The cost to rename Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square could be an additional $600,000 more than the original budget, according to the city, and in response, many Torontonians say they should ditch the project altogether.
This comes following the release of a letter to City Clerk John Elvidge from City Manager Paul Johnson, which detailed the status of the project.
Johnson reveals the estimated cost of the design, fabrication, and installation of new signage for the square is between $105,000 to $200,000.
In addition, the letter noted that managers of the square have identified extra potential costs associated with renaming the public space. This includes a branding strategy, programming and investments into diversity, equity and inclusion.
As a result, the new estimated additional cost comes between $300,000 and $600,000. However, these costs could be “scaled back based on the availability of funding raised by the square through financial partners and in-kind support,” the letter suggests.
READ MORE: Yonge-Dundas Square is getting a new name, here’s how Torontonians feel about it
The city says its budget for the project includes $105,000 for new signage and $230,000 in the operating budget for marketing, communication and a rebranding campaign for the new name, both funded by Section 37 funds from the local ward.
Any further costs higher than $335,000 included in the budget will be funded directly by the square through third-party financial partners and donations.
Back in December, the city voted in favour of renaming the square to Sankofa, which originates in Ghana and refers “to the act of reflecting on and reclaiming teachings from the past, which enables people to move forward together.”
The move came following an online petition in 2020 that prompted the city to re-examine the controversial role of the square’s namesake Henry Dundas, a British politician known for delaying the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Initially, the city had planned to rename the entire Dundas Street, but decided to focus solely on renaming the square and Dundas Subway Station after discovering the predicted cost to rename the entire street would have totalled to $12.7 million.
Back in January, a survey by Liaison Strategies found that 71 per cent of Torontonians did not support the name change. The survey said previous polling in Oct. 2023 found that 54 per cent of residents supported the name change, but that number decreased to 42 per cent once people discovered the estimated cost.
The recent announcement of the additional costs to the project is also not sitting well with Torontonians today.
“Colour me shocked. Absolute stupidity to continue on this path. Leave the name and use those funds for a legitimate purpose,” one X user said.
“Don’t understand why changing this a priority when it is costing taxpayers $600k,” another user said.
“With my tax dollars?? Tbh just leave it,” another comment read.
“DON’T DO IT!” another user commented.
Mayor Olivia Chow’s executive committee is set to deliberate on the budget during next week’s city council meeting on June 18.
The new Sankofa Square signage is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
