Last June, Toronto hosted the 11th International Public Market Conference, where the City of Toronto announced an official Public Markets Week.
Hosted by Project for Public Spaces, in partnership with St. Lawrence Market, the City of Toronto Economic Development Food Cluster Division, and marketcity TO.
The event drew 376 global leaders, including market managers, government, academia, civic society and the private sector from 130 cities and 23 countries.
It was an incredible event and a milestone in our city's journey to be a Market City!
The conference allowed Toronto market leaders to collaborate, share ideas, and learn from a global network of peers. The conference showcased Toronto’s grassroots approach to building a Market City, and most importantly, it spurred much-needed action in our city. Check the conference program.
Enjoy this beautiful video and read the Project for Public Spaces Report!
Click here and if you were a Toronto or Canadian participant, please reach out and share your experience through our social media channels.
Drum roll, Toronto now has a Public Market Week!
On June 8th, Councillor Shelley Carol announced at the 11th International Public Market Conference that our city had declared the second week in June Toronto's Public Market Week.
From Farmers' Markets to Bazaars, Good Food Markets to Neighbourhood Markets, Antique and Vintage Markets, and also Wholesale Markets like our unique Ontario Food Terminal, every year, this week-long celebration provides a platform for showcasing the unique products, cultures, and experiences that Toronto's markets offer. It's also an opportunity for residents and tourists to explore and learn about the city's different markets, and support local businesses and entrepreneurs.
More importantly, this annual event is an opportunity to celebrate and increase awareness about the importance of public markets in advancing inclusive economies, increasing access to locally and culturally diverse food, fostering relationships between neighbours, and advancing climate action.
St. Lawrence Market, FoodShare Toronto and marketcity TO championed the process and advocacy efforts, and we are so happy that the Mayor and city staff supported this declaration to move forward.
Soon will start planning for next year. In the meantime, check your neighbourhood this week, as the outdoor harvest season is here!
It is all about having a project that allows us to work together and build stronger relationships. That’s why we felt bringing the 11th International Public Market Conference to our city was so important!
What we are doing is not simply a conference! It is a network creation process by which we develop relationships and “small networks” to help us get to where we want to go and build the public market ecosystem our city needs.
A few weeks ago, 12 mobile workshop leads came together for the second time. And brought their partners, and we co-designed their workshops. More importantly, they identified their goal and how these projects, issues and topics will inform Toronto Public Market Strategy. I’m so grateful for everyone that participated. Read more in the Project for Public Spaces blog post, and see how our Toronto approach differs from previous conferences.
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