Can the Standard Theatre be Restored to Use as a Music Venue? - by Councillor Dianne Saxe, seconded by Mayor Olivia Chow

The Public Gallery wrote no story on this item. What follows is the city’s own record of what happened to it, as filed: nothing on this page is summarised or scored by us.

The decision

2026-06-24 · Toronto City Council · adopted

As filed

City Council on June 24 and 25, 2026, adopted the following: 1. City Council request the General Manager, Economic and Community Development to report back to City Council, no later than July 29 to 31, 2026, with recommendations on the suitability of the Standard Theatre for adaptation as a live music venue.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

Toronto is desperately short of live music venues and is facing threats to some of those that remain. One potential solution may be to revitalize the vacant theatre at 285 Spadina Avenue, the corner of Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street . This theatre has been vacant since 1975, but it was erected in 1921 as the Standard Theatre for live Yiddish theatre. It was designed by Benjamin Brown, one of Toronto's first Jewish architects, and financed by selling shares to members of the Jewish community of Kensington Market .

Show the rest of As the city filed it, 234 more characters as filed

As a theatre designed for live performances, it could still have good acoustics. Reason for urgency: There may be a short-term opportunity to relocate an existing cultural venue into this space if it can be done at a reasonable price.

Staff recommended

Councillor Dianne Saxe, seconded by Mayor Olivia Chow, recommends that: 1. City Council request the General Manager, Economic and Community Development, to report back to City Council, no later than July 29 to 31, 2026, with recommendations on on the suitability of the Standard Theatre for adaptation as a live music venue.

On the record

The item as the City filed it