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The riding of York Centre is 449-kilometre, 4-hour drive from Ottawa, or a 1-hour flight. York Centre is home to the Downsview Airport, a former military base that is now used by Bombardier Inc.
The Don River runs through the riding on its eastern side, and Highway 401 forms the southern border of the riding.
Around 56% of the population identify as first-generation immigrants to Canada.
The largest shares of people have emigrated from the Philippines, Italy, the Russian Federation, and Vietnam.
The most common non-official languages spoken in this riding are Russian, Tagalog/Filipino, Italian, Spanish and Hebrew.
Downsview Park was once Canada’s only national urban park (before the creation of Rouge Park) and has over 290 acres of greenspace.
The Toronto School of Circus Arts, found at Downsview Park, is Canada’s biggest private circus school.
The park has facilities on site for everything from go-karting to rock climbing and “The Hangar” which contains indoor soccer fields, multi-court spaces and several event spaces.
G. Ross Lord Park in the north end of the riding was originally created to help prevent flooding from the West Don River. The large reservoir was built in 1973 and the surrounding area was designated as parkland, which continues to be enjoyed by hikers, picnickers, and dog owners. It was named for the former chair of the Metro Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
The average individual income in this riding is $35,769, and the median income is $24,918.
Some of the main industries in York Centre are manufacturing, health care, professional, scientific and technical services, and construction.
Almost half the population has a post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate.
In 2011, the unemployment rate in this riding was 8.7%.
Downsview Park is home to the Toronto Wildlife Centre, a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and education centre. The park also provides space for community events, as well as concert space, and educational programmes for schools on site. There are even tenants like Fresh City Farms, which grows organic food at the park, and Toronto Beekeepers Co-Op, who provide a connection to both the environment and the community.
Downsview has a long history of milestones in Canada’s aviation history. Beginning in the 1920s it was the site for de Havilland Canada, the subsidiary of the British aviation manufacturer. It would remain small until the late 1930s when the company began making aircraft for the Department of National Defence. Canada’s first spacecraft, the Alouette 1, was designed and built by de Havilland engineers and scientists at Downsview in the early 1960s. Its launch in 1962 made Canada the third country to reach space.
