Toronto celebrates the day it became okay to call them Jamaican 'beef patties' - Action News
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Toronto celebrates the day it became okay to call them Jamaican 'beef patties'

You may know it as a spicy pastry snack, but at one time Canadian authorities had a real beef over Jamaican patties. It was on this day in 1985 that the community celebrated a win for local business owners. It's also how Feb. 23 officially became known as Patty Day in Toronto.

It's the 36th annual Patty Day in Canada's largest city

It's Patty Day in Toronto

4 years ago
Duration 2:44
You may know Jamaican patties as a spicy pastry snack, but at one time Canadian authorities had a real beef over the name of what's now one of Toronto's favourite foods. On this day in 1985 the community celebrated a win for local business owners, and now Feb. 23 is officially Patty Day in the city.

You may know it as a spicy pastry snack that's popular in Toronto, but at one time Canadian authoritieshad a real beef withJamaican patties.

Decades ago, the federal governmentclaimedJamaican patties did not match the technical definition of "beef patty"under the Meat Inspection Act.

But it was on this day in 1985that the community celebrated a winfor local business owners.

CBC Toronto's Talia Riccispoke with one of the ownersthreatened with fines 36 years ago and explains how Feb. 23officially became known as Patty Day in Toronto.


For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.

(CBC)