The federal government is investing more than $11 million into a Black community hub in Toronto as part of a multi-phase expansion project designed to rejuvenate the centre’s services.
Blackhurst Cultural Centre (BCC) in the Bloor and Bathurst area is a non-profit organization, education and arts centre for all Canadians, with a focus on sharing and supporting the experiences of those of African and Caribbean descent.
According to the BCC, the funding will allow it to move from its current rental location at 777 Bathurst Street to a permanent location.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland announced a total expenditure for the project of $14.12 million on Sunday, with $7.84 million coming from the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program and $3.5 million through Canadian Heritage’s Canada Cultural Spaces Fund.
The City of Toronto will also invest $2.78 million into the expansion.
“Yesterday’s announcement completes the $14.12 million required to build a new facility for the Blackhurst Cultural Centre (BCC) at 756 Bathurst Street,” the organization told Now Toronto in an email statement.
BCC works to engage the wider community in the history and culture of Afro-Caribbean Canadians through literature, music, drama, dance, and visual arts.
The new site has “great historical significance,” the BCC said.
“It will be integrated into the soon-to-be-completed Mirvish Village mega development project, and will emerge as one of the most dynamic, Black-led cultural hubs in the country,” its statement continued.
Partial occupancy is expected by December 2025, with full occupancy by Fall 2026.
The expansion will help to create more cost-effective non-profit operations, according to a government news release published on Sunday.
The space will be redesigned to optimize accessibility and will receive upgrades to its arts facilities, including a soundproofed drumming studio, an art gallery, a digital podcast room, a bookstore, and multi-purpose community spaces.
“Today’s investment is about ensuring Toronto remains a culturally vibrant city for generations to come,” Freeland said.
The BCC was incorporated in 2015 to engage the public in the lives, culture and history of Black Canadians through the arts, history, music and more.
