Public markets impact
climate action, poverty, economic development, access to fresh food, waste management, individual health, public health, community resilience.

Every neighbourhood should have them.

Collage of images: Group of people in a community garden holding herbs and vegetables; woman serving food in an outdoor food stall; open common area at Stackt Market
Underpass Farmers' Market, photo by Marina Queirolo
Afro-Caribean Farmer's Market, photo by Jonah Zapparoli
Market 707, photo by Scadding Court Community Centre
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Toronto boasts 105+ public diverse markets. They:

  • Fill a mid-size public food distribution gap vital to our ability to supply food regionally.
  • Stimulate hyper-local economies.
  • Serve neighbourhoods.
  • Have proven they can adapt through pandemics and supply-chain challenges.

But our public markets operate independently. And they have little capacity to collaborate or to advocate for the policies and resources they need to flourish.

That’s where we come in.

Purpose

Market CityTO is on a mission to make Toronto's soul visible through its neighbourhood markets.

We work with Toronto’s intrepid market managers, vendors, city staff, researchers and policy-makers to activate the power of public markets.

Initiatives
11th International Public Markets Conference

Project for Public Spaces is excited to announce that Toronto will host the 11th International Public Markets Conference June 8-10, 2023.

Co-hosts: City of Toronto, St. Lawrence Market, and Market City TO.

Scarborough Neighbourhood Fresh Food Markets | 2022 Pilot

Prototyping a new market model better suited to the urban context by adding two interconnected programs, Ontario Fresh Food Table & ScarbTO Mrkt Bucks, that enable more residents and entrepreneurs to participate and benefit.

Lead partner: Jennifer Forde, Scarborough and Courtyard Farmers' Market
Supported by: City of Toronto Economic Development Division and Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance.

ScarbTO Mrkt Bucks

An alternative exchange system benefitting residents’ income, food entrepreneurs, social inclusion, community health, prosperity, and resilience, belonging, and access to southern Ontario produce while keeping dollars circulating among Toronto and Ontario entrepreneurs.

Partners: Vision Quest/Red Onion Events, Golden Horseshoe Food & Farming Alliance, Feed Scarborough, Malvern Community Health Centre, Rising Sun Food Drive, St. Andrews Church - Scarborough, U. of T Scarborough Feeding City Lab.

Co-create Market City TO

Collaborate with market managers, vendors and city staff to:

  • Refine the Market City TO strategy, Governance and business model.
  • Ensure the organization serves stakeholders' needs while increasing their ownership and participation.
11th interational public markets conference - toronto june 8-10 2023

We work with Toronto’s intrepid market managers, vendors, city staff and policy-makers to activate the power of markets.

Get in touch ->
Marina Queirolo
Public markets & food systems specialist
mqueirolo@marketcityto.org

6 recommendations to support public markets and strengthen the mid-size food distribution infrastructure that enable regional food

marketcityTO coordinates, supports, and manages projects that:

  • reduce friction and increase capcity for market managers and vendors.
  • strengthen the market network and ecosystem at the municipal, regional, and provincial levels.
  • develop the public market sector and the resilient regional public food distribution infrastructure our city needs.
Permits & Regulations

Enable public markets to work more effectively. Increase knowledge and institutional capacity to better support public markets and demonstrate their impact.

Equitable access

Support current and build new public markets to increase equitable access to both economic opportunities and fresh, culturally appropiate locally-produced food, especially for those most impacted by systemic marginalization.

Infrastucture

Build the public market infrastructure to enable the delivery of local and culturaly appropiate food.

Education & Promotion

Increase education about and promotion of public markets and their role in city building.

Building a sector

Help managers, operators, vendors, and regulators realize the industry’s full potential by investing in their professional development.

City & Region integration

Integrate public markets into city and regional strategies.