Let’s Rename Dundas Street

In this interview we talk to Dimitrije Martinovic interviews Andrew Lochheed about his initiative to rename Dundas Street.

Dundas Street cuts across an immense swath of neighbourhoods including the community of Regent Park, as it circumnavigates the eastern and western boundaries of Toronto.  So when Andrew Lochhead, an ally of the Black Lives Matters Movement and a Toronto artist, envisioned the idea of petitioning the City of Toronto to rename Dundas Street, he could not have known that his idea would resonate with so many people, in fact his idea garnered the support of Councillor 15,000 signatures in just a short period of time.  

The issue with Dundas Street is that it commemorates Henry Dundas, the 1st Viscount of Melville, and a significant political figure in Great Britain during the late 1700s and early 1800s. Among the positions he held during his career are Lord Advocate, President of the Board of Control of the East India Company, Minister of War, Secretary of State for War, and First Lord of the Admiralty.  Henry Dundas opposed the abolishment of African slavery and, as an influential politician, his position is credited for delaying the abolishment of slavery for 15 years during which time it is estimated that approximately 600,000 more Africans passed into slavery.  It is also important to note that Henry Dundas never set foot in Canada.

On October 1, 2020, The City of Toronto Council responded to the petition by directing staff to  move ahead with a policy review and public consultations related to three options:

1. Retain the legal street names and add ceremonial street names and/or interpretation (e.g. plaques along each street or
2. Retain the legal street names but rename three parkettes and one public library branch with Dundas in their names, and rename Yonge-Dundas Square or
3.  Change the legal name of Dundas Street East, Dundas Street West, Dundas Square, and Old Dundas Street, as well as all civic assets carrying the Dundas name.

Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) houses 2000 households in 18 buildings along Dundas Street.