Heart of the City Speakers Series
The Heart of the Speakers Series will return in the Fall of 2026.
Please check back here for updates on our latest presentations.
To illustrate the breadth and depth of subjects covered by our Heart of the City Speakers Series, please see the list below of both the topics and some of the incredible speakers who have participated.
Dr. Brian Doucet joined us on June 10, 2026 to present “Thinking Beyond the Market”: a film about genuinely affordable housing.
Kate Robson joined us on March 25, 2026 to discuss her book “Something to Hold Onto” a book offering guidance and practical skills to better ones mental health.
Andrew Coyne joined us on October 22, 2025 to talk about his new book.
Brian Stewart joined us on September 24, 2025 to talk about his experiences as a foreitn correspondent for The CBC.
Patrick Martin joined us on June 11, 2025 to talk about his experiences in the Middle East as a correspondent for The Globe & Mail.
Jane Philpott joined us on January 15, 2025 to talk about Health for All
Neil Hetherington of the Daily Bread Food Bank joined us on November 13, 2024 to talk about the ever increasing demands on Food Banks in Toronto
LAW & ORDER TORONTO Executive Producers, Amy & Tassie Cameron joined us on October 9, 2024 to talk about their film career experience in Toronto
Photographer Jim Chang joined us on April 10, 2024 to talk about Wildlife in Toronto’s Don Valley & Beyond.
Vice-Admiral, Angus Topshee joined us on February 29, 2024 to talk about Canada’s role in the Arctic as climate change opens up this area to exploration and exploitation.
Patrick Breysse, a leading expert in the study of some of the earliest galaxies in the Universe, spoke to us on his work on several new observatories pushing the limits of our abilities to study some of the faintest objects ever studied.
Rohan Alexander, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information and Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto, and Paolo Granata, Associate Professor, Book and Media Studies Program Coordinator, University of Toronto, two of Toronto’s leading scholars discuss AI’s opportunities and some of the ethical issues that must be managed.
Ghizaal Haress spoke about “What is happening in Afghanistan under the Taliban”.
Michael Anhorn stepped in for Margaret Eaton for this presentation on Mental Health in Canada
Steve Paikin and his new book: Rethinking John Turner’s Legacy on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
“Bruce Kidd spoke of his journey in the worlds of politics and sports on January 25, 2023.
“Agatha Christie, Archaeology and Alzheimers” was presented by Dr. Amy Barron from UofT on November 30, 2022
The History and Archaeology of Wine was presented by Dr. Stephen Batiuk from UofT on November 2, 2022
The video recording of “Presbyterian Mercy Flights” is now available HERE
On May, 12, 2022 we welcomed John Burzynski to The Heart of the City Speakers Series as he discussed the “Raise the Arrow Project”. The video link for this presentation is now available HERE
On October 27, 2021, our first in-person Heart of the City Speakers Series event since 2019 took place here at St. Andrew’s. Helena Moncrieff spoke with us about her book “The Fruitful City – Building Community in the Urban Food Forest”
Helena Moncrieff is a writer, professor, former radio journalist, and lifelong city dweller. Her writing has appeared in Best Health magazine, the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail and many in-house publications. Her freezer is full of fruit collected from other peoples’ backyards. The link to “The Fruitful City – Building Community in the Urban Food Forest” may be found HERE
On May, 12, 2022 we welcomed John Burzynski to The Heart of the City Speakers Series as he discussed the “Raise the Arrow Project”. The video link for this presentation is now available HERE
DAVID CROMBIE – Few public figures have known the city better. Three-times elected Toronto’s “Tiny, Perfect Mayor” (1972-79), later an MP and Cabinet minister, Crombie’s influence on City life spans six decades – from his urban reform activism in the Sixties to his struggles today to ensure socially responsible management of the Waterfront, our Greenbelt, and our Post-Covid revival. The link to his HOTC video, Toronto After COVID may be found HERE
PAST EVENTS FEATURED:
On Thursday, December 17, 2020 the Heart of the City Speakers Series presented, Faith, Community and Covid. To watch the YouTube presentation please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEVrNzREunE&t=11s
On November 14, 2019 Sheldon Fernandez discussed “The Problems & Challenges of Ethical AI”
Ron Deibert discussed “Cyber Insecurity” and how targeted espionage against civil society is a new threat to us all.
Janice Stein spoke about: “Rebordering the World” and how the frontier of global competition is no longer trade or investment but rather technology.
Please note: These ticketed events take place in the Great Hall of St. Andrew’s and after the talks we offer a chance to share a glass of wine, enjoy some refreshments and to speak with the guests and fellow participants – so please plan to join us.