Residents gathered at the Regent Park Community Centre for an important TC Talks event focused on mental health and addictions—two urgent issues in the community. Hosted by City Councillor Chris Moise, the forum brought together public health leaders, crisis response workers, and grassroots organizers to explore what meaningful support can look like.

Fred Alvarado – Local Journalism Initiative

The panel featured Katie Millan (Toronto Public Health), Mohamed Shuriye (City of Toronto Social Development), Susan Davis (Gerstein Crisis Centre), and Wanasah’s Frehiwot Shiferaw and Youth Ambassador Kishka Mohamed, a grassroots organization based in Regent Park. Each offered insight into how the City and community organizations are responding to mental health crises and supporting recovery, especially for youth and marginalized residents.

The most powerful moment came during the Q&A session, as residents shared emotional stories of loss, recovery, and barriers to care. Panelists responded with empathy, offering solutions and acknowledging that more work is needed to improve support and access to services.

This event mattered deeply to Regent Park. The neighbourhood continues to face social and economic pressures that make mental health support critical. Forums like TC Talks offer hope—bringing people together to learn, listen, and build better systems of care from the ground up.