Many Toronto residents have been outspoken about their desire to see Dundas Street renamed due to the past of the man it was named after and its entire historical context.
But with the name change costing millions of dollars, a majority of residents who were in favour have changed their minds, according to a new survey.
City Council voted to rename the street in 2021 during a time when many were having conversations and concerns about what the city was doing to push for awareness around racial justice.
Read More
The street was named after Henry Dundas, who played a role in not wanting to end the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in the 1790s.
A year prior to council voting, a petition was launched by RenameDundasStreet.ca which received thousands of signatures.
“The petition was created in solidarity with longstanding demands by Black and Indigenous communities and their allies for governments and institutions to address systemic racism, colonial violence, and white supremacy embedded within statues, monuments, and street and place names,” the organization wrote on its website.
However, one look at the bill to change the street name had people second guessing if it’s actually worth it.
A study conducted by the Liaison Strategies, which surveyed over 800 Torontonians, found that 54 per cent of Toronto residents supported the renaming of the street while 34 per cent weren’t too sure.
“Once the cost was given to respondents, an estimated $8.6 million, support dropped and opposition rose significantly,” the company wrote.
After seeing the price tag, many reconsidered and the support dropped to 42 per cent, with 35 per cent opposed.
Liaison Strategies surveyed 817 Toronto residents on Oct. 3 and 4. The margin of error for the poll is plus and minus 3.43 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
