One Year Strong: St. Lawrence North Market

Parul Gupta –

been the heart of this city since 1803, when Toronto was still the Town of York and farmers and residents gathered to buy and sell. In the years that followed, it weathered development and recession.

The North Market building was demolished in 2015, deemed outdated and underutilised, and vendors at the Saturday market moved into a temporary tent for nearly a decade. When the new North Market opened in April 2025, the neighbourhood wondered whether the Saturday Farmers’ Market could find its footing in a brand-new building. Would vendors show up? Would the public visit?

One year later, those questions have been answered. The City’s numbers show that foot traffic has grown steadily since open­ing, drawing both residents and visitors. People have folded the market back into their Saturday routines — it gets crowded as early as 7:30 a.m.

Laurie, who manages a North Market stall for the Goodlot Farmstead Brewing Co., a re­generative hop farm and so­lar-powered brewery, has a loyal base of regulars. She has noticed visitors flying into Toronto, add­ing the market to their itinerar­ies, drawn by something beyond the city’s usual restaurants and landmarks.

Catherine, owner of Oodles of Strudels, has been selling at markets across the city for 25 years. The crowd at St. Law­rence Saturday Farmers’ Mar­ket, she will tell you, is the best she has encountered. Since set­ting up her stall here a year ago, her sales are up 25 per cent. For vendors selling products that re­quire a moment of explanation or a sample, the North Market’s clientele is curious, with an ap­petite and a willingness to try what is unfamiliar.

For flower vendors, winter has been slow, but not discourag­ing – a crowd generally shows up. They are planning to move their stalls outside in spring and summer.

The one request that keeps surfacing among longtime reg­ulars is for the Sunday antique market, an old ritual the neigh­bourhood misses. The city con­firms that a Sunday program is under review and is also explor­ing additional vendor categories and speciality offerings.

Despite its success after a year, the North Market remains un­derused beyond Saturdays. The building offers 12,500 square feet of flexible event space with capacity for 600 people or more, suited for everything from com­munity gatherings to corporate functions, receptions and civic events. The city aims to host a diverse mix of events for com­munity groups, cultural organi­sations, and private event organ­isers.

The Farmers’ Market at St. Lawrence Market North runs every Saturday. For event rental inquiries, contact stlawrence­market@toronto.ca