Industrial site.

Details of Site Location: The southeast corner of Soho and Phoebe Streets.

Boundary History: The site was small and was bounded by Phoebe on the north, Soho on the west, Queen West on the south, and Beverley Street on the east. The building occupied only a small part of this block at first.

Current Use of Property: Scheduled for redevelopment with condominiums.

Historical Description: George Weston (1864-1924) came from Oswego, New York, with his parents and was apprenticed to a local baker. In 1882, he purchased the business and operated it as the Model Bakery Company Limited. By 1898, it was the largest in Toronto, producing 3200 loaves with forty employees. Weston sold this bakery in 1911 to Canada Bread, and part of the sale was an agreement that he would not produce bread for ten years. In 1910, Weston opened a modern biscuit factory at 134 Peter Street and made biscuits, cakes, and other confections. After World War I, his son Garfield joined the firm, becoming vice-president in 1921, and general manager the next year. When George died in 1924, Garfield assumed full control and the family holdings were consolidated as The George Weston Company Limited, and began an extensive program of expan­sion. The company retained ownership of the Soho—Phoebe property and acquired others, now being redeveloped by Wittington Properties, the real estate arm of the company.

Relative Importance: This small property was the beginning of a huge empire, which extends all over the world today.

Planning Implications: The redevelopment of the block involves the demolition of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and other buildings in the block. The loss of the A.M.E. Church is serious and the developer has an agreement for its commemoration with the Ontario Black History Society. This church, and the buildings to the east of it, were once part of the property of the Elliott and Company Chemical Works, and the land, therefore, will require extensive soil work. Some buildings along the Queen Street face of the block were built by E. Hender­son and are historic buildings. Wittington’s should make appropriate recognition of the beginnings of its parent company, and of all that its condominium development replaces.

Reference Sources: Goad’s Atlas 1884, 1890; Maps Project files.

Acknowledgements: Maps Project.