Off the Shelf: Ethnic Food Businesses in the Evolving Landscape of Regent Park

Introduction

In neighborhoods with a high percentage of visible minorities and newcomers, local ethnic businesses serve as a prominent form of economic activity, employment opportunity, and a constituent of community identity. Food, in particular, serves an important function in linking newcomers to their cultural roots in a foreign land (Komakech, 2016). Since the redevelopment began, Regent Park has undergone drastic changes in its residential and commercial profile. In response to this, this media and research project hopes to understand the relationship between Regent Park’s foodscape and its unique community identity amidst the rapid social, economic, and physical transformation. The project is formulated around two research questions:

RQ1: How do local food businesses adapt and position themselves within the changing social and physical landscape of Regent Park due to these developments?

RQ2: What role do local food businesses play in the evolving social and physical landscape of Regent Park amidst new developments?

Through a series of video interviews and qualitative research methods, our goal is to add to the narratives surrounding Regent Park’s local ethnic food businesses by examining their past histories, current circumstances, and future opportunities and challenges.

Methodology

Our project was preceded by a series of qualitative research methods, with a particular focus on semi-structured interviews and mapping. 

Video Interviews

With our research questions in mind, we formulated a list of interview questions as a team prior to our interview process began. These questions served as a framework that guided each of our interviews, however, new questions and topics were welcomed during the interview depending on what the interviewee decided to share. 

The recruitment of interviewees was mostly done in-person. The only criteria to the selection process is ethnic food businesses located in close proximity to Regent Park’s official boundary. The ethnic composition of the interviewees includes two Asian, one Latino, one Afro-Caribbean, and one Middle Eastern. 

After receiving consent from the interviewees, the video and audio gathered in the process are used to produce videos that present the story behind these businesses to the audience. 

Figure 1. List of Video Interviews

Mapping

Aside from semi-structured interviews, mapping played an important role in our research process by offering a narrative on the relationship between Regent Park’s food businesses and their geographic location. As seen in Figure 2, the local ethnic food businesses, denoted in yellow pins, all locate on the boundaries of Regent Park; while big franchise businesses tend to locate in the neighborhood’s center. 

Figure 2. Map of Regent Park’s Food Businesses

Media Format

One of our primary objectives is to deepen civic engagement by effectively connecting with the community. We decided that videos would be the best format for this purpose. Through the video interviews, we were able to engage with the community by presenting their perspectives to the public and promoting their businesses. This format also allows us to present authentic voices and real perspectives of the residents, which is vital for engaging an audience deeply with the issues at hand. 

Our project is being presented on a website that serves as an archive of information relating to Regent Park’s foodscape and a form of promotion for local businesses. The website featured the video interviews with business owners, a Regent Park food directory, and additional information. 

Findings

Social Dimension

As of 2016, around 70% of Regent Park residents are visible minorities, surpassing the city-wide average of 51% (Statistics Canada, 2016). However, what distinguishes Regent Park beyond the number of visible minorities is the remarkable diversity within this concentration (Figure 3). Rather than being dominated by a single ethno-cultural group, the neighborhood consists of a rich tapestry of ethnicities. As a result, Regent Park is typically viewed as a multiethnic neighborhood, instead of being classified by a singular ethno-cultural group such as Chinatown or Little Jamaica. 

Figure 3. Regent Park’s Demographic

A recurring theme voiced by all our interviewees is the remarkable diversity among their customer base. While the owners recognize most of their customers are Regent Park residents, they tend to come from a variety of ethno-cultural backgrounds. Given the absence of a predominant cultural group in Regent Park, the preservation of this diversity emerges as crucial to the vitality and success of local businesses. This diversity, as seen in both Regent Park’s community profile and its ethnic businesses, has the potential to preserve and stabilize the existing neighborhood. The cultural significance of Regent Park, embodied through its physical landscape, commercial activity, and community identity, cannot be replicated or “engineered” through planning. Rather, it is an organic product of the neighborhood's extensive history.

Economic Dimension

One of our interviewees, Shinji Yamaguchi owns a Japanese restaurant located on the intersection of Gerrard and Parliament, which falls under the administration of Cabbagetown. During the interview, Shinji mentioned the support he received from Cabbagetown BIA and other private institutions, including a grant that allowed him to commission a mural on his storefront. In our interview with the other four Regent Park business owners, the mention of institutional support was not evident. Instead, they place greater emphasis on support from local residents and within their own ethno-cultural communities. In Regent Park, there have been several initiatives that support local entrepreneurs since the revitalization began, such as Daniels Corporation’s Community Commercial Program and Regent Park’s Social Development Plan (SDP) (Lorinc, 2018). These initiatives aim to counterbalance the increasing presence of franchise-driven establishments in Regent Park, which fails to adequately reflect the neighborhood's rich cultural diversity (Martinovic, 2024). One of our interviewees, Ines Garcia now runs her own business at the Regent Park Cafe, which emerged as an initiative funded by the SDP and the Employment and Economic Development (EED) Working Group to provide entrepreneurial opportunity for local residents. 

Institutional support is crucial for small businesses as they tend to face a higher rate of failure, especially for business owners that are newcomers. As Regent Park undergoes rapid transformation in its residential and commercial profile, local retail businesses find themselves at a critical juncture. Many of our interviewees discussed implementing new strategies such as digital marketing to navigate these changes. For instance, the owner of Ticana mentioned many customers came to her store after seeing African recipes on social media. This shift in business dynamics reflects broader social and economic changes at the macro level, as well as transformations on the neighborhood level. Like how Shinji mentioned in the interview, small business owners have to constantly adapt and problem-solve to remain viable in this shifting environment. While most owners don't view the influx of new franchises negatively, there's a growing awareness of their potential to alter the neighborhood's traditional rhythm and way-of-living (Joassart-Marcelli, 2022). As the local entrepreneurs employ new approaches to adapt to the new circumstances, it’s hard to tell whether this is a form of progression or displacement. 

Spatial and Physical Dimension

Through the examination of three Toronto neighborhoods with a notable presence of ethnic retail establishments, Zhuang's (2017) study revealed ethnic retailing’s pivotal role in transforming a neighborhood’s social, economic, and physical dimension. For example, Zhuang noted how ethnic retailers shape the physical landscape of their surroundings through physical means such as signage, window displays, street arrangements, and architectural styles, thereby expressing their ethno-cultural identity (Zhuang, 2017, p. 16). This finding aligns with our observation of Regent Park’s streetscape. Most ethnic businesses are located in the Victorian-style buildings on Parliament St. They adorn their storefront with signage in their native languages. These signage, just like the banner that’s being put up in Daniels Spectrum, are significant because they are a representation and a component of the neighborhood’s image and identity. The small businesses stand in stark contrast with newer, larger storefronts which are often occupied by bigger enterprises, situated in new glass-wall buildings. Additionally, Zhuang underscores the significance of spatial capital in the development and operation of ethnic retail. Many retailers will maximize spatial capital by concentrating their businesses in one area (Zhuang, 2017, p. 16). Within these concentrated clusters of ethnic businesses, local entrepreneurs distinguish themselves by offering specialty foods and services. These dual forces of concentration and diversification foster both intragroup and intergroup interactions within the community, contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the neighborhood.

Discussions

Based on what we heard from the interviews, most owners see Regent Park’s new development in a positive light due to benefits like growing population, enhanced safety, cleaner streetscape, and increased funding in the neighborhood. In terms of challenges, they mentioned factors such as soaring food prices, difficulty attracting new customers, and the lack of support from institutions. 

Upon analyzing our findings across various social, economic, and physical dimensions, it becomes evident that Regent Park's current landscape presents favorable conditions for the establishment of small ethnic food businesses. Factors such as the neighborhood's diverse demographic, close community ties, and recent influx of funding contribute to this promising environment.

Our interviews underscored the resilience of Regent Park's social dimension, which exhibits a strong inclination towards supporting local entrepreneurship that align more with Regent Park’s rich cultural tapestry over big franchises. However, the economic and physical dimensions, which are undergoing significant transformations, do not appear as conducive to the growth of local businesses. While new developments are bringing more potential customers for small ethnic food businesses, the rapid transformation in the physical dimension is posing significant danger to these businesses because the new spaces are not designed for them. The apparent lack of support in these areas poses a potential threat to Regent Park’s small ethnic food businesses, with far-reaching implications for the neighborhood's communal identity.

Limitation

Due to the time constraints and factors like Ramadan, we were only able to interview five business owners. While they represent a good variety of demographic, they are all businesses that established after the revitalization began. Spatially, the businesses we interviewed clustered in the northwest corner of Regent Park. The completeness of the project could be enhanced by including businesses from the southern part of Regent Park. Given these circumstances, we recognize that our research serves less significance in identifying the difference between Regent Park’s old and new. Instead, it is a snapchat of the current circumstances and an exploration into the neighborhood’s future trajectory. 

Conclusion

Through our conversation with the local food business owners, we learned about the hardship of owning a small ethnic food business in Regent Park and how the broader economic circumstances are adding onto the pressure. Amidst these hardships, they expressed hopeful anticipation for the neighborhood's redevelopment to bring more potential customers and opportunities. However, this optimism may not entirely capture the broader implications of redevelopment. Historically, similar redevelopment projects in other areas have led to issues like gentrification. This process often increases property values and living costs, which can displace long-term residents, particularly in neighborhoods with a significant presence of low-income populations and visible minorities. Although Regent Park’s strong community ties are resilient against new changes, our observations on the physical and economic dimension of the neighborhood raised concerns on the future of these ethnic businesses. Given their significance as cultural assets, it calls for the need for careful consideration and proactive measures to safeguard their presence amidst ongoing transformations (Komakech, 2016).

The Off the Shelf team members are Tyrone, Wilma, Chanel, and Annette

References

Joassart-Marcelli (2022, September 13). How food became the perfect beachhead for gentrification. The Conversation. 

https://theconversation.com/how-food-became-the-perfect-beachhead-for-gentrification-167761 

Komakech, M. D., & Jackson, S. F. (2016). A study of the role of small ethnic retail grocery stores in urban renewal in a social housing project, Toronto, Canada. Journal of Urban Health, 93(3), 414-424.

Lorinc, J. (2018, August 15). Regent Park developer makes space for homegrown retailers. The Globe and Mail Inc. Retrieved from  https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/article-regent-park-developer-makes-space-for-homegrown-retailers/

Martinovic, D. (2024, February 9). Regent Park Cafe Arrives at the Daniels Spectrum. Community Media Portal.  https://www.commediaportal.ca/web/en/media/regent-park-cafe-arrives-daniels-spectrum

Statistic Canada (2016). Regent Park Neighborhood Profile.  https://www.toronto.ca/ext/sdfa/Neighbourhood%20Profiles/pdf/2016/pdf1/cpa72.pdf

Zhuang, Z. C. (2017). THE INTERSECTION OF PLACE AND ETHNIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE ROLE OF ETHNIC ENTREPRENEURS IN THE MAKING OF THREE TORONTO NEIGHBORHOODS. Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, 34(1), 1–22.

Interviews with Ticana and Gushi Japanese Street Food

Update on interviews

This week, we conducted interviews with the owner of Gushi Japanese Street Food, Shinji Yamaguchi and the owner of Ticana African Store (who prefers to not disclose her personal information). The two interviews are a great addition to our project by both confirming some of our previous findings and offering new perspectives.  

Shinji was the first non-Regent Park resident we encountered in this project. Interestingly, due to the geographic location of the store (see Fig. 3), the owner seems to align more with the Cabbagetown community rather than with Regent Park. Shinji mentioned that he is a part of the Cabbagetown BIA, but he has also accepted interviews from Focus Media in the past to talk about his experience owning a business near the neighborhood. During the interview, Shinji expressed his positive outlook for the future of Regent Park and Cabbagetown. He also mentioned that he is aware of the possibility of gentrification from the new developments, but he sees more benefits than harm from this process. 

We encountered some challenges when we’re interviewing for Ticana. The owner of the store was not fluent in English so she asked her sister who also works in the store to do the interview. Although we explained this is only for a school project and we hope to promote their businesses, she was not willing to show her face on camera and prefers to not disclose her personal information. As a result, for this video, we will substitute footage of her speaking with footage of the store and of our group members. Despite her unwillingness to do the interview at first, she provided us with a lot of information as the conversation went on. 

Fig. 1 Interview with Ticana African Store

Fig. 2 Interview with Shinji from Gushi

Fig. 3 Gushi locates outside of the North boundary of Regent Park (Gerrard St E)

Research question

Synthesizing our findings from interviews and course readings, we decided to formulate our project around two research questions:

• RQ1: What role do local food businesses play in the evolving social and physical landscape of Regent Park amidst new developments?

• RQ2: How do local food businesses adapt and position themselves within the changing  social and physical landscape of Regent Park due to these developments?

The first question investigates the impact of local food businesses on the neighborhood's transformation, while the second explores how these businesses strategically respond to the changes. We hope to approach our project with a more open-minded perspective and hope to uncover the complexities of the neighborhood and the redevelopment project. 

Presentation format

The main format of our presentation will be an interactive map set up on a website where visitors can explore the local food businesses in Regent Park as well as access the videos we produced. The website will serve as both a directory of the food businesses in the neighborhood as well as an archive of the videos we produced. We plan on placing a laptop and a monitor on the presentation table. The visitors will be able to interact with the materials on the website using the laptop. On the monitor, there will be a short trailer video (1-2 minutes) playing in loop to give visitors some context. The video will consist of behind the scene footage we took throughout the course with narration from our group members. 

Next week

• We have scheduled two more interviews next Thursday with Ethiopian Spice and Grocery Store and East Coast Donair. 

• Before next Thursday, we will build a prototype of the interactive map website and finish editing at least one of the interview videos to receive feedback. 

The Off the Shelf team members are Tyrone, Wilma, Chanel, and Annette

Interviews with Bowl and Snacks and Regent Park Cafe

This week’s update

This week, our team made significant progress on our project, marking a productive phase in our ongoing efforts. We conducted two interviews, an essential step that allowed us to gather valuable insights and perspectives directly from the field. Building on this momentum, we reached out to more businesses, expanding our network and opening up new avenues for collaboration and information exchange. In parallel, we began the video editing process, a crucial task that involves refining and assembling our visual content to ensure it effectively communicates our message. Furthermore, we initiated the process of "decoding" common themes we heard back from business owners. This analytical phase aims to construct a cohesive narrative for our project, ensuring that the final output resonates with our audience and accurately reflects the insights gathered from our interactions with the business community. These activities represent key steps forward in our endeavour, setting the stage for a compelling and impactful project outcome.

What we heard

Insights gathered from the two interviews we conducted were organized into four categories.

Reflection on interview process

Our process

Reflecting on our interview process, it's clear that our approach varied based on our relationship with each business, leading to insightful interactions. For Bowl and Snacks, webooked a specific date and time, ensuring the owners were prepared for our visit. This contrasts with our more casual approach to Regent Park Cafe, where we simply dropped by due to Ines's familiarity with our program. Regardless of the approach, we consistently reviewed our list of interview questions beforehand, ensuring a thorough and structured

Findings

Our findings from these interactions were both surprising and enlightening. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, which suggested that competition from new franchise stores poses the biggest challenge for small businesses, our conversations revealed that this might not be the case. While there wasn't a direct link, we uncovered a potential indirect correlation between competition and small businesses' challenges. The owners we engaged with across these businesses were exceptionally nice and collaborative, offering valuable perspectives that enriched our understanding.

Limitations

However, our process had its limitations. We noted that both businesses we interviewed are relatively new, with Bowl and Snacks having been open for two years and Regent Park Cafe for just one month. This may influence their perspectives on challenges and competition. A notable observation came from our interview with Rashmi at Bowl and Snacks, where some of the most insightful information was shared informally after the official interview had concluded. This experience has led us to consider adjusting our approach in future interviews. Specifically, we plan to include a closing question – "Is there anything else you want us to know?" – to ensure we capture a comprehensive range of insights, recognizing that our predetermined questions might not cover all relevant topics. This adjustment is a crucial step toward enhancing the depth and breadth of information we gather, ensuring we leave no stone unturned in our quest to understand the dynamics of small business operations.

Next week

• We’re planning on interviewing Hakka Bistro, Ethiopian Spice and Grocery Store and Surma Superstore next week

• Since our hypothesis was false, we need to refine our research question and overall theme.

The Off the Shelf team members are Tyrone, Wilma, Chanel, and Annette

Off the Shelf: Project Overview

Problem Statement

Through this project, we aim to examine the impact of the Regent Park revitalization on local ethnic food businesses and the broader community's cultural identity. This multi-billion dollar, multi-phase redevelopment plan seeks to create a mixed-income, mixed-use community that incorporates both market-rate and subsidized housing units alongside commercial spaces. While the intention is to improve living conditions and integrate Regent Park more closely with the surrounding city, there are significant concerns regarding the potential displacement of existing residents and local businesses that have historically served the community's diverse population.

This iteration of course focuses on the civic engagement component of planning and seeks to unravel the barriers preventing residents from actively participating in community local development initiatives. Civic engagement is particularly important to the revitalization of Regent Park as it ensures the inclusion of local residents and business owners, many of whom are visible minorities and low-income individuals, in the planning process. However, despite its significance in preserving local identity, fostering civic engagement in Regent Park has encountered difficulties due to challenges like language barriers, trust issues, and cultural differences. 

Our project seeks to better understand these challenges through short documentary-style videos exploring the stories of local ethnic food business owners, their challenges, and their contributions to the community's social fabric. The project aims to serve as a civic engagement initiative fostering a dialogue among residents, policymakers, and the broader public about the impacts of urban redevelopment on community cohesion and cultural diversity. 

Project Implementation

The format of our project is a multimedia presentation centered around a series of short documentary-style videos. These videos, each ranging from 5 to 10 minutes in length, will delve into the vibrant food culture within Regent Park, focusing particularly on the small ethnic grocery stores and food services that play a critical role in the community's cultural identity and food security.

Our media will feature interviews with local food business owners, offering insights into their experiences with the Regent Park revitalization project, their challenges, and the ways they contribute to the community's well-being. Alongside these interview-based videos, we plan on producing two commentary videos that offer audience context on the history of Regent Park, the ongoing changes due to revitalization, and the broader implications for civic engagement.

We chose video as our media format due to its accessibility and its ability to tell a more cohesive story by integrating text, visual, and audio. This project aims to utilize various media platforms for distribution, including the Focus Media Arts Centre's website and its Youtube channel, to reach a diverse audience. The goal is to engage not only Regent Park residents but also policymakers, urban planners, and the general public interested in urban development, community engagement, and the preservation of cultural diversity in changing neighborhoods. The online distribution platform will serve as an opportunity for the audience to interact and participate with the broader civic engagement initiative through comments, shares, and reposts.

gantt chart for our project implementation plan

Progress

During last Thursday’s session, we visited 5 local businesses in person and inquired about the possibility of conducting an interview with them. We have secured two interviewees on the spot and the rest expressed a positive response. In the following week, we will keep in touch with the businesses we met in person and reach out to other businesses through email and phone calls. We drafted a list of 10 potential interviewees and our goal is to conduct interviews with at least 5 of the local business owners. 

On Monday, March 11, we will be interviewing with the owners of Bowl and Snacks, a restaurant specializing in Asian fusion cuisine. On Thursday, March 14, we plan on interviewing Ines to learn about the story of the cafe in the Daniels Spectrum

To ensure high-quality production, we've prepared essential equipment such as microphones, cameras, and tripods, all facilitated by Tyrone and the Focus Media Arts Centre. Each of our team members will rotate and take on different roles (interviewer, cameraperson, audio technician, and notetaker/supporter) for each interview.

types of shots to be included in our video

One of our core aims of this project is to promote these local businesses and elevate community awareness about their vital contributions to Regent Park's social and cultural fabric. To this end, we will actively engage in spreading awareness and showcasing the importance of these establishments in fostering community spirit and providing essential services. Before filming, we will obtain consent from all participants to ensure their willingness and comfort in sharing their stories as part of our media project.

Appendix

List of guiding interview questions:

• Tell us about the business

• When was the business established

• Why did you decide to open this business (and why in Regent Park)

• What type of food do you guys sell

• What’s the hardest part of owning a small food business

• Tell us about you

• What is it like to be a small business owner here in Regent Park (what does a normal day look like in your life)

• Do you live in Regent Park?

• What’s your/the business’ connection to Regent Park?

• Are most of your customers from Regent Park?

• Does your business participate in community events in Regent Park?

• Do you see yourself as a member of the Regent Park community?

• Do you think establishing your business in Regent Park helped or harmed your business? Why?

• Do you feel any impacts from the revitalization process?

• Do you realize any changes in sales performance before and after the revitalization took place?

• Do you realize any changes in the demographic of customers?

• Are you affected by the construction of the new development in any way?

• What do you think about the new franchise stores that are opening in RP?

• What’s your outlook for the future?

• What do you think your business and Regent Park will look like in the next 5 years?

• What’s your plan to compete/coexist with the changes brought upon by the new development?

The Off the Shelf team members are Tyrone, Wilma, Chanel, and Annette

Off the Shelf: Uncovering the stories behind Regent Park’s vibrant food culture

As of 2016, around 70% of Regent Park residents are visible minorities, surpassing the city-wide average of 51% (Statistics Canada, 2016). The rich diversity in culture, languages, and lifestyles has greatly influenced the recreational and commercial landscape of Regent Park, shaping its distinctive neighborhood identity. Food not only represents a basic need for the residents but also carries significant cultural weight in a multicultural enclave like Regent Park. For marginalized communities or newcomers, establishing a sense of belonging and inclusion on this foreign land poses a considerable challenge. Ethnic grocery stores and food services serve a pivotal function in bridging this gap, serving as a link to residents' cultural roots and providing employment opportunities for those facing challenges in securing jobs. Through this project, our aim is to delve into the narratives surrounding Regent Park's small ethnic grocery stores and food services, examining their past histories, current circumstances, and future plans for adapting to the evolving dynamics of the neighborhood due to the social-mix redevelopment.

The Team

Off the Shelf consists of two UofT students and two Regent Park residents. Our name stems from our collective goal to uncover the stories behind the small ethnic grocery stores and food services in Regent Park and to understand the broader impact new developments have on the neighborhood’s identity and daily lives. 

Tyrone is a multimedia specialist at the Focus Media Arts Centre that supports Focus’ media programs and assists with the technical aspects of all productions, programs, and workshops. Tyrone was born and raised in Regent Park since 1984 and has moved around quite a bit within the neighborhood. From the revitalization and redevelopment of Regent Park since its original conversations, through to demolition and construction of new housing units, commercial spaces and public spaces, Tyrone has witnessed many changes in Regent Park over the decades. As a media specialist, Tyrone has been very much involved in the documentation of these changes by utilizing the media tools of the Focus Media Arts Centre. By capturing and documenting the stories of those that have lived in the neighborhood helps to understand how people first arrived at Regent Park and how the revitalization may affect their lives. Tyrone has decided to join this course to exchange his expertise as both a long time resident and as a staff of the Focus Media Arts Centre. He is very excited to see what this collaboration between the UofT students and the residents of Regent Park will create.

Wilma is involved in community services and community engagement work. Although she does not reside within the boundaries of Regent Park, her connection to the neighborhood is fostered through her active participation in community events and her dedication to the social development of the area.  Through this course, Wilma hopes to gain insight into the needs of Regent Park residents and collaborate with both residents and service providers to foster a healthy environment within the community. Additionally, she looks forward to the opportunity to interact with local ethnic businesses as part of this project.

Chanel is a 4th year architecture student at the University of Toronto. Her background in design and passion for community engagement has inspired her to find innovative ways to address local needs, thus leading to her enrolment in this course. Participating in this project offers her an unique opportunity to collaborate directly with residents and organizations in Regent Park, gaining insights into how the neighborhood is enduring through the evolving physical and social dynamics over time. Through course materials and discussions with locals, the team members recognized food as a central aspect of cultural identity and expression in Regent Park. By the end of this course, Chanel hopes to capture the neighborhood's rich food culture through the use of media and shed light on some of the challenges and opportunities facing local businesses amidst the redevelopment. 

Annette is a Urban Studies student at the University of Toronto. Her objective is to explore the intricacies of civic engagement within a community like Regent Park which has diverse demographics and complex history through events like demolition and revitalization. Through this course, Annette aims to not only broaden her understanding by engaging directly with the residents of Regent Park but also to see the practical application of theoretical concepts she has studied, within the real-world context of this neighborhood. Additionally, she is looking forward to making this project an enjoyable and enriching experience. By delving into how Regent Park navigates cultural identity and expression, particularly through its small ethnic retail grocery stores, restaurants, Annette seeks to uncover the challenges and opportunities these aspects present as the preservation of local businesses and cultures. Her goal is to effectively present and analyze these findings using media and the knowledge acquired through her studies.

This week’s media: Mapping

As an exploration activity for the project, we mapped out the ethnic grocery stores and food services near Regent Park (those marked in yellow) with help from the local residents. We also identified the bigger franchise stores and restaurants in the neighborhood (those marked in blue) as a comparison. Interestingly, most of the small, local ethnic businesses were located on the periphery of the neighborhood, whereas the franchises are distributed more evenly throughout. This mapping exercise serves as a starting point in visually delineating the geographical organization of our study area.

The Off the Shelf team members are Tyrone, Wilma, Chanel, and Annette