Hundreds Are Petitioning That Dundas Street Be Named After Previous Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

Can you imagine cruising down Rob Ford Street or hanging out in 'Rob Ford Square' in downtown Toronto?

A petition is circling online calling for Dundas Street to be renamed after former Mayor Rob Ford, and so far, over 300 people have signed it.

"Let's get Dundas Street renamed to honour the greatest Mayor in our city's history! Mayor Rob Ford!" reads the online petition.

"John Tory has a lot of tax payer cash to spend! Don't let him flush the money down the toilet. Let's honour Rob Ford who did so much good for this city!"

It continues on prompting potential signers to "imagine being a tourist and visiting Rob Ford Square Imagine taking the train to Rob Ford Station Imagine meeting friends on Rob Ford Street," reads the petition.

Toronto City Council decided on July 14, that Dundas Street and other civic assets would be renamed "in an effort to promote inclusion and reconciliation with marginalized communities," according to a press release.

Why and when is Dundas Street being renamed?

Henry Dundas, whom the street is currently named after, played a role in delaying the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and in a news release Mayor John Tory said, "Mr. Dundas had virtually no connection to Toronto and most importantly our strong commitment to equity, inclusion and reconciliation make this a unique and symbolically important change."

In 2022 the renaming process will begin with staff bringing forward name suggestions to an executive committee in Q2. The process will be led and overseen by a Community Advisory Committee made up of Black and Indigenous leaders who live and work on Dundas Street.

"This recommendation is the right decision in our continuous path to building a Toronto that is inclusive, equitable and reflects the values of its diverse members. We acknowledge that this is just the first of many steps to come, but this a genuine step in the right direction of who we are and what we can be. The names of our public streets, parks, and monuments are a reflection of our values as Torontonians. I look forward to the work to come and continuing to build a Toronto for all," said Mayor John Tory.