The Junction BIA in Toronto will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in January, and it has a lot to celebrate. Many new developments are underway in the area, and the BIA has added 40 new businesses in the past two years. In addition, it will be the first neighbourhood in Toronto to install solar-powered phone charging stations in the spring.
The Junction BIA neighbourhood is located along Dundas Street West at Keele Street, east to Indian Grove and west to Quebec Avenue – and is known as one of the coolest and art-centric neighbourhoods in Toronto.
“The Junction BIA is a community-driven, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the economic and cultural vitality of the Junction. We provide a beautiful and safe space where the local business community can flourish as part of a robust neighbourhood. Building on the area’s history as the original commercial strip for the West Toronto railway connection, the Junction is Toronto’s favourite meeting place,” says Carol Jolly, the BIA’s Executive Director.
Over the past two years, The Junction has added 40 new businesses, which include 15 retail shops, 14 services, and 11 restaurants. In total, the BIA represents over 175 businesses. One company Jolly is excited about bringing to the Junction is Ren’s Pets, a Canadian specialty pet retailer, which will be opening in January 2023. Retail Insider first reported this news in May 2022.
“Ren’s Pets will be our most significant national brand, and we are delighted they’re making the Junction their new home! Research indicated that we have more pet owners than any other community in Toronto. So getting Ren’s Pets is a win for the area. Even before opening, they have already shown their outstanding community support, and it’s always a good sign when a national brand chooses you for its next location.”
The Junction has other national brands such as banks, A&W, Dominos, Dollarama, and they have provincial retailers, like the LCBO and Wine Rack. One business Jolly mentioned that just recently opened in The Junction was Swat Health, an education-first health and wellness company with multiple locations in the GTA. Overall, The Junction aims to have a bit of everything – making the area accessible and easy for everyone to find what they need close to home.
“The Junction has evolved to provide a mixture of goods and services to patrons who frequent the area. We are fortunate to have bars, restaurants, and music venues providing robust nightlife, particularly in the summer during CaféTO when we spill out onto the street with almost 40 additional patios! We have retailers offering everything from eyewear to clothing to furniture and art supplies. At the same time, we have numerous services and amenities such as pharmacies, health clinics, grocery & pet stores, and salons benefiting the residents. The Junction has evolved to cater to a diverse population, residents, and day trippers – and we only see this continuing.”
Increasing Traffic To The Area With New Developments
During the pandemic, The Junction lost more than 50 percent of traffic and is slowly returning to normal.
The Junction BIA has several developments underway, with commercial spaces on the lower level for retail stores, and restaurants – all due to open in the next five years. Jolly said she is hopeful it will draw more of the national brands to The Junction and help to increase foot traffic.
Window Wonderland
Image: Junction BIA Social Media 
Image: Junction BIA Social Media 
Image: Junction BIA Social Media
When traffic was low during the pandemic, the BIA created Window Wonderland – an event that takes place for five weeks once a year. This event is happening now and will be going until January 1st.
“This is the first of its kind in Toronto, Window Wonderland is presented in collaboration with Artivive, an internationally renowned AR app that changes how art is created and consumed. Providing access to over 200,000 international artists, Artivive allows artists to create new dimensions with a digital layer, opening a new world of possibilities. Visitors at Window Wonderland can simply point their smartphones at the artwork on the windows and wall murals, and can watch the artist’s creation come to life.”
Since the winter season of 2020, The BIA has placed art on twenty different businesses annually, bringing people right to the retail store windows. The Junction is becoming a new destination for AR in the city and will continue to grow. By adding more art to The Junction, Jolly said it will also lessen graffiti in the area while attracting new visitors and new businesses.
Image: Junction BIA Social Media 
Image: Junction BIA Social Media 
Image: Junction BIA Social Media
Pop-Up Music Series
In 2023, The Junction BIA will also be adding a new pop-up music series project, which was awarded by City of Toronto’s Main Street Innovation Grant – this is the second such grant awarded to the BIA. The pop-up music series will occur from June to September and has partnered with Nova’s Junction Revue to provide 18 free performances and one outdoor concert.
“The project will embrace the popular concept of pop-up shops by featuring the many retail and service businesses in the Junction. It will attract residents, tourists, and live music enthusiasts to the Junction by safely integrating live music experiences into various retail locations. People can view and possibly purchase products – and it is the first step in showing business owners the value in creating their own shopping experience.”
Solar Power Phone Charging Stations
Along with the BIA’s streetscaping plan of renewing all the benches in the neighbourhood, Jolly said the BIA will also be adding solar power phone charging stations and will be the first in Toronto to have them. The solar charging stations will allow people to charge their phones on the street and will be a permanent part of the neighbourhood. The six new charging stations are ready to roll out in the Spring and have been pre-approved by the city.
“It is our 50th Anniversary, and we wanted to start the year by greeting visitors in a big way. So, in addition to our 24 new award-winning Butterfly Gardens, we will replace every bench in the neighbourhood. In partnership with the city, this is a major capital investment in our streetscape, and these beautiful new benches will create a striking addition to the neighbourhood. We will also be the first to use solar-powered charging stations in Toronto, which is very exciting. In a sense, we’re thought leaders here at the BIA. For example, we integrated AR with our holiday window art, then added it as a year-round element in our murals. The Junction has many unique offerings, and we’re sure you will discover something different every time you visit.”
