The Toronto City Council unanimously passed a motion on May 22 for the city to work with the Tamil community to build a Tamil Genocide Monument in Scarborough.
The motion was brought forward by Parthi Kandavel, city councillor for Scarborough Southwest, and seconded by fellow councillor Josh Matlow, representing Toronto-St. Paul’s.
It requests the city to identify a potential site in a City of Toronto Park in Scarborough to house the monument under the provisions of the City’s Public Art and Monument Donations Policy.
With Toronto being home to a vibrant and thriving Tamil community, located primarily in Scarborough, the motion “seeks to follow in the footsteps of other levels of government and jurisdictions by recognising the Tamil Genocide.”
These include the Government of Canada’s recognition of May 18th annually as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day and the Government of Ontario’s Bill 101, which proclaims the seven-day period ending on May 18 each year as Tamil Genocide Education Week.
“This decision is deeply meaningful to Scarborough’s Tamil community — it’s a recognition of our pain, our history, and our resilience,” said Councillor Kandavel exclusively to Tamil Guardian.
“For decades, we’ve carried the memory of the genocide in silence; now, our city is helping us honour that truth in a permanent, public way. The monument will be a place where our children can learn, our elders can reflect, and our entire community can begin to heal.”
Kandavel further added in an online statement, “The monument will serve as a space for reflection, education, and healing, ensuring that the genocide against Tamils is never forgotten. This is more than a monument – it’s a powerful stand for truth and justice.”
On May 10, the City of Brampton also unveiled the Tamil Genocide Monument in Chinguacousy Park. Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath, confirmed via social media that the government had conveyed its “strong objections” to what it called “unfounded genocide allegations” and condemned Canada’s approval for the monument’s construction.
Regional Councillor Marin Medeiros, who introduced the motion to build the monument in Brampton, wrote on X regarding the news from Toronto, “Great news. Back in Jan 20, 2021 when I moved the motion at Brampton Council I was very proud to support the Tamil community in Brampton and around the world acknowledging in a meaningful manner their painful history. Well done Toronto City Council and look forward to its completion.”
The City of Toronto is expected to consult with Tamil community organisations, identify a potential site, and report back to the Scarborough Community Council in the fourth quarter of 2025.
