The West Don Lands area is a brownfield site in the flood plain of the Don River. Before any revitalization and development could occur the area required remediation and flood mitigation.

Since 2007 the Ontario Realty Corporation, on behalf of Waterfront Toronto, has been working on construction of the area’s massive flood protection landform (FPL). When complete in 2011, the FPL will protect not only the West Don Lands but a 99 hectare (245 acre) area, including Toronto’s financial district, from flooding.

The massive landform is being constructed from clean soil taken from construction sites within the Greater Toronto Area. Approximately 400,000 cubic metres of fill is being used to construct the low-lying landform, which is equivalent to about 40,000 dump truck loads.

Upon completion, the landform will provide the necessary flood protection for the new West Don Lands community, permitting the removal of the flood-plain designation and allowing the land to be rezoned for residential development.

In addition to the landform, flood protection is also being provided by widening the channel of the Don River so that it can accommodate a larger flow of water. Toronto and Region Conservation carried out this work as part of the Lower Don River West Remedial Flood Protection Project.
The unique topography provided by the landform will be utilized to build the Don River Park, a signature piece of the new West Don Lands community.

Project Lead:
Ontario Realty Corporation on behalf of Waterfront Toronto

Location:
Along the Don River from the rail corridor to King Street.

Size:
Approximately 8 hectares.  Approximately 400,000 cubic metres of fill is being used to construct the low-lying landform, which is equivalent to about 40,000 dump truck loads.