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Letter from the editor
Toronto’s West end is blooming
For some of us Etobicoke is home, for others it’s where they
work, dine, play, go for jogs, bike rides and strolls along the
water front; or just sit with a loved one and watch the sunset
over Lake Ontario. For some it’s a gateway to the hustle and
bustle of downtown Toronto and for many a goldmine, a
place where they forge their legacy and make their mark in
the city’s landscape.
Watching a neighbourhood’s transformation is incredibly
exciting. If you know Etobicoke then you are seeing it turn
slowly but surely into a powerhouse, a potential driving
force in the GTA economy. Toronto’s west end skyline and
streetscapes are being reshaped with towering lakefront
condo developments, rows of beautiful townhouses where
older bungalows used to sit and new boutique businesses
popping up everywhere.
Q magazine aims to be your portal to this development
and an introduction to the movers and shakers that are not
only part of the change but also leading the way. For those
wondering, Q stands for the Queensway, the major street that
is the western extension of Queen Street West. Q Magazine is
coming to you as the reflection and expression of Etobicoke’s
greater area revitalization. Each issue will introduce you to
the businesses, people, places and events that are helping
make this already great neighbourhood even more dynamic,
livable and lovable.
Since real estate is the most visual transformation of a
neighbourhood, we have decided to focus on the local
real estate scene for this premier issue. Take a moment
and discover some of the West End’s most passionate and
committed real estate agents and brokers as they share their
market insights and the secrets to their inspiring success.
A car for some is an extension of themselves, a first
introduction of who they are. Etobicoke is home to The
Humberview Group, the leading automotive family business
that is matching the wheels with the personality. In this issue
we introduce you to some of the driven people who are part
of this constantly adapting and innovative organisation.
In each edition we will feature an event that has a significant
impact on the local economy. Stealing the headlines this
season was one of the biggest retail renovations jobs in
North America, which took place right here in Etobicoke: the
multimillion dollar renovation of CF Sherway Gardens and
its much anticipated opening of Saks Fifth Avenue.
If you’re reading this, you have a vested interest in the
West end, so please reach out and share your comments,
suggestions and feedback.
Maya S. Merchant
Publisher
maya@stand-deal.com
On the cover:
The Humber Bay Bridge
Every edition our cover will be a tribute to a popular landmark
from the West End. For our launch issue, it had to be the iconic
Humber Bay Bridge. The 100-metre span traverses the Humber
River with its elegant white arches. It was built in 1994 but the
landmark retains a modern, clean look. It is also a powerful
symbol of connection in several senses: between the former Old
Toronto and Etobicoke municipalities, it runs along an ancient
aboriginal trading route, and its design considers a balanced
relationship with the environment by avoiding having any
disrupting elements in the river. A landmark such as this and the
excellent Waterfront Trail also represent an important meeting
point for people of the communities that make up Toronto West.
QMAGAZINE
Toronto West
i l l u s t r a t i o n : Ian Woo
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