PLANNING & ENGAGEMENT
OUR PLAN
CCST incorporated in April 2022 after receiving the first of five instalments of funds from a settlement that will be paid over a 4-year period.
While we wait to receive our entire settlement, the Board will:
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Thoughtfully consider opportunities for partnership and potential responses to urgent space needs in the community while we complete this foundational work.
Facilitate connections between non-profits, cultural organizations, and arts groups looking to secure space with private and public funders;
Conduct a community-informed needs assessment for cultural and community organizations in Ward 9;
Refine our foundational principles
Develop a robust business plan that protects and grows our assets;
Further establish our framework for decision-making and governance of our assets;
Build a supportive network of residents and organizations in Ward 9 and the wider community land trust sector;
Evaluate inaugural investment and/or space acquisition opportunities;
Secure operational funds to further our development as a trust;
STRATEGY FOR 2025
Building capacity & governance practices
We will develop all necessary governance policies and study best practices to develop a strong, community governed organization. We will continue to capacity build within our Board and committees to establish a diverse and representative governance structure.
Developing an acquisition strategy
We will be making a plan for our settlement funds, including establishing due diligence processes, tenant selection frameworks, draft pro formas, and businesses cases, to begin our property search in late 2025.
Engaging community & partners
We will continue and expand our outreach, capacity building, and participation in events, networks, and tables in the arts, culture, nonprofit, and real estate sectors.
Space Needs
Assessment
We understand that while there are many organizations in Ward 9 are capable and creative operators of space, there is a lack of capacity and resources within these organizations to secure spaces for the arts, community and culture for the long-term.
With generous support from the University of Toronto's School of Cities and two years of student cohorts from the Multidisciplinary Urban Capstone Project, CCST has been developing a comprehensive Space Needs Assessment to understand these challenges more deeply. This data will also critically inform our acquisition strategy.
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Our survey is now live! If you are an arts, culture, or community organization in Ward 9 or Toronto more broadly, we would like to hear from you. Complete it here.