Celebrating Community-Led Markets Across Toronto

All week we’re celebrating the marvelous markets in our city and the fantastic folks who lead them in recognition of Public Markets Week 2025.

Through FoodShare’s Community Market Support program, we help support a network of over 50 community-led markets across the city. FoodShare contributes setup support, technical guidance, and produce procurement and delivery, while local leaders in each neighbourhood run the market that best meets the needs of their community.

Read on for some heart-warming stories from our market partners across Toronto.

Regenesis YUM! Market at York University

The YUM! Market at York University was created to improve access to affordable, local, and sustainable food on campus. It serves both students and the surrounding community, many of whom face barriers to accessing nutritious food. 

YUM! Market features fresh produce, prepared meals, handmade goods, and eco-friendly products. It also supports small vendors, including BIPOC-led businesses and student entrepreneurs. 

YUM! is a space for connection, community, and practical support… but of course, not without a little bit of fun! “We started asking the most random questions to customers as they walk by, and it would inspire the most unique conversations,” Saif, Director at Regenesis York, shared with us. “Moments like that genuinely made me love working for the Regenesis Market.”

Saif also shared that the market’s partnership with FoodShare made it possible to provide fresh produce at such an affordable price, while maintaining strong core values. “FoodShare’s commitment to equity, community-led food systems, and support for small producers aligns with our own values,” Saif said. “Through this partnership, we’re not just offering food — we’re building relationships and supporting a more just food system on campus.”

George Brown College Good Food Market

Founded by faculty member Ashley Booth, the George Brown College (GBC) market has been running for about 12 years. Ashley started the market to address the student food insecurity she was witnessing in the classroom, which is still a prominent issue among post-secondary students today.

The GBC market continues to play an important role in providing students with dignified access to a variety of fresh produce that they may otherwise be unable to afford — especially as prices in for-profit grocery stores continue to skyrocket.

“On a weekly basis, we get students thanking us and saying how much they appreciate the service. We even have multiple generations of customers from the same family who visit our market separately!” Market Coordinator Torsten shared with us.

The GBC market was essential during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when FoodShare teamed up with community markets to provide Emergency Good Food Boxes to thousands of students, delivered right to their doors.

When GBC market was able to return to campus after the COVID closure, Culinary students began visiting weekly for their groceries, creating a space for even greater community connection.

Harmony Hall Good Food Market

The folks at Harmony Hall Good Food Market are all about community engagement. Upon entering the market, you’ll be met with a board that asks you what you’re most excited about at the market, with stickers to share your answer.

The homemade cookies and smoothies, prepared by Harmony’s team at the South Riverdale Community Food Centre, are almost always the biggest hits. 

The U-shaped layout of the market ensures customers have different points of engagement with the market coordinators, volunteers, and other patrons, as well as being designed with physical accessibility in mind. “There’s not so many options for groceries in this neighborhood — I’d say the closest grocery store is a 20 or so minute walk away and a lot of folks use walkers and wheelchairs, so it’s nice to have something right here,” one of the market coordinators, Sarah, explained to our team on a recent visit. 

Situated right across from a local public school, Harmony Hall is a popular spot and has a lineup throughout market day, especially after the end-of-day bell rings. That’s why they offer a range of refreshing drinks and snacks before the produce section, so that folks can mingle and enjoy a bite while waiting in line to shop for their groceries.

Harmony Hall Good Food Market doesn’t just provide an essential service; they offer an experience for their neighbours — a third space where they can connect and engage with one another while shopping with dignity and joy.

A big focus of the market, and the food centre generally, is to engage the local community as well as to provide affordable fruits and vegetables. “A lot of the people that shop here are familiar faces,” Sarah says, whether because they attend other programming or just live nearby. 

Harmony’s on-site garden facilitator also provides gardening tips and advice as well as a seed library, encouraging folks to garden in their own spaces no matter the size (balconies, patios, etc!).

Sarah credits the partnership with FoodShare as a big part of the market’s success, explaining that it’s hard to do all the thinking behind-the-scenes and put on a great market every week. “The guidance, the trainings, and the toolkits are great. Sourcing the food for us is great. And really, just to have someone to send questions to is really helpful. It makes the whole thing feel…doable.”

St. Philip’s Lutheran Church Good Food Market

St. Philip’s market began in 2015 in response to a need for fresh, affordable produce in a neighbourhood significantly underserved and dealing with food insecurity, and has since become an important hub for this vibrant community.

“Whether it is kids gathered around our activity table, families picking up loot bags filled with fresh ingredients and fun recipes, community members enjoying a live food demo from a professional chef, or the opportunity to win a grocery gift card, the market has become a space that feels just as nourishing socially as it is nutritionally,” Team Leader Eunice shared with us.

Initially set up at a nearby park, the market has since transitioned to a space behind a high-rise in partnership with Toronto Community Housing. “The tenant committee has worked closely with us to provide storage space, volunteer help, and input for market preferences,” Eunice shared. Popular items at the market include mangoes, guava, scotch bonnets, and plantains, which bring a sense of comfort and familiarity to shoppers, reflecting the cultural richness of the area.

Community connection and care are key at St. Philip’s market. “Seth shows up weekly to shop early and then to help by handing out bags to customers. He makes sure his dialysis treatments are not scheduled on a market day,” Eunice told us. “He is and feels like part of the market team.”

Some folks show up as soon as the market team arrives to set up. Other shoppers come through twice so they can buy for their shift-working friends. Others yet wait until shortly before closing to see what might be available at reduced prices.

“As we return for our third summer, we feel the warmth and enthusiasm of building residents welcoming us back,” Eunice said. “The energy at the market is always lively and welcoming, and we’re proud to be part of something that continues to bring people together around good food.”

Eunice also shared that the market team is grateful to partner with FoodShare to run the market and is wholly aligned with FoodShare’s values and vision. “The quality and pricing of FoodShare produce is valued by all of us. Everything from the ordering system through to timely deliveries and training resources makes FoodShare a wonderful and essential partner.” The feeling is mutual, Eunice!

Regenesis Farmers Market – UTSG

The Regenesis Farmers Market at the University of Toronto – St. George Campus (UTSG) has been operating for a year now, as a student-led initiative to tackle food insecurity on campus.

With the rising cost of living, many students struggle to afford fresh, nutritious food — a need that the UTSG Farmers Market serves each Wednesday. “Our market offers affordable produce, sourced through our partnership with FoodShare, in a welcoming and inclusive environment,” Akanksha, Market Coordinator at UTSG, told us. “We serve a vibrant and diverse student community, and the market has quickly become a trusted space where students know they can access nutritious food.”

Popular items amongst the campus community include berries, mangoes, avocados, and fresh leafy greens. “A memorable moment for me was when a student picked up a container of berries, looked at the price, and said in shock, ‘Wait — is this it? Are you sure?’” Akanksha shared. “Moments like that remind us how important it is for us to offer fresh food at a price students can actually afford.”

Beyond providing produce procurement and delivery at an affordable price, FoodShare is proud to partner with like-minded folks such as those at UTSG. “Our values align closely with FoodShare’s commitment to food justice, equity, and community empowerment,” Akanksha shared. “Many students have told us that the market helps them to not only eat better, but also to feel more connected to their community.”

“Like FoodShare, we believe that everyone deserves access to fresh, nutritious food, regardless of income. Being part of their network reinforces that we’re not alone in this work —we’re part of a larger movement pushing for fairer, more sustainable food systems.”

Support your local market

These are just a few of the incredible, community-led markets across our city, working on the ground to support their neighbours. We’re immensely proud to partner with all the folks above as well as more than 40 other markets to increase access to fresh produce in areas where it may otherwise be difficult to obtain.

This summer, consider supporting your local community-led market when possible. Check out our market map here to find one close to you, and continue celebrating markets with us all year long!