Verity Club opened its doors in a beautifully restored heritage building on Queen Street East. More than 20 years later, it has grown into a thriving community for professional women. What’s especially remarkable is that Aitken and her team built the membership entirely through word-of-mouth and referrals. To this day, the club does not advertise, yet continues to welcome women in a warm, non-exclusive environment. Today, Verity is home to approximately 700 members representing a wide range of professions and backgrounds.

Verity Club offers spaces for women to work, connect, and recharge. Mastermind groups provide opportunities for thoughtful conversations on everything from business strategy to personal growth. Over the years, the club has welcomed guest speakers who share insights on timely and relevant topics. Most recently, economist and climate expert Diana Fox Carney (and yes, the spouse of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney) spoke with members.

And Verity is so much more than a private club. The impressive 65,000-square-foot building, once a chocolate factory in the 1850s, is also home to a private members-only restaurant, lounge, and speakeasy. There’s a state-of-the-art fitness studio, a tranquil pool area, and the ever-popular Sweetgrass Spa, which is open to the public. The building also features four beautifully appointed hotel rooms available for members and visitors alike, welcoming guests from as far away as Japan and across Europe. To call Verity a hidden gem almost feels like an understatement.

But it’s not just the beautiful space that makes Verity special—it’s the people and the way they treat people. During a recent tour and lunch at Verity, Aitken reminisced about how her own experience as a high-powered executive in the Financial Industry influenced and inspired what she wanted in Verity Club. She mentioned her experience with how clubs would automatically defer to men at business dinners or meetings.  Making decisions, even on wine or presentation of the final bill, were more often automatically deferred to the men, even though she was the one in charge. She eliminated that awkwardness that made any woman feel lesser than. Whoever was in charge of the meeting is the one in charge of all decisions unless otherwise stated.

It was also heartwarming to hear how many staff members have been with her for years. Each has their own story, including the concierge who warmly greets members at the front desk. Aitken spoke about how important the support of both her family and her staff has been to Verity’s success and longevity. That sense of care is evident throughout the club, with a team that genuinely wants members to feel comfortable and at home. It’s a reminder that exceptional service comes from every level of an organization. From the moment you step foot inside Verity, it feels less like a private club and more like a welcoming home combined with the attentiveness of a five-star hotel.

The club’s facilities are thoughtfully designed to support both business and relaxation while fostering a strong sense of community. Quiet workspaces with private offices allow members to conduct confidential conversations when needed. Boardrooms and meeting rooms can be reserved for team gatherings, while gallery spaces showcase the work of local artists. The event spaces regularly host everything from business functions to private celebrations. I mentioned to Aitken that I had attended several trunk shows here featuring my friend and talented Canadian fashion designer, Diane Kroe.

Sharing the building with GEORGE Restaurant makes the visit to the Verity Club even more special. The four-time Michelin-Recommended restaurant, led by Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto, has been a favourite on Toronto’s dining scene since 2003. It’s one of those restaurants that always surprises even the most seasoned food lovers. Committed to fresh, local ingredients, Loseto’s signature “double-sided” tasting menu means your meal won’t be the same as the person seated next to you. Think of it as two unique tasting experiences unfolding simultaneously.

With its exposed brick walls and soaring ceilings, GEORGE offers a contemporary yet welcoming atmosphere. In the summer, the twinkle-lit courtyard patio is pure magic and one of the city’s most charming outdoor dining spaces. Tucked just steps from Toronto’s historic Old Town and Financial District, it’s a beautiful oasis that’s well worth discovering.

Is Verity really just for women? Membership, yes. But Aitkens laughed as she pointed out a few men in Verity’s space. They would have to be invited by members in order to use the meeting spaces, casually or for business, as well as Verity’s own restaurant and patio space. Who wouldn’t love to feel comfortable and be treated well?

The post Why VERITY Toronto Is One of the City’s Most Inspiring Women’s Clubs appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.

Support Black Charities is a Canadian nonprofit that helps people find and support Black-led and Black-serving organizations, while also helping those organizations grow and become sustainable.

At its core, our work is guided by a simple idea: what is not seen is not supported.

We operate a vetted online directory that connects donors, volunteers, and companies to organizations doing meaningful work. We also provide capacity-building services like our Business Development Assessment, helping organizations become donor-ready and better positioned for long-term impact.

In addition, we lead initiatives such as the Food Security Fund and the Global Black Philanthropy Initiative to make giving more accessible, intentional, and impactful.

What problem does it aim to solve?

Many Black-led and Black-serving organizations are doing essential work but remain underfunded and under-recognized.

A widely cited finding showed that only about 0.07 cents of every $100 donated by major foundations in Canada reached Black-led organizations. That gap is not just about funding; it is about visibility, access, and infrastructure.

If people cannot find you, they cannot support you.

We exist to bridge that gap by increasing visibility and helping organizations build the systems they need to sustain support once they receive it.

When did you start/join it?

I officially started Support Black Charities in 2018.

What made you want to get involved?

My journey started with a personal experience.

As an Electrical Engineering student, I was supported by the National Society of Black Engineers, based in the USA, a nonprofit that helped me build my network and launch my career. That experience had a lasting impact on my life.

It showed me that nonprofits do more than provide services; they provide access, community, confidence, and opportunity.

From there, I continued doing outreach work in schools, speaking about engineering and careers to black youth, specifically black girls. I wanted to keep contributing, and I started thinking about how I could use my own skills to help at scale.

With my strong interest in digital media, my background in building systems and solving problems, I realized that one of the biggest gaps was visibility and online presence. At the same time, I was inspired by the “Support Black Businesses” movement and began asking, what about Black charities/nonprofits?

That question became the foundation of Support Black Charities. A way to amplify the work already happening in our communities and make it easier for others to discover and support it, both in Canada and globally.

What was the situation like when you started?

When I started in 2018, there was very limited visibility around Black-led organizations, especially in Canada.

There was also a narrow perception of what these organizations looked like or the types of issues they addressed. In reality, the work is incredibly diverse, from education and entrepreneurship to food systems, arts, and community development.

There was no central place to discover these organizations, and information on how to build and sustain a nonprofit was often scattered and not always tailored to Black-serving organizations.

How has it changed since?

There has been a noticeable shift, especially after 2020.

There is more awareness and more conversation, and digital platforms have made it easier for organizations to be seen. Social media has created opportunities for global reach and connection that did not exist before.

At the same time, visibility alone is not enough.

We started primarily as a directory, but quickly realized that organizations also needed structured support. Many leaders are doing incredible work but do not always have access to the tools, knowledge, or systems needed to sustain and scale their impact.

That is why we expanded into services, to help bridge the gap between being visible and being sustainable.

What more needs to be done?

We need to move from moments of awareness to consistent, long-term support.

Too often, giving is triggered by specific events, crises, or moments of heightened attention. While those moments are important, they are not enough to sustain organizations over time.

We need to build a culture where supporting Black-led organizations becomes part of everyday philanthropy.

In the same way that people regularly support the arts, museums, or environmental causes, without waiting for a specific event, we need to normalize ongoing support for Black-led initiatives.

There is also a need to make knowledge more accessible. Many organizations do not know what they do not know; this is where I was. By centralizing information, tools, and support, we can help organizations build stronger foundations and become more self-sufficient. I am building what I wish I had when I started the nonprofits.

How can our readers help?

There are many ways to get involved, starting with the simplest.

Engage with our work online and on social media. Following, sharing, and interacting with organizations on social media increases visibility and shows support. It is one of the easiest ways to make a difference.

Beyond that:

• Discover and support organizations through our directory
• Donate, volunteer, or partner with organizations aligned with your values
• Share opportunities and resources within your network

For those looking to contribute at a deeper level, we are actively seeking partners, collaborators, and funders to help scale our work.

Through our Food Security Fund, we are currently focused on building capacity for community food programs in Toronto and the GTA. This includes addressing key gaps such as storage, logistics, and distribution.

We are looking for seed donors and foundational partners to help us build the infrastructure, team, and systems needed to activate this work at a local level.

Do you have any events coming up?

Yes, the second half of the year is a very important time for our work, and we are currently in the planning phase for several key initiatives.

In August, we participate in Black Philanthropy Month, a global campaign dedicated to encouraging intentional giving and highlighting the impact of Black-led organizations. Within that, August 28 is recognized as Black Giving Day, similar to Giving Tuesday, but focused specifically on supporting Black-serving organizations worldwide.

As we move into September, the focus shifts to food insecurity. September is widely recognized as Hunger Action Month, alongside several related awareness days that highlight the realities many families face, especially during the back-to-school period. It is a critical time to bring attention to food access, nutrition, and the increased demand on community food programs.

Building on that momentum, we are preparing a fundraising and awareness event called Bite Back: A Taste for Change, which will take place in September or October, with the date to be confirmed. This event is directly connected to our Food Security Fund and will bring people together around food, conversation, and solutions.

In October, we will also align with World Food Day on October 16, continuing the conversation at a global level and reinforcing the importance of long-term, sustainable approaches to food security.

Overall, this period from August to October represents a connected journey for us, from philanthropy and giving, to awareness and action, to long-term solutions.

Where can we follow you?

SBC: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Food Security Fund: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?

This is honestly a difficult question to answer.

Through Support Black Charities, I see so many organizations doing impactful work across Toronto, Canada, and globally, so it is never easy to choose just one.

While African Food Basket stands out for its work in food security, there are many others making a difference in their own ways. Organizations like Foodpreneur Lab and Desta Black Youth Network are creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and youth, while Federation of Black Canadians continues to advance advocacy at a national level.

We also see strong community impact from One Voice One Team and SSYO (South Shore Youth Organization).

Beyond Toronto, African Cancer Support Society is doing important work in Canada, while organizations like CESAHA and Helpers Social Development Foundation are addressing critical needs in Nigeria. In Kenya, Maji na Ufanisi (Water and Development) is doing impactful work around water access and community development.

There are so many organizations doing meaningful work that often goes unseen, and that is exactly why Support Black Charities exists, to help more people discover and support them.

The post Charitable Choices: Anick Silencieux of Support Black Charities appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Tonica Kombucha; we make delicious, lightly sparkling kombucha here in Toronto, and we bottle it up and ship it across Canada to over 2,500 stores. Our kombucha is authentic (which means it has living enzymes that are great for gut health!), made with organic ingredients, and is low in sugar.

What made you want to do this work?

I fell in love with the digestive benefits I got from drinking kombucha and started to make it for myself, friends & family. When I started brewing kombucha, there was no kombucha available in Canada in stores, back in 2006. At that time, I had no plan to build a business, but it organically blossomed into a larger and larger operation as demand grew. Little by little, I stopped my day job of teaching yoga, and Tonica became my full-time job.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

I wanted to make kombucha taste delicious so that everyone could benefit from the digestive boost it contains. Often, the kombuchas on the market are very strong and have an overly vinegar type taste, which can turn off many who would otherwise benefit from it, so my goal was to make a sparkling and delectable fruit-forward flavour profile that everyone would enjoy.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

The kombucha demographic is fairly wide ranging, from young folks and families looking for low sugar and alcohol free alternatives, to baby boomers with declining digestive fire. Kombucha is the perfect lightly sparkling beverage for all those looking for functional beverages to add to their daily lives because it is both delicious and has the added digestive boost benefit.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We sell our product, Tonica kombucha, across Canada to retail grocery chains, independent shops, cafes, gyms, and yoga studios.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

In Toronto, you can find Tonica Kombucha at Metro, Farmboy, Rabba, Sobeys, No Frills, Fortinos, Longos, Healthy Planet and many more wonderful stores!

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

A great question to ask is: Is all Kombucha the same? Do all kombuchas have digestive benefits?

The answer: while authentic kombucha is fermented for up to 60 days and is filled with living enzymes and natural probiotics, many kombuchas today are made using synthetic probiotics that will die in packaging before they reach the consumer. Not all kombuchas are created equally!

For maximum digestive benefit, make sure your kombucha is living, or “raw”. It should say “always refrigerate,” and the real living kombucha will only be sold in refrigerated coolers (if it is shelf stable, it can’t be an authentic living kombucha, or it would explode in its packaging). And look for the KBI seal on packaging, which is a 3rd party international seal that certifies the kombucha is pure and unprocessed.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

There are so many “best” parts, but a couple that tie for best: bringing together amazing people on our team and giving them tools and space to grow into their superpowers and watch how they transform themselves and the Tonica team around them.
I also LOVE when I meet random people and find out they are Tonica customers and they tell me how much they love our product, or how much it has changed their lives.

On the other hand, seeing so many “greenwashed” kombuchas on the market that are riding the coattails of real functional kombucha, and confusing the customer by making products that don’t actually have any digestive benefits.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

That my company grew organically just like our kombucha SCOBYs do! First selling one case, then doubling, then tripling…same with every batch we make; every scoby creates a “baby” and doubles with each brew!

Where can we follow you?

Follow us on Instagram @tonicakombucha and @zoeytonica and visit our website.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

I love the snacks from Nudfood & the organic pumpkin seeds from Prana

The post Homegrown Business: Zoey Shamai of Tonica Kombucha appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Stretching more than 30 kilometres through the downtown core, the PATH connects office towers, transit stations, hotels, and major attractions into a continuous indoor environment. Tens of thousands of people use it every day. It is one of the most unusual pieces of urban infrastructure in Canada because it operates as a hidden layer beneath the street grid.

The most surprising part is that it was never designed as a single system. It grew slowly over time, building by building.

A Network That Began With a Single Tunnel

The PATH began in 1900 when the T. Eaton Company built a simple underground tunnel linking its main store on Yonge Street to a nearby annex. What started as a practical retail connection became the foundation for something much larger.

In the decades that followed, more underground passages appeared across downtown Toronto. One of the earliest was a connection between Union Station and the Royal York Hotel built in 1927. These early tunnels were not part of a coordinated plan. They were built to solve specific problems such as weather exposure, congestion, and the need for easier movement between important buildings.

This early experimentation showed that downtown Toronto could function below street level as well as above it.

Growth Without a Master Plan

The system expanded rapidly after the Second World War. Toronto’s financial core was developing quickly and pedestrian traffic increased significantly. Developers began connecting new buildings to existing underground corridors as a matter of convenience and design efficiency.

Instead of being built as a single public infrastructure project, the PATH grew through private development decisions. Each new extension was added to serve a specific building rather than the system as a whole. Over time, these individual connections formed a large underground network.

By the late twentieth century, the system had become so extensive that the City of Toronto stepped in to coordinate signage and navigation standards. This helped bring some order to what had become a fragmented but functional underground city.

A City Beneath the City

Today the PATH connects more than 70 buildings in downtown Toronto. These include office towers, hotels, shopping centres, transit stations, and entertainment venues. It links Union Station, the Eaton Centre, Scotiabank Arena, and much of the Financial District.

The system includes more than 30 kilometres of walkways, over 1,200 shops and services, and handles hundreds of thousands of users on busy weekdays. It is one of the largest underground pedestrian networks in the world.

At street level Toronto is defined by traffic, sidewalks, and towers. Below ground it becomes a network of corridors, escalators, signage, and retail spaces.

Built for Weather and Convenience

Toronto’s climate played a major role in the growth of the PATH. Harsh winters and hot summers made enclosed walkways attractive for commuters who needed to move between buildings without exposure to the weather.

For many downtown workers the PATH is not a destination. It is simply the fastest way to move between office towers, transit stations, and lunch spots.

This convenience helped drive its expansion but also created a system that is not always easy to navigate.

Why the PATH Feels Like a Maze

Despite its size, the PATH is often confusing for new users. This is largely because it was not designed as a single coordinated system. It developed through separate private projects over many decades.

Different sections were built at different times and by different developers. This means that corridors change style and layout as you move through the network. Some sections pass through shopping centres, others through hotel lobbies or office buildings.

Even regular users sometimes rely on landmarks rather than maps to navigate the system. The City of Toronto has introduced standardized signage to improve wayfinding, but the underlying structure remains complex.

More Than a Shopping Mall

Although many people think of the PATH as an underground mall, it is more accurate to describe it as a hybrid urban space.

It is publicly accessible but mostly privately owned. Different sections are managed by different property owners and developers. This creates a system where infrastructure, retail, and transportation all overlap.

This structure makes the PATH unique. It is neither fully public infrastructure nor purely private development. It sits somewhere in between, shaped by agreements between the city and property owners.

The Role of the PATH in Modern Toronto

Today the PATH is an essential part of downtown life. It supports thousands of businesses, connects major transit hubs, and provides indoor walking routes across the financial core.

It also raises questions about how modern cities evolve. Some see it as a practical response to weather and density. Others see it as a system that shifts activity away from public streets into private indoor space.

These questions are becoming more relevant as Toronto continues to grow and densify.

A Hidden Layer of the City

The PATH remains one of Toronto’s most distinctive urban features. It is used daily by office workers, commuters, tourists, and residents, yet many people only understand a small part of it.

For newcomers it can feel overwhelming. For regular users it becomes routine. For the city it represents a form of urban development that was not planned in advance but assembled piece by piece over more than a century.

Above ground Toronto is a city of towers and traffic. Below ground it is a connected system that moves people quietly through its core.

The PATH is not just beneath Toronto. It is part of how Toronto works.

The post The History of Toronto’s PATH System appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Our business is called Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps, and we are a clean-label seed crisp that is powered by 7 super seeds, including watermelon seeds, offering 22g of protein and 13g of fibre per bag. We’re USDA Organic, gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, kosher, and strictly avoid seed oils, hitting every requirement for the modern, health-conscious shopper.

What made you want to do this work?

Over the last 15 years, I have worked for several global food & beverage companies such as Kraft, Unilever, Hershey, McDonald’s, and Mondelez International as a consumer strategist, understanding how and what consumers want to eat and drink.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

My trip to beautiful Sweden in 2019 inspired me to create Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps. I discovered crisp bread on the trip, but most crisp bread is wheat-based, and given we are a gluten-free household, I decided to recreate crisp bread and make it gluten-free and better for you!

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Health-conscious foodies who value functional benefits and culinary elevation

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We sell in retail such as Loblaws, Farm Boy and Whole Foods, in natural grocery, also food service and directly to consumers.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

Our crackers can be found at multiple locations across the city, including Loblaws, Whole Foods, Real Canadian Superstores, Summerhill Markets, Farm Boy, Eataly, Healthy Planet and Nature’s Emporium.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

What differentiates your brands from other healthy crackers on the market?

At Joëy, culinary exploration means drawing inspiration from ancient Nordic tradition and global food culture to create something truly unique.

We only work with rare, thoughtfully sourced, super premium ingredients such as Blue Salt, Truffle, and Saffron to develop a cracker that elevates your everyday snacking.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part of what we do is bringing to life a product that consumers genuinely love, and seeing the many ways they enjoy our crackers across different moments and occasions. The toughest part is the pace: we’re constantly on the go, which makes it challenging to carve out personal time. It means we have to be intentional about protecting our calendars and creating space for ourselves.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

We spent $40k on a consumer focus group just to confirm that people, indeed, like things that taste good and cost less

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Website

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

We are huge fans of Pod Squad! They make crispy waffle bites made with organic beans, whole-grain oats, and milled flax seeds, high in protein, fiber and all natural!

The post Homegrown Business: Joseph Chen of Jöey Nordic Seed Crisps appeared first on Toronto Guardian.