George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
An exciting change is underway at George Brown Polytechnic. In February 2026, we will name our Chef School atrium in honour of William Peyton Hubbard, a visionary leader who championed equity, inclusion, and innovation. In the lead-up to this event, we invite the George Brown community to learn more about Hubbard’s legacy and accomplishments.
The upcoming naming of our Chef School atrium is an opportunity for us to mark an important milestone together. As George Brown and the broader post-secondary sector face significant challenges due to government policies affecting international enrolment and finances, moving the organization forward in ways to promote inclusive education and belonging remain key priorities.
While equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and allyship may seem like modern concepts, these values have inspired changemakers in our community for generations. George Brown Polytechnic is honouring this legacy by celebrating William Peyton Hubbard, a trailblazing Black politician and inventor whose story embodies many of the EDI principles that guide us today.
Born in Toronto in 1842, Hubbard began his working life as a baker and cab driver. With plenty of practical experience, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit, he invented the revolutionary Hubbard Portable Oven, which improved efficiency and safety in commercial kitchens.
A formative relationship with George Brown, the politician, newspaper publisher, and our school’s namesake, shaped the next phase of Hubbard's career, which was focused on public service. Their friendship was defined by their shared values and mutual respect. Brown committed to abolition, leadership, and civic responsibility, and Hubbard dedicated his life to social justice and the public good. They were united by a commitment to the wellness of others.
The son of parents who had escaped enslavement, Hubbard came of age at a time of significant systemic barriers yet forged a life defined by innovation, resilience, and service.
A powerful connection
“What was unique about Hubbard and Brown was their closeness across racial difference and across educational and economic backgrounds as well,” said Natalie Wood, a professor in the Social Service Worker program, who researched Hubbard on behalf of Black Futures Initiatives.
Brown recognized his friend’s leadership capacity and political conviction and urged Hubbard to pursue public office – a powerful endorsement coming from someone who had helped shape Canada as an architect of Confederation. Empowered by this support, Hubbard went on to make history as Toronto’s first Black alderman, controller and acting mayor.
“George Brown saw not only the potential in William Hubbard, but the greatness in him,” said Jennifer Grant, Associate Vice-President, Anti-Racism, Equity and Human Rights. "William Hubbard’s talent and determination drove him to success. George Brown recognized his greatness and supported it by helping to open doors to amplify Hubbard’s voice and leadership."
Allyship is not determined by whether you call yourself an ally, Grant and Wood emphasized, it’s about taking action, and is grounded in love, reciprocity, and the understanding that we are all connected. This is reflected in the African philosophy of Ubuntu, “I am because we are.”
“I often think of Ubuntu, the understanding that we become human through one another,” said Grant. “When I honour and protect your humanity, I am also honouring and protecting my own. It seems to me that George Brown on some level understood this.”
Related: Ubuntu in Practice: Reframing Togetherness to Restore Black Wholeness
Rooted in values
When Brown and Hubbard met, Brown was a prominent political figure. As the publisher of the Toronto Globe and co-founder of the Toronto Anti-Slavery Society, he championed justice and human rights. In the Globe, he published the Society’s resolution that “Slavery is an outrage on the laws of humanity, and its continued practice demands the best exertions for its extinction.”
Brown also spoke out about racial prejudice himself, stating in 1864 that prejudice against Black people “is stronger here than in the States.” He directly supported efforts in Toronto to help Black migrants fleeing enslavement and raise awareness of their struggles.
Through allyship and shared values, and by encouraging Hubbard to step into public service, Brown opened a door for Hubbard’s leadership to continue to flourish, enabling Hubbard to uplift and empower others in his community.
Hubbard championed the rights of marginalized groups in Toronto, opposing discriminatory taxes imposed on Chinese laundry owners and standing up for the Jewish community against street harassment. Hubbard’s advocacy reflected an unwavering commitment to fairness and inclusion, even as he faced racism and discrimination himself.
“When we are rooted in our values, that becomes our North Star,” said Grant. “It keeps us steady when challenges and the waves and winds of negativity come.”
Guided by his belief in equity and social reform, Hubbard worked to ensure that essential services like electricity served the public good rather than private profit. He led efforts to make electricity affordable and accessible for all, which helped lay the foundation for what is now Hydro One.
The values that guided these two friends — equity, inclusion, opportunity, and access — continue to inspire the values of George Brown Polytechnic, an institution of higher learning committed to developing future leaders and positively impacting the diverse communities we serve.
“Part of our DNA”
As George Brown Polytechnic prepares to name the atrium of 300 Adelaide St. E. after Hubbard, Grant hopes his story will remind the community that our values of Equity and Belonging are not new. In fact, they’re deeply rooted in the history that defined our polytechnic and our city.
“This is part of our DNA,” she said. “It’s inextricably connected to who we are.”
To learn more about EDI at George Brown, visit the Office of Anti-Racism, Equity and Human Rights Services webpage.