Harbourfront Centre

Developed in the 1950s, the St. Lawrence Seaway connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean and cities like Toronto to global markets. Sitting prominently on Lake Ontario, Harbourfront Centre was once a trucking warehouse that processed goods arriving by rail or ship. In 1972, the federal government expropriated 100 acres of Toronto’s waterfront for revitalization. The port was transformed into a public space, born from a mandate to bring culture, education, recreation, and ultimately visitors to the lake.

The population around the harbour has since boomed, with the majority made up of first-generation immigrants. Today, with more than half of Toronto’s population born outside of Canada, the city is widely recognized for its cultural pluralism. But immigrant histories run deep in this city. Alongside French and British settler-colonialists, Toronto was also settled by freedom seekers from the southern United States; slaves from Africa and the Caribbean; and labourers from China, India, and Eastern Europe. These communities and their diverse stories are important cornerstones of the city’s histories, and current and future identities.

Occupying a central place in what is best described as formerly derelict industrial buildings, Harbourfront Centre partners with more than 450 organizations each year. Commencing in 1974, early programming included literary readings, contemporary dance, exhibition spaces, and active public craft studios. In 1991, Harbourfront Centre was established as a platform for artists, and the ten-acre site was transformed into one of the few places in Toronto where multiple forms of production, performance, and international programming coexist.

This Biennial site description was generated by the curatorial team, in consultation with our creative partners, to offer lesser-known facts and histories, and explore sites in relation to the changing shoreline.

This Biennial site was made possible through a partnership with Harbourfront Centre.