About us
LBPA team
The LBPA is governed by a volunteer board of professionals representing the diversity and strength of the Leaside Business Park community.
Board of directors
2025 — 2026 /
Driven by local leaders who believe a strong business community builds a stronger Leaside
Our directors reflect a broad range of businesses and organizations dedicated to supporting local economic growth.
Annissa Rodriguez
Andy Elder
Dag Enhorning
Glenn Asano
Jeff Hohner
Rhea Ntakos
Constantine Ntakos
Matt Peacock
Leslie Kellen
Rafael Leal de Azevedo
Vanessa Rose
President’s message —
2025
“The LBPA will continue to advocate for our members, protect our industrial lands and promote the innovation that fuels long term economic growth.”
From its beginnings as a railway hub to its role in supporting national efforts during both World Wars, Leaside has evolved into one of Toronto’s most dynamic employment zones.
Today, we face new opportunities and challenges. Rising inflation affects business operations, and new residential developments while offering promise also create logistical complexities for traffic and delivery. Ongoing construction activity presents both hurdles and opportunities for revitalisation.
In this moment of transformation, we must remain proactive, united, and future — focused. As we move forward, we do so with a keen appreciation for the history that defines the Leaside Business Park — one rooted in innovation, resilience and industry.
With your support, we can shape a resilient and prosperous future together. Thank you for your continued trust and engagement.
Annisa Rodriguez
President
Andy Elder
Vice president
Our History
1870 — now /
A Legacy of Innovation and Industry
Before railways and factories, Leaside was farmland. William Lea and his family settled the area north-east of Toronto, cultivating the rolling landscape northeast of Toronto.
Their homestead, known as “Leaside,” gave the community its name and laid the foundation for a community that would soon connect agriculture to industry.
In the 1870s, the Ontario & Quebec Railway purchased land from the Lea family and named its new station “Leaside.”
Later, when Canadian Pacific leased the line for 999 years, it expanded the site with repair shops and facilities serving Union Station. Rail operations grew into a key railway hub supporting Toronto’s industrial growth.
By 1912, Canadian Northern Railway had acquired most of Leaside’s land and hired Montreal planner Frederick Gage Todd to design Canada’s first planned industrial community (“Garden City” principles).
The Town of Leaside incorporated in 1913, and factories such as Canadian Wire & Cable (1914) and Lincoln Electric (1916) anchored the new economy and defined its industrial character.
During World War I, Canada Wire & Cable leased 220 acres to the federal government for a military airfield, and Leaside became a hub of innovation. The Leaside Aerodrome – Canada’s first private airfield hosted the country’s earliest pilot training and North America’s first regular airmail service in 1918.
By 1921, Durant Motors joined the industrial landscape, fueling Leaside’s reputation for technological enterprise and boosting industrial diversification.
Despite the Depression, Leaside attracted firms such as TREMCO (1931), APCO (1935), and Nuodex (1937). World War II transformed Leaside into a centre of innovation.
Research Enterprises Limited (REL), founded in 1940 on the old Durant Motors site, produced radio, radar, and precision optical instruments including mass production of infrared night-vision devices. At its peak, REL employed more than 7,000 people.
Post-war Leaside saw rapid housing and community expansion and local industry modernized. New institutions like Leaside High School (1945) and Leaside Memorial Community Gardens (1951) reflected the community’s growth and postwar optimism.
In 1967 Leaside joined the Borough of East York, continuing to balance its industrial base with a strong residential community identity.
The end of passenger rail service in 1970 marked a turning point for Leaside. As large manufacturers closed or scaled back, the Business Park adapted. Former factory sites were subdivided and leased to smaller manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors, keeping the area active.
The LBPA was formed in 1978 to give local businesses a unified voice and through hard work and ingenuity, businesses adapted to a new economic landscape, maintaining the area’s industrial character during a period of change.
Since the 1990s, Leaside has continued to evolve while maintaining its industrial foundation. As manufacturing operations declined, their facilities were adapted for new manufacturers and light-industrial uses.
Over time, a broader mix of businesses has taken root – many connected to modern production, engineering and design, logistics, or the trades—reflecting both change and continuity in how the area supports employment.
In 2001, City Councillor Jane Pitfield and the LBPA partnered with community stakeholders to form LERI (Leaside Economic Revitalization Initiative). LERI engaged over 60 stakeholders and produced the Focusing Reinvestment in Leaside Action Plan, which City Council adopted in April 2002.
The 2002 Action Plan marked a turning point for Leaside, launching public–private collaboration through the LBPA and setting the foundation for revitalization and growth.
Governance & constitution /
Guided by leaders. Grounded in community. Governed with purpose.
Guided by collaboration and accountability, our Board applies thoughtful stewardship and strong local advocacy to ensure decisions made today sustain the businesses, jobs, and opportunities that define Leaside’s economic future and keep it a vibrant centre for innovation and growth.
Partners /
We believe strong partnerships are the foundation for community progress
By working with community partners and government representatives, we ensure Leaside’s business interests are represented and economic growth benefits everyone.
Together, these partnerships drive real progress, from smarter infrastructure and local investment to stronger connections between business and community.
We do it in the park
We feel it in the park
We ignite it in the park
We elevate it in the park
We transform it in the park
We mobilize it in the park
We vectorize it in the park
We synthesize it in the park
We ferment it in the park
