When I was planning my trip to Toronto from late 2023 into mid-2024, I had meticulously mapped everything out—from my hotel stay to the attractions I wanted to visit.
But what I hadn’t planned for was an unexpected discovery that would spark an exciting new connection between Dundee and Canada’s largest city.
Three weeks before my departure, I was scrolling through a website listing notable Dundonians when a name caught my eye: William Lyon Mackenzie.
I recognised the name but had never looked into his story in depth. What I learned was astonishing—he wasn’t just another emigrant who made a name for himself abroad.
He was Toronto’s very first mayor and played a crucial role in incorporating the city in 1834.
With this week marking the 191st anniversary of Toronto’s incorporation, I was thrilled to announce a new collaboration between Dundee Culture and Mackenzie House, the museum dedicated to Mackenzie’s legacy.
Mackenzie House, tucked just off the corner of Yonge-Dundas Square, was Mackenzie’s former home, granted to him upon his return from the United States following the infamous 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion, which he led.
During my October visit to Toronto, I had the chance to explore the museum, and it was incredibly moving to see a space in Canada dedicated to a Dundonian—one whose influence shaped Toronto’s very identity. Yet, until a few weeks before my trip, I had no idea the museum even existed.
This new partnership with Mackenzie House is just the beginning. I see it as the first step toward something much bigger: laying the groundwork for a significant and lasting relationship between Dundee and Toronto.
Looking ahead, I hope this collaboration paves the way for a formal relationship between Dundee and Toronto. One of my ambitions is for Dundee to twin with Toronto through the city’s International Alliance Programme.
However, the programme has strict eligibility criteria, and Dundee, with its population of 148,000, falls short of the requirement to become a Partnership City.
That being said, I believe Dundee should not be ruled out. After all, Dundee is twinned with Dubai—a city even larger than Toronto. If that partnership exists, why not Toronto?
Dundee and Toronto already share strong similarities. Both cities are renowned tech hubs, recognised among the 21 Cities of the Future in 2021 by Cognizant.
A formal connection could lead to valuable collaborations in technology, innovation, and cultural exchange.
I have been in contact with the Toronto International Alliance Programme, and while there are challenges, I remain hopeful.
If this new collaboration with Mackenzie House is a success, I believe it will make a strong case for Dundee to gain official recognition—regardless of its size.
The historic connection alone is proof that the link between Dundee and Toronto deserves to be strengthened.
A city’s significance isn’t just measured in numbers. It’s measured in the impact it has had—and Dundee’s impact on Toronto is undeniable.
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