The 519

The 519 Founded in 1976. The Centre offers internationally renowned Programs and Services as well as offering meeting space to our diverse downtown communities.
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A City of Toronto agency, registered charity, and community centre, The 519 is committed to the health, happiness and full participation of 2SLGBTQ+ communities in Toronto and beyond - through service, space, and leadership. Every year, The 519 houses over 75 volunteer-run programs (in areas of community services, education, recreation, and self-help), and welcomes over 150 user groups (in areas of community fundraising, off-site recreation, professional associations and unions, social activists, social service organizations and tenants’ organizations). Every year over 50,000 individuals visit the centre over 200,000 times. Privacy Notice:

The personal information you provide to The 519 through Facebook is collected in compliance with the City of Toronto Act 2006. Personal information will be used by The 519 for the purpose of receiving your RSVP for an event or replying to your inquiries about The 519. The 519 will not trade personal information with other organizations. Questions about this collection can be directed to the Office Manager of The 519 Community Centre, 519 Church St., Toronto, ON. M4Y 2C9 or by phone at 416-355-6772.

Starting today, eligible Torontonians will cast votes for mayor, city councillor, and school board trustee positions.Som...
10/06/2026

Starting today, eligible Torontonians will cast votes for mayor, city councillor, and school board trustee positions.

Some people think voting is complicated, but it’s actually very easy! You DO NOT need to be pre-registered to vote in any way (that’s in the USA).

You can just walk into your polling place with the right ID and vote with no previous steps, and staff will help you figure it out. Visit Toronto.ca/Elections to find your polling places and hours, and to learn about candidates and acceptable ID.

There are so many types of ID you can use to vote, and you just need one. You can even do things like show them your hydro bill in your email!

Election Day is Monday, October 26, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can also vote early between today, October 6 and Sunday, October 11 at your early voting locations between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Learn more about the different ways to vote at Toronto.ca/Elections
Learn more about the issues that matter to 2SLGBTQ+ communities at WhyWeVote.ca

[Image description: A dark blue graphic titled “Why We Vote.” Below the heading, a yellow panel features an icon of a hand casting a ballot and the text: “Voting is easy: You can just show up and vote!” Beneath it, a red X icon appears beside the text: “You do not need to be registered in advance or have received a voter information card in the mail.” At the bottom, a green checkmark icon appears beside the text: “Visit Toronto.ca/Elections to view acceptable ID. Enter your address to find your polling place, voting hours, and candidates, then go vote!”]

Financial education helps build resilient futures. We’re partnering with Prosper Canada to organize Resilient Futures, a...
10/05/2026

Financial education helps build resilient futures. We’re partnering with Prosper Canada to organize Resilient Futures, a series of free financial education workshops for 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

The newest offering under this umbrella is Money and Me, a virtual workshop series for 2SLGBTQ+ communities to learn how to build financial confidence.

Wednesdays, October 7 to 28 and November 4 to 25
3 to 5 pm
Virtual, via Zoom.
Register at The519.org/FEW

Over four weeks, participants will get to explore different areas of financial literacy:
Week 1 - Money mindset and financial confidence
Week 2 - Earning, spending, saving, and borrowing
Week 3 - My money, the government, and financial institutions
Week 4 - My money and my future self

Participants can attend any or all weeks. The same series will take place for four weeks in October and November only.

Register at The519.org/FEW. Link in bio.

Questions or access needs? Email [email protected]

[Image description: 1 - Three people engaged in a focused discussion over documents. Text reads: "Workshop by The 519's Financial Programs. Resilient Futures: Money and Me: Building Financial Confidence Workshop Series for 2SLGBTQ+ Communities. Wednesdays, October 7 to 28 and November 4 to 25, 3 to 5 pm, virtual, via Zoom". Logos of The 519 and Prosper Canada. 2 - List of learning topics that are covered each week, as mentioned in the caption of this post.]

10/05/2026

Leeland Mitchell has had quite a year. In January he won the first season of Project Runway Canada in 16 years (Season 2 was all the way back in 2009). He charmed the judges with his campy high fashion. He also surprised himself, stepping outside of his comfort zone and proving that he is more than just a drag designer. This summer it all came together at the Green Space Festival’s Starry Night.

“Starry Night is always the biggest Pride thing,” Leeland says. Starry Night kicks off The 519's Green Space Festival with a night of fabulous drag performances. “I always make sure to have some outfits in it.”

But this year, it was more than some!

Leeland celebrated his win with a fashion show drag show hybrid extravaganza that saw him outfit 15 performers. If that wasn’t enough, it was set to the new smash hit Runway, with his longtime collaborator Baby BelBel playing Lady Gaga, and Drag Race Canada All Star Makayla Couture as Doechii. The whole affair was choreographed by Hollywood Jade.

“Unlike Drag Race, where the queens get to tour after the show wraps, most other reality shows don’t get to continue to be celebrated,” says Baby BelBel. “I wanted to give Leeland the opportunity he so deserved after dressing me and so many other Starry Night performers over the years to have his moment in the spotlight.”

Leeland started out in the cosplay and burlesque communities before becoming the Toronto drag community’s go-to for performance outfits. Over the years, his business has grown to the point that he makes tour outfits for pop stars like Avril Lavigne, Charli XCX, and the Jonas Brothers. Now Project Runway Canada has taken him from backstage, to your living room.

“It was just so incredible to have something that was really mine. I’ve worked with the drag queens who have won Drag Race ... so it really felt so rewarding to be recognized for the things that I’m good at,” Leeland says.

Video footage from Project Runway Canada is property of Crave/Bell Media.

.Couture

[Video Description: A three minute and 13 second video showing clothing designer Leeland Mitchell in his studio, cut with footage of Leeland, and drag performers Baby BelBel and Makayla Couture performing at Green Space Festival, along with several fashion models. They are dancing and runway walking. During interview portions, Leeland is either sitting in his studio, or standing showing clothing garments, like a cocktail dress that looks like a gold Chinese dragon. Text appears on screen: "[Catching Up With Project Runway Canada Winner Leeland Mitchell]".]

A municipal election is taking place on Monday, October 26 in Toronto. If you're trans, non-binary, or gender-diverse, y...
10/03/2026

A municipal election is taking place on Monday, October 26 in Toronto. If you're trans, non-binary, or gender-diverse, you may have concerns about ID, names, photos, and gender markers.

To vote, you must be over 18, a Canadian citizen, and live in Toronto. That’s it! You don’t need to use a form of ID with a picture or gender marker at all, and poll workers won’t be looking at either to decide if you can vote.

Election rules state that you must vote under your legal name, which for some may be a deadname. If you haven’t changed your ID to reflect your true name, you may not be able to avoid encountering your deadname while voting, but you can avoid being called it out loud.

Some guidance suggests voting by proxy. This is a long process with many steps, where you’ll probably encounter your own deadname several times. It may actually be easier to go in to early voting when polling stations are not busy, and as you present your ID, say something like “Here is my ID to vote, but I don’t identify with this name anymore, so if you must say my name, please call me ______.”

They should honour your request, and if for some reason they don’t, you can make a complaint to the supervising Deputy Returning Officer, but elections staff are trained to respect gender diverse people.

If you’re eligible, please go vote on Monday, October 26, or during advance voting from October 6 to October 11. Learn more about this campaign and the issues at WhyWeVote.ca

[Image description: Blue background with the headings “Why We Vote” and “How To Vote.” And tips for trans, non-binary, and gender diverse voters. "1. My gender marker on my ID doesn’t match how I identify: The ID you use doesn’t need a gender marker at all, and polling place staff don’t need to know your gender. You just need to be over 18, a Canadian citizen, and live in Toronto, 2. My ID photos don’t look like me anymore: The ID you use doesn’t need a photo at all, and polling place staff won’t be using photos to identify you. You can use a piece of ID with no photo, like a bill or a cancelled cheque, or a form with a photo. It shouldn’t matter, 3. Name change? Your vote will be counted under the name on your ID. If you have updated your ID to reflect your true name, you can update your voter information in advance or make the change in-person with a staff member when you vote. If you haven’t updated your ID to your true name, you do have to vote under your deadname. 4. View and update your voter registration online between September 1 and October 11, or in person when you vote. Doing it in advance avoids an in-person conversation.”]

10/02/2026

This year The 519 is a destination for , featuring Simon Liao’s piece, Prismatic Futurity.

Prismatic Futurity is an art installation of plexiglass with applied dichroic film on a steel frame, that will sit on The 519's Church Street facade permanently.

Inspired by the pink triangle symbol used to mark q***r men during World War II that later became a symbol of the q***r rights movement, Prismatic Futurity is a stripe of 3D triangles that reflect rainbow colours.

“I knew I wanted to create a piece that everyone can see themselves in,” says Liao. “When I was looking at all of the public art, a lot of them were focused on specific historical events or people from the past.”

Liao says he wanted to, “Reflect people’s past, present and future, so basically to bridge people’s lived experiences from the past and to invite us to envision a more inclusive future for everyone.“

Join us on the street at 7 pm this Saturday for the reveal of Prismatic Futurity, then keep the celebration going at Maison Pink in the ballroom starting at 10 pm, featuring DJs and .wav. Tickets at https://trellis.org/maison-pink

[Video Description: A two minute and 53 second video showing artist and architech Simon Liao in The 519 ballroom sitting at a table, cut with footage of a construction crew installing his art piece Prismatic Futurity to the facade of The 519. Text appears on screen: "[Simon Liao (He/Him) on Prismatic Futurity for The 519, Nuit Blanche 2026]".]

The 519's Older Adults Program invites folks 50+ to a celebration of International Day of Older Persons 2026. Our focus ...
10/02/2026

The 519's Older Adults Program invites folks 50+ to a celebration of International Day of Older Persons 2026. Our focus this year is "The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives".

Wednesday, October 7, 2 to 4 p.m. at The 519. Free event, drop in.

Look forward to food, art, activities, and speeches from community members. There will also be an exhibit in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).

Questions or access needs? Email Nicole: [email protected] or call 437-348-0084.

Thanks to priderun for supporting this event.

[Image description: A matrix collage of diverse older adults. Text reads "The 519 Older Adults Program presents International Day of Older Persons 2026 The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives. Wednesday, October 7, 2 to 4 pm at The 519. Free, drop-in. Logos of The 519 and pride & remembrance run.]

On October 6, The 519 is headed to Parliament Hill, Ottawa to speak up for Two-Spirit, q***r, and trans people.We are jo...
10/01/2026

On October 6, The 519 is headed to Parliament Hill, Ottawa to speak up for Two-Spirit, q***r, and trans people.

We are joining 2SLGBTQ+ and allied organizations from across Canada for a Q***r Day of Action calling on the Government of Canada to renew and expand the Federal 2SLGBTQIA+ Action Plan.

We don't take this trip lightly. It takes us away from the everyday work of supporting our communities. But this is a critical moment - for Canada and 2SLGBTQ+ people.

Without renewed funding, the Federal 2SLGBTQIA+ Action Plan will expire on March 31, 2027. Without an action plan, federal 2SLGBTQIA+ equality efforts will slow down or stop altogether.

We're taking our message to Ottawa. But we need your help to make sure we are heard.

Add your voice to the campaign: Q***rMomentum.ca/Budget26

[Image description: Graphics containing the above words. Images of Parliament Hill, Canada and Pride flags, and elected officials.]

What kind of help would you need if you were displaced from your home due to a fire, flood, storm, or other emergency? P...
10/01/2026

What kind of help would you need if you were displaced from your home due to a fire, flood, storm, or other emergency?

Participate in a community consultation to inform how Toronto Emergency Management (TEM) can better support people affected by emergencies.

Attendees attending the full consultation will receive a meal, TTC tickets, and an honorarium of $75.

20 spots only. Registration is required. Visit The519.org/o6wk

Questions or access needs? Email Barb: [email protected]

[Image description: Toronto's skyline as viewed from Lake Ontario. Text reads: "Have Your
Say: Social Services After Emergencies. Thursday, October 8, 6 to 8 pm, at The 519. Registration Required. Attendees will receive a meal, TTC tickets, and an honorarium."]

09/30/2026

Content warning: Experiences of youth homelessness and life on the streets.

At just 15 years old, David Kirk left his home on the West Coast in 1978 and boarded a bus to Toronto in search of self and to discover his sexuality.

Without access to community or support services, David spent his first few days in the city living on the streets. Getting in touch with The 519, David was able to access housing for youth, and above all, a community to call his own.

David reflects on his early coming out days in Toronto and the small role The 519 played in his journey.

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour residential school Survivors, their families, their communities, and the children who never returned home. Stories like David’s are powerful reminders of the enduring impacts of colonial systems, which have contributed to displacement, loss of identity, and experiences of anti-2SLGBTQ+ prejudice and exclusion among many Indigenous peoples.

As settlers, may we continue to listen, learn, and reflect. May we amplify Indigenous voices, deepen our understanding of the truth, and support reconciliation through meaningful action.

Every child STILL matters.

[Video description: The video begins with The 519’s 50th anniversary logo, “Never Stop Serving,” followed by the word “Storytelling.” David Kirk, an older person with silver hair and a beard, wears an orange shirt and holds a large feather, gently stroking it. He introduces himself and recounts taking a bus from the West Coast to Toronto in 1978 when we was 15. He initially lived on the streets without community or support until he connected with The 519 and found housing. David reflects on the years that followed, his career teaching Indigenous students, and his retirement as a Dean, expressing gratitude. The video ends with Indigenous artwork of a turtle containing the words “Every Child Matters.”]

We are so grateful for the support and collaboration of Elder Waabshkaa Mkwa, Ojibwe Nation, Bear Clan member from Benay...
09/29/2026

We are so grateful for the support and collaboration of Elder Waabshkaa Mkwa, Ojibwe Nation, Bear Clan member from Benayshee Awasasin/Fort William First Nation, in making our Orange Shirt Day event a meaningful event for our communities.

Join us today from 3 to 7 pm at The 519 for reflections, panels, activities, food, and fellowship.

Orange Shirt Day is a difficult day for Indigenous communities. It also serves as a reminder to elevate Indigenous voices. We sat down with Elder Mkwa to gather his reflections on the ongoing impact of residential schools on Indigenous communities, how we can keep the conversation going beyond September 30, and our collective call to support and work together towards reconciliation.

[Image description in comments]

Address

519 Church Street
Toronto, ON
M4Y2C9

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 9pm
Tuesday 9am - 9pm
Wednesday 9am - 9pm
Thursday 9am - 9pm
Friday 9am - 9pm
Saturday 9am - 5:30pm
Sunday 9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+14163926874

Website

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