A Map of Toronto's Cultural Facilities - ERA Architects Inc.

In June of 2002, Weston BIA in partnership with Arts York opened a community arts centre
“Y Arts?” targeted at neighbourhood children and youth. The facility is non-City owned and
will be operated on a cost recovery basis with Arts York and Weston Business Improvement
Area renting office space and thus contributing to the centre’s operating costs.
6.5 The City of Toronto’s Direct and Indirect Support of Cultural Facilities
The data base supporting the cultural facilities map also contains information on how the City
of Toronto financially supports the creation, development and maintenance of cultural facilities.
The City’s contribution can be categorized into direct support and indirect
support:
1. Direct support consists of:
> Grants: Operating, project, capital and grants to support the work of
individual artists; and
> Ongoing operating and capital support for City-owned and operated
facilities.
2. Indirect support from the City of Toronto consists of the following tools:
> Rent forgivenesses to City owned facilities;
> Property tax exemptions:
> Exemptions to the municipal and education levies for theatres
owned and operated by non-profit groups and for a number of
Showcase facilities such as the Art Gallery of Ontario and the
Royal Ontario Museum; and
> Exemptions to the education levy for facilities owned and operated
by commercial theatre companies;
> Section 37 Agreements negotiated with developers.
Although 91% of all Incubators are non-City owned, the City of Toronto is a key contributor
towards the start-up and maintenance of these types of facilities. Many Incubators receive
funding from the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council towards operating and
programming costs and through the grants to individual artist’s programs. The City of Toronto
recently created a cultural facilities capital fund of $500,000 to assist non-profit arts organizations
with repairs and upgrades to their facilities. In addition, provincial legislation was passed
in the late 1990s that exempts non-profit theatres from paying property taxes.
Showcases, similar to Incubators, are also beneficiaries of direct and indirect City support.
The City plays a pivotal role in creating the conditions for Showcases to develop and thrive.
A number of non-profit Showcases receive City funding towards operating and programming
costs and are also property tax exempt. City owned Showcases (with the exception of the two
Showcases located in the Toronto Centre for the Arts, Nathan Phillips Square and the Toronto
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