Frequently Asked Questions

Aside from the fixed permit fee, costs depend entirely on your event's specific requirements—such as duration, staffing levels, equipment, and setup needs. Sankofa Square staff cannot provide cost estimates over the phone or for events that have not formally applied for a date. Once you submit a formal application, our team will provide an initial estimate prior to finalizing your booking. Please note that this preliminary estimate is subject to change as your specific event logistics and setup needs are finalized with your designated Event Coordinator.

At this time, we do not offer discounted permit rates for half-day use. If your event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., you are welcome to book the Square, but the full-day permit fee will apply.

We keep our online calendar as up to date as possible. However, we often hold dates confidentially at an event host's request until they are ready to launch their press releases, or we may be awaiting final confirmation details. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes.

Sankofa Square restricts loud performances and amplified sound (including sound checks and emceeing) Monday through Friday to after 5:30 p.m. On weekends, amplified sound is permitted starting at 7:00 a.m., provided the event has secured a Noise Exemption Permit from the City of Toronto. No loud performance may extend past 11:00 p.m. on any day to comply with City of Toronto Noise Bylaws.

Yes. Food service is permitted but requires prior approval from Toronto Public Health. Temporary Food Establishment forms must be submitted at least 21 days prior to your event. Alcohol can be served if you obtain the appropriate Special Occasion Permit (SOP) from the AGCO and utilize our approved fencing guidelines. Please note that no glass is allowed on the Square.

Sankofa Square is a barrier-free site with a maximum standing capacity of up to 5,000 patrons when the Square is completely empty. Functional event capacity will decrease depending on your specific configuration, including the addition of staging, tents, and activation footprints. Key venue features include:

• Stage: Permanent 36’ x 39’ covered stage (May–September)

• Utilities: Heavy-duty power drops and water access

• Amenities: Accessible public washrooms (P1 Level) and free public Wi-Fi

Yes. The bylaws of the Square prohibit any commercial activity, performances, sporting displays, or exhibits without a formal permit. Even brief activities (such as a 5-minute flash mob) require authorization.

No. The City of Toronto Bylaws prohibit commercial activity from being conducted on any of the sidewalks surrounding the Square.

Yes! Click here.

We operate 10 dedicated digital screens located directly on the Square. Five of these screens are operated by Astral Bell Media; for information on how to book space on their displays, please contact them directly. The remaining five screens are strictly for community use (such as our digital screen exhibitions) and event-based content. We do not sell advertising space on these screens.

For more information regarding screen usage, click here.

Sankofa Square does not control the billboards surrounding the Square. For the contact information of surrounding billboard and digital advertising operators, you can find more information here.

As the Square is a public space, casual personal photography and video are completely welcome! However, for commercial photography, film, or video shoots, an activation permit must be obtained. This includes any shoot that requires a "set-up" or could impede day-to-day public activities or permitted events.

News teams, weather reporting, and all other forms of ENG (Electronic News Gathering) do not require a permit. If you are interested in coming on site for a reason like this please contact info@sankofasquare.ca to discuss availability and ease of access.

Sankofa Square is located within controlled airspace in downtown Toronto, in close proximity to medical helicopter landing pads and Billy Bishop Airport. Flight authorization is mandatory. Requests to operate a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (e.g., drones, UAVs) must be submitted to your Sankofa Square Representative at least 30 days prior to your shoot. All requests are reviewed by the Management Team, and approval is strictly at the discretion of the Sankofa Square Board of Management.

For more information, refer to the Drones and Remote Operated Aircraft Policy.

If you are planning a simple "down-on-one-knee" proposal, absolutely! If you are planning something dramatic involving props, lighting equipment, or a large group, you must book the Square as an event so it does not impede other programming.

Personal photographs are welcome, but you must work around the general public and existing events; you cannot section off areas.

For commercial-style shoots requiring equipment (props, lighting equipment, music, etc.), you will need to book the Square for a photoshoot and pay the associated booking fees. For more information on photography and film shoots, please click here.

Yes. Sankofa Square is an outdoor public space, and we respect the public's right to gather. However, protests and demonstrations can only be accommodated when the Square has not been previously permitted by another organization, and they must follow related rules and regulations.

Questions about rallies at Sankofa Square should be directed to info@sankofasquare.ca.

We strongly suggest that rally organizers send a Notice of Demonstration to the Toronto Police Service.

No. While the Square respects the public's right to peaceful assembly, demonstrations are strictly prohibited from impeding, entering, or disrupting a space that has been previously permitted for an event. The Board of Management and our operations team maintain strict protocols with Toronto Police Service and municipal safety staff to ensure permitted event clients have full, unobstructed access to their licensed footprint.

Sankofa Square is a major economic driver for the downtown core. By hosting hundreds of commercial activations, brand pop-ups, and cultural festivals each year, the Square draws millions of visitors who subsequently support neighbouring restaurants, retail stores, and hotels. Furthermore, the events held at the Square create a powerful economic multiplier effect—generating thousands of employment opportunities for local artists, event production crews, security personnel, and gig workers. Because the Square operates as a self-sustaining civic asset, the revenue generated from commercial event permits and advertising helps fund the Square’s operations, reducing the reliance on municipal operating budgets.

Yes—in fact, every event at Sankofa Square is completely free for the public to attend! Whether we are hosting a major corporate brand activation, a community charity walk, or multi-day cultural celebrations like SankofaFest, our #HotSquareSummer programming, and more, there is never an admission fee. A core part of our mandate as a civic space is to remain fully accessible to all Torontonians, ensuring our hundreds of annual events, concerts, and pop-ups are always free and open to the community.

Beyond our direct economic impact, Sankofa Square delivers a significant Social Return on Investment (SROI) to the city. We provide a high-profile platform for registered charities, cultural organizations, and community groups to raise awareness, fundraise, and celebrate their heritage. By offering subsidized rates and dedicated programming space for non-profits, we ensure that diverse community groups have access to premium downtown real estate that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive, allowing them to amplify their vital causes in the heart of the city.

Yes. Sankofa Square is one of the most heavily programmed and utilized public spaces in Canada. Our calendar is busier than ever; based on mid-year reporting from July 2026, the Square is tracking a 49% increase in overall event days compared to 2025, anticipating approximately 194 days of dedicated events by year's end. This momentum spans all sectors, including a 91% increase in commercial activations, a 54% increase in community events, and significant growth in partner-produced programming.

Beyond major festivals, the Square is continuously activated by daily initiatives, including our "Art in the Square" program (programmed for 278 days) and other offerings. Even on days without a scheduled stage production, we intentionally activate the space to serve as "Toronto's living room," outfitting the plaza with Muskoka chairs, umbrellas, bistro-style seating, and interactive games to provide a welcoming environment in the heart of the city.

It is also important to note that, like any major performing arts or event venue, the Square experiences operational "dark days"—the only difference is that our venue doesn't have walls. These occasional open days are essential periods between bookings required for setting up large-scale event infrastructure, safely taking down stages after a festival, or conducting necessary site maintenance.

Sankofa Square is a vibrant, open civic space where everyone is welcome. As one of Canada’s busiest pedestrian hubs, the significant daily foot traffic naturally creates a lively and inviting environment for millions of families, tourists, and residents each year.

To ensure the Square remains a comfortable destination for all Torontonians, we take a proactive, community-focused approach to safety and venue management. The site is supported by a dedicated 24/7, 365-day on-site security presence, complemented by proactive patrols, regular safety checks, real-time camera monitoring, and established emergency response procedures. Our security personnel serve as safety ambassadors and first points of contact—helping visitors, addressing potential concerns early, and maintaining a safe, welcoming, and accessible environment for everyone.

We also operate as part of a broader downtown community network, collaborating regularly with the Downtown Yonge BIA, Toronto Metropolitan University, neighbouring properties, and the Toronto Police Service. This coordinated, prevention-focused approach has contributed to a 30% reduction in reported safety incidents compared to 2025, reinforcing our ongoing commitment to keeping Sankofa Square a positive, inclusive, and welcoming public space year-round.

For planned programming, safety is our top operational priority. Led by our Manager of Community Safety, our team works directly with event organizers to develop comprehensive, tailored safety plans for every activation. These plans consider crowd management, emergency preparedness, accessibility, and the unique operational requirements of each event.

During high-volume events, we coordinate closely with City of Toronto municipal services, emergency responders, licensed event security personnel, and our downtown community partners to support safe crowd movement and effective incident response.

From intimate community gatherings to large-scale cultural festivals, our commitment is to provide a safe, welcoming, accessible, and inclusive environment where everyone can confidently participate and enjoy all that Sankofa Square has to offer.

Cleanliness is foundational to our venue standards. As an open and heavily utilized civic space, our team is dedicated to keeping the site welcoming and prepared at all times. Our operations crew conducts daily site maintenance, ongoing active sanitation, and dedicated waste management before, during, and after every event. This includes rigorous upkeep of our public washrooms, which are inspected and cleaned hourly by our staff. A publicly accessible cleaning log is maintained on-site to ensure these high-traffic facilities remain sanitary, well-stocked, and ready for all visitors.

Ensuring that every patron can navigate and enjoy the Square comfortably is a core priority. The Square's open site design and operational protocols provide barrier-free access across our outdoor event footprint, making it easy for visitors to move through the space. While our outdoor areas offer seamless navigation, we are actively reviewing our older built infrastructure—specifically our public washrooms—to identify opportunities for modernization and enhanced accessibility. We are committed to continuously improving our facilities to better support the needs of everyone who visits the Square.

Sankofa Square operates with an annual gross budget of approximately $4 million. As a highly self-sustaining civic asset, our team generates the majority of these funds through commercial event permit fees, sponsorships, grants, and partnerships.

The City of Toronto provides approximately $1.5 million in core operations funding, which is strictly dedicated to essential site maintenance and 24/7 security. By leveraging our self-generated revenue to fund all programming and event activities, the City receives a notable return on its core investment—securing a premier, safe, and fully activated downtown hub at a highly efficient cost compared to similar world-class civic spaces.

Sankofa Square operates as an Agency of the City of Toronto, governed by an independent Board of Management. We utilize a public-private funding model with an annual gross budget of approximately $4 million. The budget is structured into three main categories:

• Self-Generated Revenue (The Majority of Funding): Income generated directly by the Square to fund programming and activities. This includes fees from commercial activations and permits, revenue from on-site digital advertising, and partnership commissions.

• Core Expenditures: Operating costs required to maintain a safe, high-traffic municipal property. Key expenses include 24/7 security, continuous site cleaning, infrastructure upkeep, and a lean team of operational staff dedicated to venue management.

• City of Toronto Funding (Approx. $1.5 Million): Foundational municipal funding dedicated exclusively to baseline operations—specifically site maintenance and security—ensuring the Square remains a safe, free, and accessible space for the public.

Additional budget information and financial reports for Sankofa Square can be found on the City Budget section of the City of Toronto website.

See Becoming Sankofa Square in the About Us section for questions about the Square’s new name, the meaning of “Sankofa,” the rebranding process, the logo, and more.