Open Studio - Save 401

401 Richmond  was hit with an enormous property tax re-assessment aimed to take advantage of the booming condo market in downtown Toronto. UrbanSpace Property Group, which owns and operates 401 Richmond, was forced to share the burden with its tenants, including non-profit organizations like Open Studio. As Chair of the Board of Directors at Open Studio, in collaboration with my committee, City Councillor Joe Cressy and MPP Han Dong, we petitioned successfully for the establishment of a new tax subclass to protect cultural institutions and other non-profit organizations. 

 

We even managed to have some fun with the crisis while we were at it, leveraging the effort during that year’s Nuit Blanche Festival, as artist members screenprinted and sold “Save 401” t-shirts and posters (designed by me, of course) through the event.