Spaces’ newest home sweet home: Toronto

As Canada celebrates its 150^th birthday this year, many around the world appear to be taking note of this multicultural oasis. Sure, Canada’s Prime Minister has become known for stealing hearts and headlines all over the world, but it’s Canada’s reputation for diversity and innovation which has helped establish the country as an international business hub.

In many ways, Canada’s largest metropolis, Toronto, is at the centre of Canada’s booming industries. Home to well-known startups like, Wealthsimple, Freshbooks and Wattpad, Toronto certainly has no shortage of ingenuity. With the Canadian government recently pledging over $1.2 billion dollars towards innovation, the number of home-grown startups can only expect to grow.

Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Spaces’ newest home at Queen & John is the perfect example of the culture, community and creativity that can be found throughout the city. So, here’s a snapshot of what this thriving neighbourhood has to offer!

Dressed to Impress.

Inhabited by historical buildings and architecture, the trendy Art & Design District is packed with local vintage shops, live music venues and art galleries. It’s array of trendy local restaurants, boutiques and coffee shops have even earned the neighbourhood a ranking as one of the coolest district’s in the world. Trend-setters and fashion aficionados also flock to this popular area to serve-up some killer street style. Every March, Fashion Week also sets up camp down the street to showcase seasonal looks from some of Canada’s most prominent designers.

Art, Art, Art.

It’s difficult to imagine a better place to absorb a ton of amazing art and culture. Walk in any direction and you will inevitably stumble upon one of the city’s many cultural institutions. The Art Gallery of Ontario, a mere block away, houses the works of many prominent artists, including Canada’s famous Group of Seven. Recent exhibitions have also included the works of Van Gogh, Frieda Kahlo, Georgia O’Keefe and Claude Monet, to name a few.

Nestled on the East side of Grange Park is Ontario’s College of Art and Design (OCAD). This hotbed for creativity is one of the many institutions that helped mould this neighbourhood into a creative hub. The best part? You don’t even have to be a student to marvel at the College’s unique and stunning architecture.

Film lovers rejoice: The internationally renowned TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) lives just a hop, skip and a jump away. The festival, which takes over the city for 2 weeks each September, features a huge line-up of international and Canadian films. The rest of the year, TIFF allows visitors to discover, discuss and appreciate cinema through a generous program of screenings, lectures, workshops and exhibitions.

Seeing Green.

Once a complete concrete jungle, Queen & John is looking greener than ever thanks to a revitalisation project that transformed Grange Park into a beautiful communal space. Shaded by trees and embellished with iconic modern art, there’s hardly a better place to take a breather and enjoy Toronto’s warm summer weather.

Pedal Power.

Toronto is all about cycling! If you’re looking for an exciting way to get from Point A to Point B, the city is constantly increasing its number of bike lanes. Toronto’s cycling network, which includes a map of tracks, bike lanes and shared roadway routes, connects city neighbourhoods and major destinations. Don’t have a bike? The city’s many bike sharing programs won’t leave you with any shortage of options. Nope, not even our frosty winters can stop us from hitting the bike paths. In fact, Spaces very own John Street location used to be home to one of Toronto’s most well known cycling hubs.

So, get on that bike and get over to 180 John st. this November to check-out Toronto’s trendiest new co-working space and Spaces’ first Canadian location!