A New Public Mural is Coming to Yonge + St. Clair

A brand new community-led mural by artist Rob Anderson is coming to Yonge + St. Clair this fall! Paint a tile of the mural between November 24-27th, and see the completed piece on November 28th.

Sponsored by the Consulate General of Hungary – Toronto and in partnership with the Yonge + St. Clair BIA this work celebrates the cultural exchange between Hungary and Canada, and the mosaic of international communities that make Toronto a vibrant and welcoming city.

RSVP and Paint Your Own Piece of the Community Mural

The artist is hosting 30-minute paint workshops so you can colour your own tile which will be assembled into a larger community-created artwork at the end of the event.

Community Art Pop-Up: Monday November 24 to Thursday November 27, 2025
11AM-1PM & 3PM-6PM, Daily

📍 55 St. Clair West, Main Lobby
RSVP for a 30-minute timeslot to colour a tile from the artist’s design  – each participant’s tile will join others to form a collaborative mosaic celebrating neighbourhood creativity. The artist will guide participants to create their artworks.

Light refreshments will be provided. Free to attend.
Walk-ins may be welcome depending on capacity.

Mural Unveiling – Friday, November 28, 2025
5PM – 6PM

📍 55 St. Clair West, Main Lobby
RSVP for the official unveiling of Rob Anderson’s new mural, featuring the fully assembled community artwork and enjoy complimentary Hungarian snacks and beverages.

🎟️ If you’d like to participate at either of these events, RSVP here:

Accessibility
The host location (55 St. Clair W) is an accessible site. Seating is limited but available. Materials will be provided for guest participation.

About the Artist

Rob Anderson is a Hungarian-American visual artist born in New York City and based in Budapest. Known for his bold “pop-renaissance” style that merges classical storytelling with street art energy, he creates murals, paintings, and interactive experiences that celebrate creativity as a bridge between people, cultures, and imagination. His recent collaborations include projects with the Szépművészeti Múzeum, the New York Liszt Institute, and LEGO Hungary.

Inspiration, Concept and Artist Statement for the Interactive Art Mural:

“Creativity to me is a channel to share the world of my imagination in hopes to inspire others. My mural work invites people to participate by leaving their mark of color. To me, artwork feels complete when it is also lived through others. I want to honor the creator in all of us, and together we can create spaces of connection and celebration.”

“My connection to my Hungarian roots has influenced a style I call “Pop-Renaissance.” Typically, I combine Hungarian Folk motifs with the geometric, bold, pop style of my NYC upbringing. For this project, I aim to explore connective illustrations that unite Hungarian symbols of history with Canadian symbols of openness and nature. The tone will be bold, positive, and inclusive. “Pop-Renaissance” will depict a fusion of tradition and modernity. The colors will be bright primary’s with clean structured compositions, and the interactive areas will invite community participation through the gesture of coloring together.

“When I think about my Hungarian grandparents’ journey, I think of their courage met with a special kindness. I want this project to transform a difficult history into a symbol of optimism. This is proof that compassion between nations can create art, hope, and new beginnings.”

To see Rob’s works visit: robanderson.art

RSVP to paint a tile of this community mural. Link.

A special thanks to our site and event partners:

Rob Anderson, Artist

Brought to you by the Yonge + St. Clair BIA. Bringing the neighbourhood together.

Yonge + St. Clair Business Improvement Area [BIA]

Request for Quotation [RFQ] | Floral Display & Landscaping Services 2026

Issued: October 8th, 2025

Submission Date: Friday, October 31st, 2025 @ 5pm
Contract Commences: Monday, January 5th, 2026

► To download this entire RFP as a PDF: Click here.

1. Introduction
The Yonge + St. Clair Business Improvement Area (BIA) is committed to fostering a vibrant, welcoming,
and visually inspiring neighbourhood. To achieve this, the BIA invests annually in seasonal floral displays
and landscaping initiatives that enhance the pedestrian experience, highlight the area’s identity, and
strengthen its sense of place. The project consists of all labour, equipment, and materials necessary to
supply, install, water, and maintain floral displays and landscaping features within the Yonge + St. Clair BIA
boundaries. Services will include a spring display, a summer display, and a winter display, as well as
ongoing maintenance of planters and tree pits.

The contract will commence January 5, 2026, and continue until December 31, 2026, with the potential for
renewal based on performance and budget approval. Work will not commence until April and must adhere
to this schedule:

– Spring plantings to be installed no later than April 30, 2026
– Summer plantings to be installed no later June 30, 2026
– Winter plantings to be installed no later than November 15, 2026

2. Scope of Services

i. Seasonal Displays & Installation

● Supply and installation of seasonal floral displays in the following planters (dimensions provided
below in Appendix A):

○ 31 large raised planters (fixed) along either side of Yonge Street
○ 4-6 medium raised planters (moveable) to be installed along Wally Crouter Walkway
○ 2 small planters integrated into feature benches (fixed) out front of 1 St Clair Ave E

● Each planter to include dark mulch (preferably black) and vibrant flowers that align with some if not
all the BIA’s brand colours (yellow, orange, teal, purple). Planter boxes must be completely filled.
● Installation of seasonal displays three times annually: Spring, Summer, and Winter.
● Replacement of plants as needed to ensure planters remain vibrant and healthy.
● Installation of dark mulch (preferably black) in 2 tree pits located out front of 1 St. Clair Avenue E
(dimensions provided below in Appendix A)

ii. Watering & Maintenance

● Watering services minimum three (3) times per week, adjusted seasonally and based on weather
conditions.
● Continuous inspection of planters and tree pits to prune and remove garbage, debris, weeds, or
dead plant material.
● Maintenance of mulch for tree pits as well as within all BIA planters.
● Preference will be given to vendors who can include expanded weeding services (areas
surrounding planters, tree pits, and throughout the rest of the BIA boundary) as part of their
offering.

iii. Monitoring & Reporting

● Weekly condition checks of plant health, mulch coverage, and planter cleanliness.
● Immediate notification to the BIA of any issues (e.g., vandalism, damage, dead plants).
● Photo documentation of seasonal displays upon installation.

3. Submission Requirements

Quotations must include the following:

1. A cover letter introducing the company, quotation summary, and a clear description of services –
including frequency of watering and any additional services (e.g., weeding).
2. A breakdown of proposed fees by season (Spring, Summer, Winter) and ongoing maintenance.
3. Examples of comparable past floral/landscaping projects.
4. A proposed workback schedule and staffing plan.
5. At least three (3) references of previous clients of similar projects including name, company,
telephone, and email address.
6. Draft planting program including: potential colour schemes, types of flowers, watering approach

4. Pricing
The BIA anticipates pricing in the range of $45,000–$50,000 annually (HST included) for all services
described above. Preference will be given to vendors who provide comprehensive services (including
weeding) within this range. Pricing can be discussed further, however, proposals that fall within this range
will receive priority consideration.

5. Submission Instructions
Please submit your detailed quote to our Streetscape + Design Manager, Jason Glionna at:
[email protected]. Please also contact this email with any questions.

Submission Deadline: Friday, October 31st, 2025 @ 5pm

Yours truly,
Yonge + St. Clair BIA

Appendix A

► To download this entire RFP as a PDF: Click here.

Call for Proposals: Legacies of Yonge + St. Clair
The Yonge + St. Clair BIA invites artists to submit proposals for Legacies of Yonge + St. Clair, a major new public art commission launching in Spring 2026.

The commission for this multi-phase project is $40K (inclusive of tax)

Submission Deadline: November 7, 2025 at 11:59pm ET

Legacies of Yonge + St. Clair builds on Heritage Toronto oral histories with six longtime business owners, representing more than 120 years of neighbourhood history. Through portraiture and storytelling, the selected artist will transform these narratives into a bold, accessible cultural landmark for residents, workers, and visitors.

The commissioned artist will lead a photoshoot, develop a unified visual treatment, and install a large-scale work. Artists are encouraged to propose concepts that:

+ Work with a combination of exterior and interior space
+ Consider how interior and exterior environments connect visually and thematically
+ Respond to the site’s architectural context while maintaining a unified vision

Legacies is intended to evolve over multiple years. This first commission launches a portraiture exhibition that may be reinterpreted in future murals, exhibitions, galleries, and print or digital formats. Proposals should present a visual approach that stands alone now and can potentially adapt to future iterations. The BIA may reference, re-scale, or adapt elements of the commissioned work for future program iterations, such as additional murals or installations, exhibit formats, printed/digital communications, and related cultural programming. Any such reuse will include appropriate artist credit and will respect the integrity of the original work.

Please note that this is only a summary of the full RFP.
+ Full details and submission info are hosted on the Akimbo website: View here.
+ You can download the full Call for Proposals as PDF here. Download.

Yonge + St. Clair BIA
yongestclair.ca
[email protected]
Facebook @yongestclair.ca
Instagram @yongestclair 

If you’ve ever wanted a say in how your neighbourhood grows, here’s your chance.

The Yonge + St. Clair BIA is opening up a handful of volunteer seats for local office workers, business owners, and business representatives who want to help steer how public funding gets used for economic improvements in the community.

This isn’t a heavy commitment. We’re not talking about boardroom politics or long nights of paperwork. It’s just one hour a month to meet, share ideas, and shape the future of Yonge + St. Clair.

Here’s what you’ll gain along the way:

• Boost your resume – Show you’ve contributed to meaningful, city-backed projects.

• Flex untapped skills – Bring in what you know from your industry and apply it in new ways.

• Collaborate with leaders – Connect with other forward-thinking professionals in the area.

• Shape Yonge + St. Clair – See your input reflected in real neighbourhood improvements.

It’s a small time investment with a big impact – for your business, your career, your network, or getting involved in special interests that aren’t your 9 to 5.

Qualifications + Eligibility

+ Ownership or Tenancy: Be an owner, staff member, or tenant of a commercial or industrial property with a registered business address within the BIA.
+ Age: Be at least 18 years old.

Interested? Register your interest by emailing [email protected] or filling out the quick form here.

About the Role

What is a BIA?

The Yonge + St. Clair BIA represents 450+ businesses and 90+ property owners in the Yonge + St. Clair community in Midtown Toronto, Ontario. Formed in 2018, the BIA through the City of Toronto’s Economic Development plan, it strengthens the economic health and livability of the neighbourhood through strategic investments in the public realm, exciting cultural programming, brand awareness, and advocacy on behalf of members.

How does a BIA work?

A BIA is a partnership between the City, property owners, and businesses. At Yonge + St. Clair, a full-time staff team – hired by the Board of Directors and approved by City Council – delivers projects that reflect the community’s priorities. From murals and public art to streetscape improvements and neighbourhood events, the BIA’s work directly shapes how people experience this urban corner of Toronto.

What would I do as a volunteer committee member?

You’ll join other local business representatives for a 1-hour meeting each month to share ideas, raise concerns, and contribute your expertise. Meetings are structured in advance so discussions stay focused on real opportunities and challenges.

There are two committees you may be part of:

+ Streetscape Committee – Guides infrastructure and public realm improvements, including the rollout of the Streetscape Master Plan (approved by City Council) to create a more unified and welcoming neighbourhood.

+ Marketing + Events Committee – Shapes placemaking, branding, and programming. From events and campaigns to creative activations, this committee helps position Yonge + St. Clair as an emerging urban hub in Toronto.

Why should I get involved?
Because your input makes a visible difference. Volunteering gives you the chance to:

+ Influence how public funds are invested in your neighbourhood.

+ Build your professional experience by contributing to city-backed initiatives.

+ Connect with other business leaders and creative thinkers shaping Midtown.

+ See your ideas come to life in public art, events, and streetscape projects.

Have more questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected]. Or register your interest by filling out the quick form here.

Be Part of a Neighbourhood Story Worth Telling

Yonge + St. Clair is turning into a public gallery — and you could be be part of it.

Legacies is a multi-phase public art, heritage and culture initiative by the Yonge + St. Clair BIA, celebrating the people and places that have shaped Midtown Toronto over the past 100 years.

This project is inspired by a rich set of current-day interviews and archival documents developed by Heritage Toronto, which showcases the lives of six longtime local business owners in the neighbourhood. Building on this groundwork, the BIA is now expanding the story – from six individual legacies to a community-wide portrait that reflects the people who know, remember, and continue to shape this area every day.

We’re now inviting residents, regulars, staff, customers, family, and neighbours – anyone who feels connected to the area or to the featured businesses – to take part in a free professional portrait session, and to share a memory that ties them to Yonge + St. Clair.

About the Artwork

The final installation will be a large-scale public portrait collage, featured across walls, windows, sidewalks, and ceilings in Midtown this fall. This is not a traditional mural – it’s a multi-surface, immersive exhibit that turns underused space into a living tribute to community.

Whether you’re featured front and centre or as part of a layered visual field, your image will help show what makes this place special: its people.

💡 Portraits may be creatively adapted — cropped, stylized, colour-treated, or layered — depending on how they’re integrated into the site. Faces may appear in full, partially, or as part of grouped configurations across different textures and surfaces.

Visual Inspiration

Below are a few examples and style references that represent the type of visual treatment and storytelling we’re working toward. These include:

• Public portrait collages

• Ground and wall-mounted photo installations

• Multi-panel and layered mural work

• Typography + image pairings inspired by historical archives

Stylistic and Case Study References
Examples of photographic installations on glass, brick, sidewalk, and layered cut-outs

Sign Up for a Free Portrait Session

We’re currently booking portrait sessions for community members who feel connected to the six featured businesses or have stories rooted in the Yonge + St. Clair area.

🗓 Portrait Sessions: September 8–14, 2025
📝 Deadline to Register: August 29, 2025
📍 Location: Yonge + St. Clair area (exact shoot location TBA)
🎯 Cost: Free
👥 Who Can Register: Anyone with a personal, historical, or anecdotal connection to the area or the featured businesses
📷 Outcome: Selected portraits and stories will be featured in a large-scale public installation launching October 6, 2025

Everyone can participate. While we aim to reflect a wide and vibrant range of community participants, space is limited. Submissions will be reviewed to ensure a thoughtful and balanced representation.

👉 Register Here for Your Portrait Session. Link.

Let’s turn shared history into shared space – one portrait at a time.

 – Yonge + St. Clair BIA

The Yonge + St. Clair BIA is Inviting Applications for a Board Chair, Treasurer and for Board Members At-Large

The Yonge + St. Clair Business Improvement Area (BIA) is inviting applications by interested BIA members to join the Board of Management. Applicants must be a business tenant and/or the owner of a commercial property within the Yonge + St. Clair BIA boundaries.

Currently seeking:

• • Board Chair
  • Treasurer
  • Board Members at Large

What is a BIA?

The Yonge + St. Clair BIA represents 450+ businesses and 90+ property owners in the Yonge + St. Clair community in Midtown Toronto, Ontario. Formed in 2018, the BIA strengthens the economic health and livability of the neighbourhood through strategic investments in the public realm, exciting cultural programming, brand awareness, and advocacy on behalf of members.

Board Members are critical parts of our organization’s success and oversee and manage the BIA’s annual levy and service delivery. You’ll play a key role in supporting our neighbourhood alongside a diverse group of local business owners, property owners, and tenants.

Under this model, the Board of Directors focuses on setting the BIA’s strategic direction, ensuring long-term sustainability, and advocating for community development. At the same time, the Executive Director, Hannah Thresher, handles the day-to-day operations and management of the BIA staff. This clear division of responsibilities allows the Board to remain focused on vision-setting and high-level decision-making while the Executive Director manages the execution of those strategies.

This approach provides numerous benefits for both the Board and the Executive Director:

• The Board can concentrate on broader, community-centered goals such as economic development, community engagement, and fostering partnerships.
• The Executive Director is empowered to manage the daily operations with clear decision-making authority, ensuring efficient execution of the BIA’s initiatives.

A description of Chair, Treasurer and Board Member At-Large responsibilities are provided below.

Commitments

+ Attend monthly Board Meetings, approximately 1 hour in length
+ Highly encouraged to join additional subcommittees
+ Approximately 2-4 hours of additional time commitment per month dependent on role
+ Be available for occasional communications with BIA staff

Qualifications + Eligibility

+ Ownership or Tenancy: Be an owner or tenant of commercial or industrial property within the BIA or an official representative of such a corporation.
+ Age: Be at least 18 years old.
+ No Conflicts of Interest: Board members must not be family members (spouse, child, or parent) of a current Council member or the City’s or its agencies’ employees.

Applicable Skills / Assets

+ Leadership
+ Strategic thinking
+ Communication
+ People management
+ Legal / Risk management
+ Knowledge of the Yonge + St. Clair Community

Responsibilities of Board Members

+ Act on the behalf of the Yonge + St. Clair BIA and our membership though strategic decision-making with your fellow Board Members at Board Meetings
+ Support BIA organizational operations and service delivery
+ Provide oversight and accountability on behalf of the BIA membership
+ Review monthly Board packages prepared by BIA Staff which include information relevant for decision-making
+ Support BIA staff with leadership and insight

Additional Responsibilities of the Treasurer

In addition to the regular duties of a Board Member At-Large, the Treasurer shall:

+ Oversight and consultation of budgets, accounts and financial statements
+ Join one additional (1) BIA committee, either i) Marketing + Events Committee or ii) Streetscape Committee, once per month
+ Ensure that appropriate financial systems and controls are in place
+ Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation
+ Ensure effective monitoring and reporting of the Yonge + St. Clair BIA
+ Review and present staff-prepared budgets at/for monthly board meetings
+ Support and review the BIA accountant’s submission of Executive Director T4 Slips, Canada Revenue Reports, HST Rebates and Salary
calculations
+ Oversight of annual financial audit with City Auditors

Additional Responsibilities of the Chair

In addition to the regular duties of a Board Member At-Large, the Chair shall:

+ Oversight and leadership of Board meeting processes and requirements, in collaboration with BIA and City of Toronto Staff
+ Join one additional (1) BIA committee, either i) Marketing + Events Committee or ii) Streetscape Committee, once per month
+ Ensure collaboration and support of the Yonge + St. Clair BIA staff team
+ Ensure that existing BIA systems and controls are upheld
+ Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation
+ Review and present monthly Chair reports at meetings (or as needed)
+ Act as co-signatory for BIA approval processes

We will be reviewing all interested applications by January 31, 2025

The Yonge  + St. Clair BIA invites you to join us at one of 3 upcoming community consultation drop-in sessions at 55 St. Clair Ave West for the development of our 2024-2029 Strategic Plan. Our goal is to engage members of the Yonge + St. Clair community in the development process to make sure that our goals and strategies continue to align with those of our community as we move forward through the next 5 years. Attendees will be invited to place stickers and post-it notes on question boards, review our previous strategic plan, interact with a 3-D map of current and future developments in Yonge + St. Clair, and consult directly with members of the BIA’s staff and Board on the future of Yonge + St. Clair. Light refreshments will be provided.

In order to anticipate the amount of visitors we will receive, we kindly request you RSVP using the link below the session you would like to attend.

• Wednesday, July 24 from 12PM – 2PM
  • https://www.universe.com/community-summer1
• Wednesday, July 24 from 6PM – 8PM
  • https://www.universe.com/community-summer2
• Saturday, July 27, from 1PM-3PM
  • https://www.universe.com/community-summer3 

What is the Yonge + St. Clair BIA? The Yonge + St. Clair Business Improvement Area (BIA) represents 450+ businesses and 90+ property owners in the Yonge + St. Clair community in midtown Toronto, Ontario and serves its audience of local residents, visitors and >20,000 daily workers and commuters. Formed in 2018, the BIA strengthens the economic health and livability of the neighbourhood through strategic investments in the public realm, exciting cultural programming, brand awareness and advocacy on behalf of members.

In 2019, we created a Strategic Plan to accomplish several key goals with the ultimate purpose of establishing a framework to make Yonge + St. Clair a community of growth and success.

These goals were to: 

+ Review the context within which the Yonge + St. Clair BIA was working at the time
+ Identify key insights provided to us by the constituents of Yonge + St. Clair
+ Define the core vision and values of the Yonge + St. Clair BIA
+ Establish broad strategic objectives for our BIA to strive towards

You can review the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan here. 

We are seeking to update the Strategic Plan to better suit both present and future constituents of Yonge + St. Clair. While our key goals remain the same, our updated Strategic Plan will identify and adapt to the shifting contexts, community needs and available resources in Yonge + St. Clair. These considerations will be reviewed as we develop a formalized economic development process to expand upon our work and make Yonge + St. Clair a community that works for everyone. 

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Music + Dine Series returns to Yonge + St. Clair on select Thursdays in August – September 2024 at 530PM – 730PM! The Yonge + St. Clair BIA welcomes you to enjoy a series of live musical performances free of charge. Walk-ins encouraged! Or RSVP in advance at local participating restaurants.

Enjoy great food and live musical duos featuring a roster of seasoned, locally-based performers. See the music lineup and make your dining reservation at the locations below!

Lineup and Locations – Upcoming Performances

Mary Be Kitchen – 21 St. Clair West
Thursday Sept 5 | 530PM – 730PM
🎵 Canadian Folk Music Duo | Monet and Christian

Bright, casual restaurant serving fresh, simply prepared sides & mains.

Walk-ins encouraged on Sept 5, a reservation system is not in effect at this location. However, use link below to register for an event reminder.

Past Performances

Cucina Buca  – 2 St. Clair West
Thursday August 8 | 530PM – 730PM |
🎵 Jazz, Swing and Blues | Eric Szabo and Sean Stanley

At Cucina Buca enjoy freshly sourced and high-quality ingredients through a seasonal menu of familiar Italian flavour.

Use link below to register and reserve a table:

Gatherings Resto Bar – 49 St. Clair W.
Thursday August 15 | 530PM – 730PM
🎵 Classic Rock + Cover Band | The Copy Cats

Gatherings Resto Bar is a local favorite, boasting an expansive interior space for dining and casual drinks, seating up to 300

To attend RSVP your dining reservation using Email: [email protected] or Phone: (647) 329-0695

Grandma Loves You  – 40 St. Clair West.
Thursday August 22 | 530PM – 730PM |
🎵 Cuban Jazz, Salsa | Pablo Terry and Sol de Cuba

Local legendary sandwich and hotdog shop Grandma Loves You has established its newest location here at Yonge + St. Clair!

Walk-ins encouraged on August 22, a reservation system is not in effect at this location. However, use the link below to register for an event reminder.

Zelden’s Deli – 1446 Yonge Street
Thursday August 29 | 530PM – 730PM
🎵 50s + 60s Rock n Roll Roots and Oldies Band | Bonnie Memphis

Zelden’s Deli & Desserts pairs classic deli favourites with more modern soups, salads, sandwiches and more!

Walk-ins encouraged on August 29, a reservation system is not in effect at this location. However, use link below to register for an event reminder.

Please note that this schedule may be subject to change. Restaurants retain authority over event and guest capacity, operating hours and guest conduct.

Follow Yonge + St. Clair on social media, or contact [email protected] and individual restaurants for ongoing updates.

Provide Your Feedback On A New Park at 15 Delisle Ave

We are thrilled to announce that a new park the size of 5 NBA basketball courts is coming to 15 Delisle Ave in 2026! Currently, the City of Toronto is working to engage our community to determine the specifics of what this park will look like. 

Are you looking for a place to wind down? Exercise? Meet up with friends? Take your kids to play? 

Should it have benches? A flower garden? Tiered seating? A communal table? Pollinator habitat boxes? An open lawn?

This is your chance to make sure this new park is one that works for you. Visit the City of Toronto website today to learn more about the project and view a timeline of the project from community consultations to the end of construction. 

Click the button below to sign up for updates on surveys, drop-in sessions and other community consultations where you will have the opportunity to help shape the design of this future park.