Ahsen Bhatti
Resident Empowerment in Moss Park | Toronto
Ahsen Bhatti is a Pakistani-Canadian resident of Moss Park, Toronto. A passionate policy & urban planning expert, he specializes in community development for priority areas across the city. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Toronto and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Planning at Toronto Metropolitan University. As a co-lead of the Moss Park Coalition, he has spearheaded numerous social policy initiatives centred on affordable housing, tenant protections, food security and resident wellbeing. Ahsen is a strong believer in the principle of subsidiarity, where communities are empowered to make their own decisions at the most local level.
About the Project
This project entails organizing a series of seminars for Moss Park residents and others interested in the area with experts in tenant organizing, policy-making, urban planning, housing justice, health equity, community safety and more. The goal is to expand residents’ capacity to meaningfully advocate for social change while simultaneously building community cohesion. Moss Park is a historically marginalized neighbourhood, with one of the lowest life expectancy rates and highest crime rates in Ontario. However, it also includes strong local leaders from diverse backgrounds, and this project aims to channel their grassroots passion and commitment into positive systems-level impact.