Little Jamaica Declares 'State of Emergency' Over Eglinton Crosstown Construction Woes

Hundreds of businesses in Toronto’s Little Jamaica neighborhood have struggled with economic loss, and even closed, over the 16 years of construction for the nearby Eglinton-Crosstown Light-Rail Transit line, according to the local Business Improvement Area (BIA). Several storefronts near Eglinton Avenue W. and Oakwood Avenue stand vacant with "for rent" or "for lease" signs, said Jason McDonald, chair of the Little Jamaica BIA. “Our identity has really been changed in Little Jamaica and it's all due to the Metrolinx construction for the last 16 years,” he said, adding that over 300 small businesses have closed during that time. “Right now, Little Jamaica is in a state of emergency.” McDonald said the BIA and entrepreneurs in the community are looking for ways to revitalize the community and bring it back for future generations. But he also hopes the city and Metrolinx will take accountability for the years of impact the LRT project has had on the neighbourhood. “It's hurtful, it's painful to see what they’ve done to our community, but hopefully some accountability can get brought in and we can deal with this crisis,” said McDonald. The Eglinton Crosstown LRT was initially set to open in 2020, but a series of technical problems and associated cost overruns have plagued the project and repeatedly delayed its completion. Construction on the line began in 2011. Though final testing for the transit line was completed in December, an opening day has not yet been set. CBC Toronto reached out to the city and Metrolinx for comment. Community's vibrancy 'has slipped': local business owner One way to revitalize the community is by opening new businesses that will invite people back to Little Jamaica, said McDonald. That’s exactly what Andrew Cox said he’s doing by opening a new Souperlicious location in the neighbourhood. It's located conveniently next door to the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT's Oakwood station. “What we noticed is that over the last several years, businesses have closed. The vibrancy of the community has slipped,” said Cox, owner-operator of Souperlicious, a Caribbean cuisine franchise. “If I [open a store in the community,] there's an opportunity to have others see it and replicate the pattern and maybe even the success," he told CBC Toronto Saturday. Cox said it was crucial that the store be inclusive of the community in every way, from the staff to creating a space that will serve local artists and entrepreneurs. Hopefully the LRT will open soon and create new business for a community that’s been impacted for years, said Toronto resident Renique Mcfarlane. “When it does [open, the station] will be very convenient for a lot of the businesses. So it’ll connect a lot of people,” he said.