TORONTO: Mayor John Tory has launched ShowLoveTO to inspire local tourism, foster community engagement, support local businesses and encourage economic recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Tory was joined for this announcement by Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee; local Councillor Josh Matlow (Toronto-St. Paul’s); Andrew Weir, Executive Vice President, Destination Development at Destination Toronto; and KerriAnn Santaguida, Vice President and General Manager of Merchant Services at American Express Canada.
The program was made possible through Founding Sponsor American Express and in partnership with Destination Toronto and with funding from the Gov ShowLoveTO encourages Torontonians to rediscover and support local small businesses to help Toronto’s businesses thrive.
ShowLoveTO includes a series of programs that will be led by the City and community organizations throughout Toronto, with TPH guidance to provide a safer environment for participants.
The following ShowLoveTO initiatives will engage Toronto residents this fall:
• Shop Local is a campaign that will launch across digital platforms, out-of-home advertising and radio and television to inspire residents to rediscover homegrown treasures and support local Toronto small businesses. Residents will be encouraged to find great shops, restaurants, products, services, creators, innovators and entrepreneurs.
• DineTOgether is a restaurant promotion, until October 3, to support the hospitality industry’s recovery and renewal. It will showcase the breadth and diversity of Toronto’s restaurants and inspire residents to patronize local eateries.
• Dine With Your Neighbours will encourage Torontonians to dine with their neighbours on a driveway, porch, front lawn, balcony or their local restaurant patio to share a meal together during a one-night event, as part of the DineTOgether program.
• StrollTO will provide a way for residents to get outside and get to know their neighbourhood’s hidden gems. StrollTO’s 140 unique, self-guided itineraries were created in partnership with First Story and Heritage Toronto and will showcase Toronto’s hidden gems and stories. Additional StrollTO neighbourhood activations will include Poems for Your Path and NoVacancy art installations. StrollTO also will present Soundtracks of the City – playlists that combine 425 songs that feature more than 500 different local artists or acts, showcasing songs in 23 languages.
• BigArtTO is a city-wide, temporary public art campaign that will encourage residents to explore their neighbourhoods again. Each of the program’s 29 sites will digitally project a neighbourhood-specific, customized artwork created by Toronto artists onto a local building or landmark. The program will run for 11 weeks as part of ShowLoveTO and ArtworxTO.
• ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021–2022 celebrates Toronto’s exceptional major public art and the artists behind it. More info at www.artworxto.ca.
• LoveTO will feature 25 illuminated hearts distributed in wards across the city and one at City Hall. Developed in partnership with the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, the LoveTO hearts will be placed close to main streets to spread love to Toronto businesses Residents can snap, tag and share using #ShowLoveTO.
