Civic Engagement Toronto

[In-person] Civic Café: A City That Cares

**Join us at Civic Café, a space for collectively making sense of and imagining the past, present, and future of the City of Toronto. This time we'll focus on care in the city.** When you find yourself in need of care, *where* do you go? Who do you go to? What infrastructure, physical, public, cultural, and social exists in Toronto that does the work of *care*? And where do you find yourself in this infrastructure when *someone else* needs care? Join Being and Becoming for our second *Civic Café*, a series where we engage in a collaborative exploration of civic issues in Toronto. In this event, we’ll explore how the city does, can, could, and should care for us. Show up, meet others, orient yourself in the space, and hang out from 6:30-7pm, event 7-9pm. Stay and hangout after! In this *Civic Café*, we will explore what care means to each of us and what infrastructures (e.g., resources, institutions, practices) exist or *could* exist in Toronto to enable these kinds of care. In the first half, we will ask: what *is* care? How do we experience it? How do we care for others? With these descriptions in mind, we will map the systems that already exist in the city that enable these forms of care. In the second half, we imagine what would need to change for Toronto to support a wider range of caring activities. We will ask questions such as: What forms of care doesn’t current infrastructure support or does so unfairly? Are there other cities that perform these forms of care better? In an ideal world, what would have to happen for Toronto to be considered a truly caring city? Join co-facilitators Sofia Panasiuk and Anna Stonehocker at Society Clubhouse where we will engage in a collaborative exploration about the past, present, and future of care infrastructure in Toronto. **Space is limited!** **Please obtain a free ticket from Civic Café at [this link (click here)](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/civic-cafe-a-city-that-cares-tickets-2004731845917) to attend this event. You need a ticket to be admitted.** Light refreshments will be provided and we encourage participants to support our venue through purchasing drinks. ***__________________________________________________________________________*** About the Civic Café Series At Civic Cafés, supported by the [Ontario Trillium Foundation](https://otf.ca/), we’re asking questions that spotlight the structure that shapes our work, leisure, and relationships, and is shaped by us in turn: *the city.* Participants may or may not see themselves as civic actors (no “official” background knowledge required!). Through guided discussion prompts and interactive activities, participants will think out loud with others, build bridges, develop a deeper understanding of the city, and feel empowered to make a difference in the city issues that matter most to them. This series will draw inspiration from our beloved [Curiosity Café series](https://beingnbecoming.org/curiosity-cafes/ "https://beingnbecoming.org/curiosity-cafes/"), where we spend two hours on Tuesday evenings engaging in collaborative, discussion-based exploration of various topics. Through doing this, we have been building a special, curiosity-oriented community and given our participants some philosophical tools to examine the things they are most curious about. We hope fans of our Curiosity Cafés will find value in our Civic Café series, but no familiarity with our Curiosity Cafés or other offerings will be required! \* \* \* \* \* This event is brought to you by [Being and Becoming](https://beingnbecoming.org/), a Toronto based non-profit. We aim to create community around exploring everyday concepts and experiences so that we may live more intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful lives. We use philosophy as a tool with which we can come to a richer understanding of the world around us. By offering activities, spaces, and other opportunities for conversation and co-exploration, we hope to enable the meeting and fusion of individuals and their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background: indeed, we believe the journey is best undertaken alongside explorers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Find out more about Being and Becoming [here](https://beingnbecoming.org/).

Avengers’ Saturday Cafe for the Homeless

Note: You may be removed from the attendance list if you've participated in the previous week's event. This allows for more people to experience this Meetup. Avengers put your costumes on and let’s go and save the world!
Well we can’t save the world (yet), but we aim to try to play a small part in the lives of those experiencing homelessness by making their day a bit better!
Description: Before the event the organizer will post a list in the comment section of the attendees and what they are responsible to bring (food/drink, kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies). We normally ask each attending member to bring approximately $15-20 worth of ingredients/supplies to our event. We will use the items to prepare and serve food/drink at The Meeting Place.
Timeline: We will meet on location at 11:00 am, with lunch served between 12:30-1:00 pm.
Membership Dues: Membership dues are $2.00 for the calendar year. Membership dues go towards paying for food/supplies incurred by no-shows. Membership dues are due at the first meetup of the year that you attend.
No Shows/Late Un-RSVP: We’re relying on members who RSVP to bring key ingredients for recipes! Please try your best to show-up or alternatively change your RSVP early so another member may fill the empty spot.
\*\*\* If you are on the waitlist, keep checking as you may be moved into attendance to replace someone. We will try to message you to confirm your attendance in advance.
Donations will be assigned before the event.

Community Meal Service at Good Shepherd (Toronto)

✨ **Community Meal Service at Good Shepherd** We're heading back to Good Shepherd to serve meals for people experiencing homelessness and those at risk. Last time we served meals, chopped veggies, made sandwiches, and helped prep pasta. **Only 6 spots!** **How to sign up** 1. **Create your Toronto Joy free account**. It's one-time only and takes about 2 minutes. We ask for an emergency contact and a safety agreement so everyone is looked after. [https://torontojoy.org/register/](https://torontojoy.org/register/) 2. **Go to the event page**, look for November 14 Good Shepherd, and click "Register." [https://torontojoy.org/event/community-meal-service-at-good-shepherd-toronto-4/](https://torontojoy.org/event/community-meal-service-at-good-shepherd-toronto-4/) Already have an account? Skip to step 2. ***Only people registered on our website can reserve a spot.* We share the event on various platforms, so sign-ups occur on the website.** If you sign up, please plan to attend. Good Shepherd counts on our numbers. **When you arrive** Check in at Reception. Staff will take you to the volunteer room, where you can leave your things in a locker and meet the group. **Good to know** ✦ Closed-toe shoes required ✦ Tie back long hair; keep jewelry minimal ✦ Water is available; just ask Reception ✦ Can't make it? Message me as soon as you can 🙏 Full guidelines on what to wear and safety: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1piAyloECv9YUDkPJuoJBdCmh3x8n1un1rGvJSFIkbs4/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1piAyloECv9YUDkPJuoJBdCmh3x8n1un1rGvJSFIkbs4/edit?usp=sharing) Grateful to serve alongside you. Amar and Team

📣11/15‼️FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS : TORONTO Japanese English Language Exchange

#### **This event page is for English speakers only.** **こちらのイベントページは英語話者の方向けです。** **日本人の方は、別のイベントページからお申し込みください！** *** We host a Japanese & English language exchange meeting every Sunday at 9:30 AM. Participants practice in pairs or small groups, with 50 minutes of Japanese practice and 50 minutes of English practice. The study materials used in our sessions are created by professional language teachers. ### **Before Signing Up, Please Read the Following** * **Please make sure to check the comments section of the event page, as all event details and materials will be shared there around Saturday.** * This meeting is intended for people who are genuinely interested in language learning. Participants joining for other purposes may be asked to leave. * We prioritize creating a safe and comfortable environment for all attendees. * Disruptive behavior, solicitation, or sales activities are not allowed. Anyone who does not follow the instructions of the organizer or staff may be removed from the group. * **Participation fee : Refunds and carryovers are not available.** ### **Participation Fee & Donation** Your participation fee will be used by Emiko Tanaka, a Yosakoi Ambassador, to promote Yosakoi Naruko Dance from Kochi, Japan, to the world. For more details, please visit our website: [Yosakoi Ambassador Project](https://yosakoiambassador.com/) We look forward to seeing you at the event!

Practical Philosophy Social!

Get to know your fellow hikers more intimately with a night of Practical Philosophy. In partnership with the Practical Philosophy Meetup I thought it would be a fun a social ! **How does it work?** We select a topic like monogomy vs pologomy and divide people in groups of 6-8 with a moderator (so conservations are respectful) ten questions are asked and everyone has a chance to give their take on the subject. Get to know your fellow hikers on a deeper level! You may be surprised! **Opposing views are of course**

Mandarin-English Exchange

Hello Everybody! 【College Park food court is closed again, so we change the location to the food court in Brookfield Place（181 Bay St., Toronto, ON）, near the Union Station.】 I am helping organize a mandarin-english language exchange downtown. If you want to improve your Mandarin/English, feel free to come by downtown and meet others to practise your language. There will be native Mandarin and English speakers to help you! Or you can share your language skills with others! Every Saturday 3:00pm-5:00pm Brookfield Place Food Court（181 Bay St., Toronto, ON） [ Please find a table with "meetup" label (like the Featured photo).] [ Usually in front of the Longo's supermarket] —————————————— 大家好： 【College Park的food court又给封了，所以我们把活动地点换到了 Brookfield Place的food court （181 Bay St., Toronto, ON），靠近Union Station。】 我正在组织一场中英文交流活动。如果你想提高你的普通话或者英语，那就快来参加吧！你可以在这里认识很多母语为普通话或者英语的新朋友！他们都非常乐于帮你提高你的中英文表达能力！也欢迎你同我们一起分享你的语言技巧! 谢谢! 每周六 3:00pm-5:00pm Brookfield Place Food Court（181 Bay St., Toronto, ON） 【请找到一张桌子，桌上有张纸，写着“Meetup”。】 【位置通常会在longo's超市前面】 ———————————————— 大家好： 【College Park的food court又給封了，所以我們把活動地點換到了Brookfield Place的food court （181 Bay St., Toronto, ON），靠近Union Station。】 我正在組織一場中英文交流活動。如果你想提高你的國語或者英語，那就快來參加吧！你可以在這裡認識很多母語為國語或者英語的新朋友！他們都非常樂於幫你提高你的中英文表達能力！也歡迎你同我們一起分享你的語言技巧！ 謝謝! 每週六 3:00pm-5:00pm Brookfield Place Food Court（181 Bay St., Toronto, ON） 【請找到一張桌子，桌上有張紙，寫著“Meetup”】 【位置通常會在longo's超市前面】

Saturday Leisure Nature Walk and Dinner in Port Credit (Walk, Talk & Flock)

Hello everyone, **\*\*Kindly Read Carefully\*\*** Please join me and my other groups for a great **Saturday in** **Port Credit.** If you have never been; it's a great place to enjoy the sun, the water, the trees, the flowers, grab a coffee, ice cream, go for a leisure walk by the lake and then enjoy a tasty meal. Port Credit is also known for it's live music and dancing too (Event is both indoor and outdoor) I'm going to show us all around Port Credit, play a couple new ice breaker games and then head to a fun restaurant in the main strip of town with a great dinner menu following the walk. \*The walking portion will be roughly 2 hours with some stops along the way; then we will head for dinner and more mingling. This will be a fun day and evening gang! We will meet at **Star Bucks (111 Lake Shore Rd. West) in Port Credit** where you are welcome to grab a beverage or pastry if you like. This will give us an opportunity to introduce ourselves as everyone arrives; then make our way on our small evening adventure through **Port Credit.** More details below: Sincerely, Steve Flemming (Organizer/Host) **Event Details:** **Saturday Leisure Nature Walk and Dinner in Port Credit (Walk, Talk & Flock)** -A great day as we explore some of the best area's of Port Credit near the water, board walk and entertainment strip (lots of live music too) -We can stop and rest at different spots, take some lovely scenic photos, group photos and share some laughs together -Play a couple ice breaker games near the beginning as well to help us get to know one another \*A great way to naturally make connections, get some fresh air and enjoy our long weekend together) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Event Fee:** 10 dollars (cash only) when you arrive (HST is included) or e transfer in advance to Steveflemming11@gmail.com \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Time and Location: Where to meet us?** We will meet at **Star Bucks (111 Lake Shore Rd. West) in Port Credit** where you are welcome to grab a beverage or pastry if you like. \*Arrive early if you like (however we will meet out front at 2::00 p.m. (we will wait for everyone to arrive until roughly 2:30) Go Train will take you there by Union Station too :) Plenty of parking in that area too- especially near Front Street and the Library :) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***Thanks for reading everyone, remember to RSVP and see you real soon!*** :) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-

**FAMILY FEUD** (Simply the Best Social Game in Town!)

Hello everyone, I'd like to invite you out for fabulous Sunday afternoon; with our beloved party game, **Family Feud (Simply the Best Social Game in Town!)** -It's going to be a blast; with this group social game designed to keep us laughing and interacting all afternoon \*Super easy to learn, play and have fun- no experience required! *\*Joined by my other social groups too so we can anticipate a fabulous turn out!* Event Details Below: Sincerely, Steve Flemming (Organizer/Host) meetup.com/soulcity/ **Details of Event:** **\*\*FAMILY FEUD\*\* (Simply the Best Social Game in Town!)** -Lots of laughs in store as we have a great afternoon making new friends and playing **Family Feud** hosted in a unique group vs group format -Groups will be divided into groups of 4-6 players, with multiple rounds played \*Chocolate handed out to the winning teams after each round we play \*\* Invite your friends or come on your own; either way we can anticipate a great time! ***It's all about having fun and laughing a lot :)*** \-\-\-\- **Event Fee:** 10 dollars (cash only please) (HST included) or in advance by e transfer to **steveflemming11@gmail.com** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Date:** Sunday, November 15th, 2026 **Arrival Time:** Please arrive between 2:30 p.m. -3:15 p.m. Location: The Pheasant: A Firkin Pub (1999 Avenue - Just south of 401) \*Great lunch/dinner menu with food/drink specials provided: (One beverage or appetizer minimum upon arrival to support venue) **Parking and Transportation:** \*Lots of street parking on avenue and free residential parking [https://www.firkinpubs.com/thepheasantandfirkin/](https://www.firkinpubs.com/thepheasantandfirkin/) (15-20 minute walk from Yonge & Lawrence subway station-or simply take bus or uber from the station)

Saturday Beltline Trail and Mount Pleasant Cemetary Walk (with Dinner and Music)

Hello everyone, **\*\*Kindly Read Carefully\*\*** Please join me and my other groups for a fantastic spring afternoon involving a leisure nature and beautiful neighbourhood walk \- Includes different trails\, parks\, cafes\, ice breakers\, washroom breaks and beautiful sties to see -Our great event will continue as we hit a fabulous location for dinner, beverages and conversation (optional) -Stick around after dinner for live disco band and Dancing (optional) **Time and Location: Where to meet us?** We will meet at out front of **Smoke Show** **744 Mt. Pleasant Rd)** \*Arrive early if you like (however we will meet out front at **2:00 p.m. (we will wait for everyone to arrive until roughly 2:30 p.m.)** This will give us an opportunity to introduce ourselves as everyone arrives; then make our way on our small adventure through quieter and more natural parts of the city we don't usually get to see. More details below: Sincerely, Steve Flemming (Organizer/Host) **Event Details:** **Saturday Nature Beltline Trail and Mound Pleasant Cemetery Walk (with Dinner Party, Live Band, Dancing)** -A great event planned as we explore Parks, Trails, Cafes and beautiful Neighbourhoods with cool sites to see -During the walk we will stop and rest at different spots, bathroom breaks, take some lovely scenic photos, group photos and share some laughs together -Play a couple ice breaker games near the beginning of the walk as well to help us get to know one another \*This event is a great way to naturally make connections, get some fresh air, exercise and (re) connect with some wonderful people **Bonus after our Leisure Nature and Neighbourhood Walk:** \*Stick around after the walk for a fun Saturday evening gathering at an iconic venue with Reserved Seating, Great Menu, Beverages, Mingling, Live Band and Dancing! **Event Fee:** 10 dollars (cash only) when you arrive (HST is included) or e transfer in advance to Steveflemming11@gmail.com \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Time and Location: Where to meet us?** **Date:** Saturday, November 21st 2026 We will meet at out front of **Smoke Show** **744 Mt. Pleasant Rd)** \*Arrive early if you like (however we will meet out front at **2:00 p.m. (we will wait for everyone to arrive until roughly 2:30 p.m.)** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***Thanks for reading everyone, remember to RSVP and see you real soon!*** :) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-

Green Drinks Toronto

Hosted by [Green Drinks Toronto](http://www.greendrinks.org/ON/Toronto): *We will have a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, students, government and business. Come along and you'll be made welcome. Just say, "are you green?" and we will look after you and introduce you to whoever is there. It's a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always... a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organising network.* *These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity.* *GLOBAL: Now active in over 350 cities worldwide!*

SD walk & talk

We’re heading back into the ravine! Our Service Safari continues, and this time we’re mixing a little walking with a little collaborative thinking. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring Toronto’s **Vale of Avoca Ravine** through a service design lens. We’ve walked the trails, gathered observations, shared perspectives, and started connecting the dots. Now we’re heading back outdoors to see what else we can discover together! ### **What’s the plan?** We’ll start with a short walk through the ravine, revisiting some of the places, observations, and questions that have come up along the way. Then we’ll gather around the picnic tables at David A. Balfour Park for a **mapping jam** — using flip charts, sticky notes and markers to bring our observations together, explore different perspectives and see what insights and opportunities emerge. Think of it as part nature walk, part collaborative workshop, and plenty of good conversation! ### **Who can join?** **Everyone is welcome!** You don’t need to have attended the previous Service Safari events or be an experienced service designer. Whether you’re curious about service design, urban nature, public spaces or simply enjoy exploring the city with interesting people, come along! ### **Bring:** Comfortable walking shoes, warm layers, a hot drink if you’d like, and your curiosity! We’ll bring the mapping materials. **A note on weather:** This is an outdoor event, so we’ll keep an eye on the forecast and share any changes if needed. See you on the trails!

Sunday Stroll - West Don Trail