Little Portugal, Toronto

Little Portugal, also called Portugal Village, is a special neighborhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It lies west of downtown Toronto and is bounded by Lansdowne Avenue to the west, College Street to the north, Ossington Avenue to the east, and the GO Transit and Union Pearson Express railway tracks to the south. This area is mostly homes, but it has many Portuguese shops and restaurants along Dundas Street West and College Street.

West of Dufferin Street, this neighborhood used to be part of the old Town of Brockton. A smaller part, called Beaconsfield Village, is bounded by Dufferin Street, Dundas Street, Ossington Avenue, and Queen Street. This area got its name from Beaconsfield Avenue, which was named after Benjamin Disraeli, a British Prime Minister. He was given the title Lord Beaconsfield by Queen Victoria.

Character

Little Portugal is mainly a place where people live, and many families from Portugal call it home. You can see Portuguese flags and shops along College and Dundas Streets, which is why it's called Little Portugal. The area has many nice homes built in the middle of the last century.

McCormick Park is a popular spot for kids and families, with a recreation centre and an arena. Long ago, a big bakery called Ideal Bread Company worked at 183 Dovercourt Road until 1957. Today, that old bakery is homes for people, called Argyle Lofts. Every summer, Little Portugal hosts Do West Fest, a big celebration with music, art, food, and fun along Dundas Street West. In 2024, over 750,000 people came to enjoy the festival over three days.

Demographics

Little Portugal in Toronto has many people from Portuguese and Brazilian backgrounds. After Portuguese, the next most common languages spoken are Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. More than half of the people living there say they are Portuguese.

In 2016, about 15,559 people lived in Little Portugal. The area is growing quickly. From 2011 to 2016, the number of people there went up by 29.1%. That is much faster than the rest of Toronto, where the population only grew by 4.5% in the same time. There are about 12,859 people living in every square kilometer of Little Portugal.

Transportation

The area has good public transportation. The TTC runs streetcars on Dundas and College streets, and buses on Lansdowne, Dufferin, and Ossington avenues.

Main streets

Dundas Street West runs through the middle of the neighborhood. From Ossington Avenue west, it is called Rua Açores. Many local shops line the street. College Street West, just north of Dundas, also has many shops, including Portuguese restaurants and bars.

In 2006, businesses on Dundas Street formed the 'Dundas West Business Improvement Area.' In 2007, the 'Little Portugal Business Improvement Area' was created for businesses along Dundas Street between Rusholme Road and Roxton Road.

Schools

Little Portugal in Toronto has several schools where children can learn. Some of these schools include Shirley Street Public School, City View Alternative Senior School, Alexander Muir/Gladstone Avenue Public School, The Grove Community School, St. Helen’s Catholic School, and Ossington/Old Orchard Junior Public School.

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