Abstract

This case study examines the socio-spatial impacts of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT on Little Jamaica, a historic cultural and commercial hub for Toronto’s Jamaican diaspora. Drawing on James C. Scott’s theory of authoritarian high-modernism, the study argues that state-led urban redevelopment, combined with speculative real estate investment, has accelerated gentrification, displacement, and cultural erasure in the neighbourhood. Using a qualitative case study methodology, the research is based on four semi-structured interviews with Black business owners, faith leaders, and community advocates directly affected by redevelopment pressures. Findings reveal that prolonged infrastructure construction, rising rents, exclusionary planning policies, and insufficient municipal support have contributed to the closure of local businesses, residential displacement, and the weakening of community networks. The study also examines how public-private partnerships and transit-oriented development policies often prioritize investor interests while marginalizing local voices in planning processes. At the same time, the research highlights forms of community resistance and resilience through Black churches and grassroots advocacy organizations supporting affected residents and businesses. This study contributes to scholarship on racialized redevelopment, anti-Black spatial restructuring, and the unequal consequences of infrastructure-led urban change.