1. Downtown West Activist Tour (Beverley – University, College to Baldwin)

The walk highlights the significant buildings and locations of events and struggles over a century from a variety of eras from the 1870s to the 1970s and the activists involved from Donald Moore to Louis Cameron and from Norman Bethune to Grace Hartman

2. Downtown East Toronto Introductory History Tour (Church to Sherbourne, Carlton to Shuter)

The walk starts across the street from Maple Leaf Gardens (MLG), highlighting the progressive political meetings that took place at MLG and then heads down Church St. to review key moments in the struggles of the Gay community, such as  the Bath Raids and the HIV crisis. It then heads through the grounds of Ryerson University, reviewing Egerton Ryerson’s role and then heads south to the St. Michael’s Cathedral, highlighting the early history of Irish immigration to Toronto. Heading east, the original Toronto Labour Council building is noted and the history thereof, and then the walk winds it way by the Mutual St. Arena site and Seaton House and stopping in Allan’s Gardens.  There the free speech fight of the 1930s and 1960s is reviewed as well as the organizing efforts of the organizations fighting homelessness in the 1980s and 1990s.

3. 1872 Printers’ Strike and the Fight for the Nine Hour Day (St. Lawrence Market, King St. – Jarvis to Yonge Sts.)

The walk highlights the beginnings of industrialization and the labour movement in Toronto through the organizing of craft unions into a movement for the Nine Hour working day. Participants are taken through a part of Toronto where the buildings date from the period of history of the 1870s and reviews the significance of this history for the Toronto and the Canadian labour movement. The tour starts near the St. Lawrence Market and winds it way towards Yonge St. and to locations that are actual sites of this history.

4. Spadina: From Steelworkers’ Hall to Spadina and Dundas and Workers’ History

An introduction to union history and immigration to Toronto through a walk along Spadina Ave and its rich history. The walk focuses on the organization of unions and the working conditions that garment workers faced in early industrial Toronto.  The history on Spadina associated with the Jewish and Afro Canadian working class communities that immigrated to our city is also highlighted.

5. The History of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)

The walk takes participants by downtown Toronto sites associated with CUPW’s history. It starts at Scotia Bank Arena (SBA), the site of the largest of one of CUPW workplaces in Canada, and then winds its way by a common meeting location of CUPW and then concludes at the King Edward Hotel where the original convention of union delegates approved the formation of the union.

6. The Workers’ History of the Ward

This walk highlights the history of the diverse immigrant communities that lived in the area known as The Ward and then highlights labour, unemployed and community organizing that took part in the early 1990s in the community and environs. The history of the beginnings of a number of community institutions is also reviewed. The walk covers the area bounded by Gerrard, University, and Yonge Sts. and City Hall.

7. The Labour Opposes the War

The walk was developed as part of the centenary of World War I to present the united opposition of the union movement in Toronto and across Canada to conscription in the war with 2 actors playing the roles as key participants in the history. The walk begins at Church & Shuter Sts. and takes the participants along Shuter St. to discuss the mounting pressure from Toronto churches, the Canadian state, and high society to support conscription, while the labour movement stood opposed. The route stops at key locations that include rallying spots for both sides in the conscription debate and some of the fall out including the anti-Greek riots that took place along Yonge St. at war’s end. The walk looks at the massive increase of women working in munitions’ factories during the war and their conditions of work as well as the entry of labour unions into the political arena.