We are so excited to re-introduce the Toronto Vegetarian Association as VegTO!
We’ve grown a lot since we were founded in 1945 – and so has the vegan movement. We recognize it is time to change our name to better reflect what we do and who we serve.
Nice to meet you!
For those who may be meeting us for the first time, we are VegTO – a pro-vegan non-profit organization based in Toronto. At VegTO, we’re making it easier for people to adopt a vegan lifestyle. We support people at all stages of their journey, whether dipping a toe in the vegan-cheese fondue or going whole tofurky!
We do this by providing resources, events, outreach and a welcoming community of support in Toronto and beyond. We offer events such as Veg Food Fest, which attracts up to 40,000 attendees in a typical year, as well as programs like the discount card, Veg Climate Network and social groups to help people adopt a vegan way of life.
How did we get here?
For over 75 years, donors, members, volunteers and supporters have made everything we do possible. Serving the community is at the core of what we do, and it is essential to gather their feedback and input.
We are extremely grateful to the 700+ people who had their say through our online survey, one-on-one interviews and feedback session, as well as through a poll of people across the Greater Toronto Area with support from a generous donor.
The results had a common theme: there is a need for our new name to be inclusive and welcoming to people who are vegan, vegetarian and veg-curious, who are all part of our shared community.
Why VegTO?
VegTO better reflects what we do: inspire people to choose vegan living – for the animals, our health and the planet.
We heard your feedback that our new name needs to be inclusive and welcoming, just like the Toronto Vegetarian Association has always been. VegTO reflects our approach to support people at all stages of their journey, while making it easier for people to adopt a vegan lifestyle.
We are retaining our local Toronto focus, where we currently provide events, programs and outreach. Our name is also shorter, easier to remember and no longer requires an acronym, making us easier to find when searching online!
Our new look
We are grateful to have the support of the StudioMillie design team to redesign a new logo and user-friendly website. In our logo, the V shape resembles both a plant and an animal ear to recognize the many reasons to adopt a vegan lifestyle. The colour palette is bright, positive and bold, and spurs a call-to-action.
This was made possible by a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) as part of the Resilient Communities Fund. Thank you!
What’s next
Over the next few weeks, the new VegTO name and look will roll out over our website, email and social media channels. Along with our new name, we have some exciting initiatives in the works and can’t wait to share more with you.
If you’re interested in learning more, join our VegTO email list for vegan news, updates on local restaurants and businesses and our work!
