Welcome to the community-based research portal for Toronto in Colour!

We’ve chosen the Wiki model to create and share information, research and resources regarding different ethno-cultural groups in the city. To the left of this page you will find a list of the groups we have so far; just click on the relevant link to learn more, and start "Wiki-ing".

Why Toronto in Colour?

Barriers to overcome

Two things strike a newcomer to this city; the first is Toronto’s widespread diversity, and the second is how difficult it is to find information about any particular group. These difficulties may reflect the social infrastructure of Toronto. We are diverse, there is a wealth of different cultures, needs and experiences but these are difficult to visualize. We have a mosaic, but it is not clear what picture is made by its different pieces or how they fit together. The social infrastructure needed to be able to navigate through Toronto’s cultural diversity is lacking.

If you dig long and hard you will discover that there is a wealth of data available, but it is presented in different formats, in different places and with cultural groups aggregated in different ways. Some is accurate and useful but some has not been checked or agreed upon by the cultural groups referred to. This makes the information difficult to use.

Newcomers, recent immigrants, prospective immigrants and refugees may want accurate information of their community in Toronto. Existing Canadians with diverse heritage may want a way to connect with and understand other people in their community of choice. Politicians, city planners and service providers will need a way to understand the needs of diverse groups. Providing them accessible information and resources is vital if we are to deliver equitable health and service care.

To do all this effectively we need to build a social infrastructure that will allow us to make sense of Toronto’s cultural diversity. It needs to be informed by people in different cultural groups, it needs to be able to respond to the fact that cultures are dynamic and change, but also, it needs to help to build community.

Our community research portal aims to go some way to helping to build a navigable virtual social infrastructure for Toronto. It is for you by you.

Information share

We have created a series of portals for Toronto’s many different cultural groups. Each is a hub of knowledge and local resources, is interactive and community-owned. And each can be used as an information point for service planners, service providers, direct care staff and the communities themselves.

Join us as we celebrate Toronto's diversity, and take part in our collective collaboration of information gathering, and empowerment through education.