east bayfront

East Bayfront is one of the first new neighbourhoods to be developed on Toronto’s waterfront. Its proximity to downtown Toronto and location directly on Lake Ontario will make East Bayfront one of the world’s most significant waterfront communities.

For years, the 23 hectare (55 acre) East Bayfront site which extends from Lower Jarvis Street east to Parliament Street and from Lake Shore Boulevard south to the water’s edge has been a reminder of Toronto’s industrial past. Now, after years of planning and public consultation the transformation of this underutilized area is well underway. The revitalization of this mostly City-owned land will unfold in phases over the next 10-15 years.

parks and public space

Life in East Bayfront will be defined by the lake and the parks and public spaces surrounding it. Two signature parks, Sherbourne Common and Canada’s Sugar Beach, and a kilometre-long continuous Water’s Edge Promenade and Boardwalk  make up a quarter  of the community.

The community’s main waterfront street, Queens Quay, will be pedestrian, transit and cyclist-friendly.

The community’s residential, retail and commercial developments are being intertwined with its inviting parks and public spaces.

East Bayfront will feature 6,000 residential units, including 1,200 affordable residences, and millions of square feet of employment space able to accommodate 8,000 jobs. The area will also be a hub for retail, entertainment and cultural amenities and will be easily accessible by public transportation.

East Bayfront also sets the standard for sustainable neighbourhoods and has already achieved Stage 1 LEED ND Gold certification.

Supported by state-of-the-art technological infrastructure, East Bayfront will be an intelligent community that will attract pre-eminent organizations from knowledge and creative-based industries. Leading-edge companies and organizations already call it home. There’s Corus Quay, the new corporate headquarters of Corus Entertainment, one of Canada’s largest media and entertainment companies. The George Brown College Waterfront Campus currently under construction will bring more than 3,500 full-time students to the area.

private sector developments

The Monde development located north of Queens Quay, just east of Sherbourne Common is the first private sector development in East Bayfront. Developed by Great Gulf Group of Companies and designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, Monde is a mixed-use development featuring residential, retail, office/employment and institutional uses with impressive views of Lake Ontario.

The largest development parcel in East Bayfront, Bayside is comprised of 5.6 hectares (13 acres) and has a prominent waterfront location with extended frontage on the lake. With two million sqaure feet of residential and commercial development space, it will become a new urban waterfront district featuring employment, residential, cultural and retail uses, vibrant public spaces and exceptional architecture.

Following an extensive competitive process, Waterfront Toronto selected Hines, one of the world’s premier real estate firms, as the site's private sector development partner.

quick facts

Boundaries: From Lower Jarvis Street to Parliament Street, Lake Shore Boulevard to Lake Ontario

Size:

  • 23 hectares (55 acres)


Features:

  • 6,000 new residential units
  • 3 million square feet of commercial space
  • 8,000 new jobs
  • 5.5 hectares of parks and public spaces
  • 1 km continuous water’s edge promenade


Proximity: 10 minute walk to Union Station

Design Team: Koetter Kim & Associates, Precinct Plan Lead

multimedia
video: animated flythrough

See what East Bayfront will look like in the future.

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east bayfront webcam

Watch construction on the webcam.

learn more
the history of east bayfront

East Bayfront was formally Lake Ontario marshland that was in-filled in the 1950s, during the last stage of the Toronto Harbour Commissioners’ 1912 plan for a waterfront industrial park. The lands were developed as the Queen Elizabeth Docks by the Toronto Harbour Commission for industrial and marine transport-related purposes, in anticipation of an increase in port activity with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Historically, the East Bayfront property was used primarily as a marine freight transfer facility

under the Toronto Harbour Commission, and by Canadian Pacific Express and Transport Ltd. and others.

The evolution of downtown Toronto and changes in the goods movement industry has meant that the area no longer functions as a busy industrial port.

Today, approximately 70% of the East Bayfront precinct land area is in public ownership, presenting an exciting opportunity for a comprehensive mixed-use community that will be integrated within Toronto’s urban fabric.