips from our initial recording. Check out a clip here:

On top of our podcast, our team is creating a piece of long-form journalism. Again, the goal of our project is to showcase Regent Park entrepreneurs and highlight their experiences with the redevelopment, which hindered their ability to thrive in Regent Park. We began working on our layout and draft this week with this goal in mind. To start, we decided it would be best to provide background information on the redevelopment of Regent Park and, in tandem, the stigmatization that plagued it. As a group, we realized it was important to highlight this stigmatization to prove that the media primarily created it and that, despite it, many businesses could thrive. 

Next, we will dive into Elena’s interview to explain how the actors in charge of the redevelopment have made an action plan to combat the negative results of the redevelopment and the displacement it caused on the local economy of Regent Park. Using Elena’s interview, we want to highlight the positive aspects of the Social Development Plan (SDP) and Economic and Employment Development Plan (EED). Highlighting this is important since the SDP/EED have genuinely helped many entrepreneurs and residents; we do not want to overlook this and frame the redevelopment as entirely negative. 

After this, we’ll feature the entrepreneurs we interviewed. We were lucky enough to interview entrepreneurs with different experience levels and different experiences living in or around Regent Park. We want to highlight these stories because we believe that despite the SDP and EED, much work still needs to be done to rebuild the economic fabric of Regent post-redevelopment. We will group our interviewees based on their answers to our questions. For example, Mo from Mo’s Milkshakes and More highlighted some of the same struggles that Patricia brought. We want our audience to understand that these struggles are not unique to one entrepreneur. We also want to highlight their successes so our audience feels inspired to support these businesses—not out of pity but because they want to see them succeed.

Below is a sneak peek of our journalism piece from our draft:

Local entrepreneurs have various perspectives on the redevelopment. Resident Mohammad of Mo’s Milshakes and More has worked with food his whole life. Inspired by his mother’s cooking, Mo is passionate about his business…While Mo is happy he can set up shop in the newly built Carousel Cafe inside the Daniels Spectrum building, he also mentioned that rent prices for other spaces have skyrocketed. This is along with steadily increasing grocery prices across the nation. Moreover, Mo mentioned that competition has increased since larger businesses entered the Regent Park area, making it harder to stay afloat… Many other local entrepreneurs cite struggles similar to those faced by Mo. Patricia Richards, Corner Shop Chronicles member and Regent Park resident of over twenty years, has just begun her entrepreneurial journey, turning her passions into her livelihood… Echoing the struggles faced by Mo, Patricia mentioned to us that she wishes there were more spaces for entrepreneurs in Regent Park. She proposed a year-long space for entrepreneurs to establish themselves and sell their products to community members…

Finally, our team is also making an interactive “treasure map.” The goal behind the map is to inspire Regent residents to visit the businesses we highlight in our podcast/writing. We plan on making some cards with a QR link to our written piece and podcast and a small prize for residents who visit our table and interact with our map during the final showcase on April 10th. 

The Corner Shop Chronicles Team Members are: Elena, Patricia, Jake and Shreya

The Plot Twist We Needed: The Corner Shop Chronicles Week Four

It’s official–our team has reached the final stretch of our project! This week, we faced two hurdles: deciding on the narrative for our piece of journalism and outlining a plan for our podcast. Last week, we shared how we connected to local Regent Park entrepreneurs through interviews and this week, we looked back on those interviews. We began deciding on our final story, but our group quickly realized we were still missing something–a key piece of the puzzle that tied our story together. While talking with our group members Elena and Patricia, it hit us: a casual chat about Regent Park businesses highlighted one common theme: the stigma surrounding Regent Park is a huge factor impacting economic justice for entrepreneurs there! This was the missing piece to our story! 

For some background, Regent Park has gained a bad rep from the media for years. The Media has framed it as a space that breeds crime, poverty, and general deviant behaviour, but as anyone who has been to the area can tell you, this is misleading. We learned this week that the media plays a massive role in determining how urban issues are portrayed. Elena and Patricia’s experiences confirm this. Both have had poor experiences with people when they said they lived in the community. 

Patricia shared that while in the corporate world, mentioning that she was from Regent Park often led people to uncomfortable silences and negative judgements or comments fueled by what they had heard about Regent Park in the news. Elena has had similar experiences, with people telling her that Regent Park is unsafe and even asking her “how she lives there.” But both Elena and Paritica mentioned that when these people visited actually Regent, their reactions shifted to one with more acceptance; they quickly realized that Regent Park wasn’t at all like the rundown area that the media portrayed; their judgements were replaced once they visited. 

Patricia and Elena shared some thoughts with the group about how entrepreneurship in Regent Park has changed post-redevelopment. Listen to what they have to say here:

Andrew from Cafe Zuzu mentioned that overcoming stigma to bring new visitors into the neighbourhood was one of Cafe Zuzu’s most challenging and rewarding tasks. He believes that they have the potential to act as a bridge from Regent Park to the wider city, attracting additional foot traffic and helping out other stores in the area. In so doing, they are working towards economic justice.

Andrew is optimistic that Cafe Zuzu will attract new customers into the Regent Park area, fighting the stigmatization of the neighbourhoods. Listen to his thoughts here :

The Corner Shop Chronicles Team. From left to right: Jake, Elena, Patricia, and Shreya. (Taken by U of T Staff).

In the coming weeks, we are excited to start writing our journalism piece and recording our podcast! Our focus will be on the incredible journey of entrepreneurs who fought hard against the stigmatization of Regent before the redevelopment. These entrepreneurs created thriving small businesses despite the odds. Now, some of these entrepreneurs and some new faces are working hard to bring the same energy back into the neighbourhood and revive the business scene. We hope our project will inspire Regent Park residents and visitors to frequent these small businesses and enjoy what they offer. We can’t wait to share our final pieces with you!

The Corner Shop Chronicles Team Members are Elena, Patricia, Jake, and Shreya.

From Interviews to Inspiration: The Corner Shop Chronicles Week Three

Our project continues full steam ahead! We continued conducting our final interviews and searching for the ever-so-illusive narrative for our piece of long-form journalism. We were stoked to interview Mo, the owner of Mo’s Milkshakes and More, which can be found in the Carousel Café in the Daniels Spectrum Building. We also interviewed our resident group member, Elena, who is the co-chair of the EED (Economic and Employment Development Plan) guided by the SDP (Social Development Plan) for Regent Park. Interviewing Mo and Elena solidified our understanding of economic justice for entrepreneurs in Regent as incredibly complex. It can take on many different forms depending on the business's unique needs. Some may struggle with raising the capital necessary to start and maintain a business, while others strive to gain recognition and entrench themselves within the community. Justice is, therefore, case-dependent and does not follow a one-size-fits-all approach. This revelation made us realize that there was no simple answer to the question of economic justice. Yet, it simultaneously motivated us to work harder to develop a more nuanced perspective. This perspective has no explicit heroes or villains but is an assortment of entrepreneurs who simply want to make their businesses last. This is true of all urban issues; they are very multifaceted. It also took us well out of our comfort zones to speak with the entrepreneurs who we likely would have never spoken with if it were not for this project. 

In this blog post, we would like to share the story of our journey in creating the narrative for our long-form journalism piece and podcast. While it is not solidified yet, everyone we have spoken with has influenced our process in developing the final project. 

For our first interview of the project, we met with Patricia, who told us about her journey to entrepreneurship, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic. In her interview, Patricia highlighted the desire for more opportunities for new business owners like herself to sell and advertise their products.

Secondly, we arranged to meet with Pereira, the owner of B&A Grocery and Variety Store. We were referred here by Patricia, who often visits this shop due to its convenient location and competitive prices. Her referral was necessary and helped ease the awkward tension that arises whenever you walk into a store and ask to speak with the busy owner. As the sole employee of B&A, he works tirelessly to ensure that everything is stocked and the cash register is attended. He gave us very libertarian insights, which we were surprised to hear. We endeavoured to undertake this project with the notion that economic justice includes government intervention, which is necessary to keep local businesses intact. Pereira instead believes aspiring business owners should not rely on government assistance.

The subsequent interview was with Andrew, a manager at Café ZuZu. He gave meaningful insights on how businesses from outside of the neighbourhood situated within it have a role to play in the economic landscape. He highlights Café ZuZu’s pivotal role in attracting new visitors who previously never considered visiting Regent Park.

Picture of Mo in front of the Carousel Cafe Sign (Taken by Elena)

Next, we chatted with Mo from the Carousel Cafe. Mo told us his Mom taught him to cook when he was really young, which is why he started Mo’s Milkshakes and More. Talking to Mo was a wonderful experience– he is full of positive energy. He is very optimistic about the revitalization of Regent Park; he is excited that the revitalization will bring new customers to the Cafe. Interviewing Mo was a great learning experience. Hearing him speak about his businesses made us realize how vital our interviews are; highlighting local businesses in our magazine could enormously impact entrepreneurs like Mo! Mo’s interview also helped us figure out our narrative. Economic justice, for Mo, is tied to opportunity. Mo explained that he hopes his business can grow to gain new customers and sell his products at large community events like Taste of Regent. 

Finally, we talked to our group member, Elena. Elena is the co-chair of the EED. Elena told us about how the EED has worked hard to empower Regent Park residents by helping them find jobs in local businesses. One of the key accomplishments of the EED is the “workforce integrator,” which bridges the gap between job seekers and hiring organizations, including local Regent Park businesses. Elena is very optimistic about the work conducted by the EED. Her interview made us realize that economic justice means equitable opportunity for many Regent Park residents and entrepreneurs. Similar to what Mo and Patricia were saying. This perspective really helps us shape the narrative for our magazine. Elena is in a unique position because she understands the economic justice goals the EED is trying to meet and how successful they truly are.

Despite the many shortcomings of Regent Park’s revitalization, many business owners are still optimistic. Long-time resident Mohammad says so himself here:

The Corner Shop Chronicles group members are Elena, Patricia, Jake, and Shreya. 

The Local Buzz: The Corner Shop Chronicles Week Two

Introductions:

Patricia Richards: 

Patricia first moved from Scarborough to Regent Park 20 years ago and has since witnessed its revitalization. With a background in banking, she transitioned out of the corporate world to become an entrepreneur after COVID. After earning her food certification, she heard about this course on a resident group chat. Patricia is driven to support local entrepreneurs while advocating for racial equality by overcoming adversity with unwavering optimism for a brighter future.

Elena Mehrzzad Taghizadeh: 

Elena lived in Regent Park for 13 years, witnessing much of its revitalization. Drawn to the neighbourhood due to its close-knit community, she has participated in programs and events seeking to strengthen those ties and provide opportunities for residents. She became the co-chair of the Employment and Economic Development (EED) aspect of the social development plan in 2024, attesting to her commitment to bridging the gaps between residents and new businesses. She discovered this course through the School of Cities, seeing it as a way to expand her impact.

Jacob Frederick: 

Jake is a fourth-year student majoring in Urban Studies and Economics and has worked with the City of Toronto to refine their Parklands Strategy. In his free time, he enjoys playing city-building video games and reading. As an aspiring lawyer, he aims to explore how his majors intersect in Regent Park and analyze how existing laws (or lack thereof) hinder economic justice.

Shreya Shourie: 

Shreya is a fifth-year Urban Studies and Political Science student. With an affinity for politics, she joined the class to learn more about Regent Park and its redevelopment. She greatly enjoys the experiential learning aspect of the class. In her free time, Shreya enjoys reading. After graduating, she hopes to start her Law School journey.

What We Aimed to Complete:

This week, our group focused on maintaining momentum. This involved securing the information of more entrepreneurs so that we could schedule interviews. These were necessary because we still have not finalized a specific overarching topic for our project. Rather than going into these interviews with a topic in mind, we intend for the topic to jump out to us as a common theme in each interview. To accomplish this, we need a wide range of interviews to isolate a common theme, hence additional interviews. 

Our Successes:

This week, we focused on outlining an action plan, which includes interviews with local businesses to hone in on an elusive theme. A breakthrough may have already emerged from our recordings from the lack of similarity between them. So, it may be fruitful to contrast the experiences of businesses in Regent Park based on their size and access to capital. Local businesses struggle to stay afloat and experience high turnover, whereas larger stores struggle to integrate into the neighbourhood. Exploring this avenue could be significant for our final media piece.

Our Challenges:

We overcame several obstacles this week. Scheduling misalignments made it challenging to arrange a time when every group member was available. This is a recurring theme; it presents a challenge in coordinating meeting times to progress the project. To mitigate this, we periodically communicate on WhatsApp, which keeps us informed. We will often write each other's ideas in point form during our meetings and expand on them later.

New Insights:

We learned much about the work conducted by the organization Elena works for, the EED. They focus on enhancing job readiness, skills training initiatives, Resume/CV assistance, and entrepreneurial endeavours for residents. Their aim is to create sustainable economic opportunities to ensure residents benefit from Regent's revitalization. They are, therefore, an organization that assists in combating economic injustice. Elena’s involvement provides us with insights into the economic challenges entrepreneurial residents face, allowing us to learn from them.

How the course has changed our understanding of urban issues:

 After reflecting on our interviews, we realized that urban issues are significantly complex. Our interviewees have given us many perspectives, and none are the same, yet they are all connected. To elaborate, larger businesses wish to bring new people into the neighbourhood, shifting the public perception of the space. On the other hand, smaller businesses wish to grow. Without traffic from outside the neighbourhood, which the larger businesses bring, these smaller businesses may find it hard to gain customers. Hence, the experience/perspectives of each entrepreneur are connected.

Reflections:

As we reflected this week, we realized that we must hold ourselves accountable to schedule interviews and be on time. Moreover, since interviewees are receptive to the tone, body language and even emotions of the interviewers, we realized that we must be held accountable for how we present ourselves. We also reflected on how rewarding fieldwork can be; entrepreneurs in Regent have been open and willing to share their stories with us, and we have had the privilege of connecting with them. 

Support:

We appreciate how helpful Dr. Mehta and the FOCUS staff have been thus far. Although we do not have any specific requests, we appreciate the guidance as we continue to work. 

The Corner Shop Chronicles Team members are Jake, Elena, Patricia and Shreya

Small Shops, Big Change: The Corner Shop Chronicles Week One

A picture of B.A. Grocery Store where we conducted one of our interviews (Taken by Elena)

What We Aimed to Complete:

Oftentimes, beginning a project is the hardest part. These beginning days are crucial in guiding the direction of a project and getting the ball rolling. As such, we determined our goal and the steps necessary to reach it. From there, the next hurdle was implementing our ideas in practice. Our group emerged out of a mutual desire to investigate the experiences of local businesses throughout the revitalization. Given that the principal theme this semester is economic justice, we thought it fitting to highlight the stories of those who make Regent unique. We decided on a magazine which will examine the stories of local entrepreneurs, though we need to decide on the overarching theme. We developed a road map, strengthened communication, and conducted our first interviews.

What Worked:

We conducted successful interviews with three businesses and uncovered valuable information ranging from large corporations to single-person stores. Elena’s confidence alongside Patricia’s thoughtfulness synergize well to create a well-rounded, friendly group. We attribute these skills to explain why our interviewees have been so open and willing to share their stories. There are creative differences among our groupmates, yet we have maintained close communication, allowing us to keep up with one another and discuss the project's progress. Furthermore, the diversity of the entrepreneurs we interviewed produced rich information from both sides of the revitalization, with some being longtime and others new residents. This allows us to develop a more nuanced picture of the revitalization.

Challenges:

Throughout the interview process, we realized that arranging a time to speak with some entrepreneurs can be difficult. Said delays are difficult to accommodate within the narrow timeframe that we have to complete the project, so we may be forced to omit them. Though we have had three successful interviews, we have encountered some businesses that do not trust us enough to be interviewed. Though we were transparent with them, some simply did not want to be a part of it. Among those who do agree to be interviewed, however, some individuals do not agree to be filmed on camera. Though this is a minor challenge, considering the cumulative project is a magazine and podcast, it can sometimes be difficult to humanize a business without a face.

A Picture of the concrete outside the B.A. Grocery Store (Taken by Elena)

Learning experience:

As we reflected on our week as a team, we realized two main things. Firstly, there is a stark difference between the experiences of older and newer businesses. Since the majority of the older businesses are smaller, they face issues regarding capital; they struggle to stay afloat and grow. In contrast, recently established businesses face issues regarding integration; they find it challenging to establish themselves. 

As we spoke to local entrepreneurs, we found that physical location is essential in determining experience. Although we have a small sample size thus far, we realized that businesses located on the neighbourhood's outskirts or surrounded by residential buildings reported less traffic. The managers of these businesses also specified conditions that make it more challenging to gain traffic, including the weather. The recent snowstorm was cited as a significant barrier.  

How has the course changed our understanding of urban issues: 

The course has altered our understanding of key urban issues; it has allowed us to become immersed within Regent. Through our interviews, we connected with community members and observed Regent's changing urban form. Even though we are a team of students and residents, we all found that physically being in Regent and interacting with entrepreneurs was eye-opening. We realized that urban issues affect Regent's entrepreneurs in different ways. In other words, we recognize that urban issues do not have uniform consequences. For example, for some businesses we interviewed, the redevelopment of Regent has affected their ability to stay afloat; for others, the redevelopment has offered opportunities for growth. Without the course, we would not have had the chance to interact with the entrepreneurs we interviewed and learn this from them. 

Reflections: 

 As a team, we were surprised to see the positive response to our project. Thus far, local entrepreneurs have been very willing to interact with us, answer our questions, and tell us their stories. Regardless of their willingness to participate, we learned that creating our project will take longer than anticipated. While many entrepreneurs were willing to share their stories, many are busy. Moreover, the breadth of different businesses in Regent means there are many experiences. So far, we have been unable to find a common theme related to economic justice/injustice; however, we are hopeful that as we continue to conduct interviews, we will learn more, and this missing link will become apparent. 

Support:

We are thankful for the help from the FOCUS staff and the Dr. Mehta. The FOCUS staff has been invaluable in procuring technology for our interviews and has provided us with a recorder we used to conduct all our interviews. Moreover, Professor Mehta has been very helpful in guiding our project. As we continue to work, we will need help with the technology, especially when creating our podcast. Moreover, as we continue to conduct interviews and find the links between different local entrepreneurs, we may need guidance to guide the content of our proposed magazine, mainly regarding organization and flow.

The Corner Shop Chronicles Team members are Jake, Elena, Patricia and Shreya