Descriptive Transcript: Waterfront Toronto Open House 2025
On October 23, 2025, we hosted an open house to showcase the next phase of Toronto’s waterfront revitalization. Attendees learned about exciting projects shaping Quayside, Ookwemin Minising, and the Waterfront East Transit, including new housing, destinations, and connections to the eastern waterfront.
The transcript below corresponds with the full Open House presentation deck, which is available in an accessible format for your convenience.
The following is a descriptive transcript for: Waterfront Toronto Open House: Quayside, Ookwemin Minising & Waterfront East Transit Updates Video
[DESCRIPTION: The presentation opens with a slide titled “Welcome to Toronto’s Waterfront,” featuring a group of people paddling canoes along the waterfront, each carrying flags. Logos for the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and the City of Toronto appear on the slide. The scene transitions to a person standing behind a podium displaying a sign that reads “Our New Waterfront.” A title card appears on screen: “George Zegarac, President & CEO, Waterfront Toronto.” The podium is positioned beside a wooden beam inside a building adjacent to a condominium.]
[AUDIO:]
All right, let's get started. I'll start by actually introducing myself. I'm George Zegarac, I'm the CEO and President for Waterfront Toronto. And I want to start by thanking everybody for joining us tonight. That's the first thing I'm thankful for. The second thing I'm thankful for is there's no Blue Jays game on tonight that I'm competing with.
[DESCRIPTION: The person speaks into a microphone. A slide appears of an image of a curved yellow bridge over the Don River with the Toronto skyline in the background at night. Refer to slide 2.]
[AUDIO:]
[Audience Laughing]
You know, it's really important that we have the opportunity to engage with our community. And many of you have been part of this ride for the last 25 years that we've been here. And many new people have joined us and welcome to the group.
I do want to identify the fact that we are in a building that we are actually located. We relocated to this building two years ago, almost two years ago.
[DESCRIPTION: The person gestures to the building behind him during his remarks.]
[AUDIO:]
And we have this great space where you can actually see what has been accomplished. When you take a look around and you look at the promenade, you look at the Aqualuna, well, Aqualuna right behind me and people stop every day to take pictures of this building while I'm here. So, you know, there's lots for us to be proud of. So I think there's two things that we should accomplish today. One is to look at and give your feedback on some of the plans we have for the future because we are trying to make this a waterfront for everyone. And that means we need to listen to the different voices and to take a look at what some of the competing choices are and to kind of land something that works for everybody. But I also want people to step back because often, and I'm guilty and my staff are guilty of this, we accomplish something, we move right on to the next thing. But we should kind of step back and reflect on what's been accomplished over that period of time with your support too, because I think there's lots that we should be proud of as well.
[DESCRIPTION: A slide appears displaying Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations Elder standing in shallow water, holding a drum and pouring water as part of a traditional water ceremony. Text next to the image displays a land acknowledgement. Refer to slide 3.]
[AUDIO:]
So let me start by the land acknowledgement. So Waterfront Toronto acknowledges that the land upon which we're undertaking our revitalization efforts is part of the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. And that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
In addition, Waterfront Toronto acknowledges that Toronto has historically been a gathering place for many Indigenous people, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples, and is home to many First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples today. So let me kind of walk you through what the evening is going to look like. So we have the opportunity here to give you a quick synopsis of what our plans are going forward.
[DESCRIPTION: The slide changes to display an agenda slide. Logo: Waterfront Toronto Logo. Refer to slide 4.]
[AUDIO:]
I will introduce Chris Glaisek, who's our Chief Planning and Design Officer. He will give you some background on what we're doing on Ookwemin Minising. Meg Davis, who's our Chief Development Officer, will talk about Quayside.
Then we'll be calling on Joe Cressy, who is our Chief Strategic and Public Affairs Officer. Who will talk a bit about some of the waterfront studies that governments have funded us to conduct.
And then obviously one of the big things that we want to talk about is transit, because we're not building all this without an ability for people to get there. So Pina Mallozzi, who's our Senior Vice President for Design and Planning, will talk a bit about that. And then I'll kind of wrap it up. And after I wrap it up, we will open up the time for you to go out to the number of stations that we've actually put at the back of the room and around the side, where you'll get a chance to engage with all of our staff, not just our staff, but city staff that have joined us, and ask questions and share your comments. So we'll be documenting the questions and comments and bringing that back so we can condense that and take a look at how we can actually improve on some of the plans that we have going forward.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to video shot of speaker at podium. Shot changes to slide displaying people riding bicycles along a bicycle trail, while pedestrians walk along a nearby sideway and rest on benches lining the sidewalk. A streetcar is also seen travelling eastbound in the background. Refer to slide 5.]
[AUDIO:]
So let me also start by identifying who we are. For some of the people who don't know, Waterfront Toronto was created back in 2001 by three levels of government, actually came out of a failed Olympic bid. But the idea was, okay, we might not have succeeded in the Olympic bid, but the plan we had to revitalize this waterfront is still valid. So the three levels of government created the corporation funded by all three levels to revitalize this waterfront. That meant create housing opportunities, create great parks, revitalize with transit and public art. And that mission really, that mandate, is as relevant today as it was 25 years ago. So what we want to do is continue to build on the success that we've had. But we have to also remind people of what we were dealing with 25 years ago.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to four past images of the Toronto waterfront, with construction sites overlooking the waterfront 25 years ago. Refer to slide 6.]
[AUDIO:]
So this was 25 years of dealing with abandoned sites, landfill sites, industrial sites, that were both contaminated and in a floodplain.
So when people get anxious about how long it takes for us to develop things here on the waterfront, you've got to actually realize, you're dealing with contaminated soil, you're dealing with a floodplain, so you actually have to take it out of a floodplain to be able to develop the kind of communities that we were established to develop.
And you know, I have to say, with the credit to the public that worked with us as we moved forward on this, we were able to, and I use the line from Ernest Hemingway, he would say, there are two ways of moving forward and seeing advancement. One is the gradual and the second is suddenly. And it does feel sometimes like it's taken a long time and it's been gradual, but over that period of time, all of a sudden you get these types of things where you take the revitalized land, and now we have great promenades.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to current images of Toronto waterfront. Refer to slide 7.]
[AUDIO:]
Corktown Common, beautiful park, and that park is actually our first flood protection project. We could not have developed that West Don Lands in the Pan Am Village in that area had we not built that flood protection project and created the opportunity to get synergy in that project by creating a park out of that berm as well. And we've developed and you see, if you go further down in the building, the beautiful promenade that we have here with Sugar Beach and the great architectural designs that our design review panel contributes to as we take our projects forward and get great advice on the architectural designs. So we have great advice that comes from the public in sessions like this.
[AUDIO:]
We get great advice from expert groups like our design review panel, but we also get great advice with new advisory groups that we have, including our accessibility advisory group that looks at how do we make sure that as we build out this community, it's accessible as well.
So, you know, when I talk about moving gradually and then suddenly, that's kind of what I used to tell people as we were building out Ookwemin Minising and Biidaasige Park. You know, people didn't know what we were doing because it was blocked off as a construction site. And then all of a sudden this summer, we open it up and people go, "Where did this come from?" And it came from seven, eight years of hard work by our teams, our partners, the city and the other two levels of government and all the contractors that we have.
[DESCRIPTION: Slides changes a wide aerial view of Toronto’s downtown skyline at sunset, with the CN Tower visible in the background. In the foreground, a curving white and red bridge spans a calm water channel surrounded by newly planted greenery. A roadway and open construction areas sit behind the bridge, with condo towers and the elevated Gardiner Expressway stretching across the scene. Refer to slide 8.]
[AUDIO:]
And here's what we have now. We have a beautiful flood protected area that's opened up 500 acres for development. We've got a beautiful park that we've established and will continue to grow out. So next year we'll open up another 10 acres.
But we've got a great community place for people not only from Toronto, but from the region and internationally to come to. We have a number of visitors that we had this summer and they have been talking to the families in Australia, Great Britain, et cetera, encourage them to come here to see the beautiful park that we built, the island, the trails and the Great Promenade here. So it is something that we should all be proud of, but there's a lot of work still to be done.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes graphic and text explaining the “Tri-Government package’. Refer to slide 9.]
[AUDIO:]
So let's talk about the next phase. We've gone through quite a bit and accomplished a lot, but we have more to do. And I want to thank our three levels of government who are our partners and our third tranche of funding. So we got 1.5 billion when we were established and then we got another 1.3 to do the flood protection, build out the island. And then we recently received another 975 million. And what's that 975 million going to get us? Well, it's establishing a community that has 14,000 units, 15,000 people will live on Ookwemin Minising. It'll have great public parks and public realm that we've already established and continue to grow out.
But we'll also like to create alignment along the waterfront, making this a world-class destination site. And Joe will talk a bit about that. But we also need to make sure that we have a transportation system and a multimodal system. So bikes, pedestrian walkways, land transportation. So we'll talk about our Eastern extension with regards to our streetcar system that we're planning.
But we need to better utilize the water so that we can actually move people east and west and not just across to the parks.
But we also are funded to be able to put some of that money into creating activation sites. So trying to get Biidaasige Park and the island activated. In fact, we're already targeting things for next year as we open the Lassonde Art Trail and we have FIFA coming. So it's great opportunities for us to continue to build on the asset that we've already created.
[DESCRIPTION: The presentation now changes to a map of Toronto’s Eastern Waterfront showing current and future redevelopment. Orange areas indicate completed revitalization, mainly in the West Don Lands, Lower Yonge, and East Bayfront neighbourhoods. Grey areas show existing uses that have not yet undergone redevelopment. White areas outlined with dashed borders represent future development zones, including Quayside, Keating Channel, Ookwehon Minising, Polson Quay and South River Districts, East Harbour, McCleary District, and Media City and Turning Basin Districts. A note on the map states the Eastern Waterfront will accommodate about 100,000 new residents and 90,000 new jobs. Refer to slide 10.]
[AUDIO:]
But what's the bigger vision? And the bigger vision is we look forward to creating a community of over 100,000 people. That's what the target is for developing a community here and a complete community with great parks and artwork and housing.
And as you'll see, and we'll talk a bit about more detail on the housing, a lot more two, three and four bedroom units that are the gap that we see in the city, right? So we have a lot of studio and one bedrooms, but families are struggling to find housing. So we need to be able to fulfill the need of creating two, three and four bedroom family units.
So as you can see, we're building a community that, I acknowledge, what's 100,000 people? People can't understand what, well, that's bigger than Peterborough. So we're building a city within a city and bringing a community bigger than Peterborough into our destination here. So lots to do and what I'm going to do is turn it over to my team to give you a little bit more background on how we're going to do this, what our plans are, so that you have some context, so the different stations, you can share your comments, your thoughts and ask the questions that are relevant to you. So I'm going to actually ask Chris Glaisek to come up and start us off.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to video of presenter at podium. A title card appears displaying “Chris Glaisek, Chief Planning & Design Officer”. As he introduces the next speaker, he departs the podium as they enter to speak at the podium.]
[AUDIO:]
[Audience Applauding]
Thank you, George.
And thank you to everyone for coming. We've got a nice crowd here. My name is Chris Glaisek. I'm the Chief Planning and Design Officer at Waterfront Toronto. And I'd like to talk about the new island that we celebrated this past summer, Ookwemin Minising, with the opening of the first phase of Biidaasige Park.
And this is just a teaser. The real information is going to be in the real conversations. You're going to be when you go to the back after this is all done.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to an aerial view of Toronto’s eastern waterfront showing the future development area called Ookwemin Minising outlined in white. The outlined zone covers land south of the rail corridor near the Don River, where construction and earthworks are underway. High-rise neighbourhoods are visible to the north, and Lake Ontario is to the west. Refer to slide 11.]
[AUDIO:]
What we now know as Ookwemin Minising was not all that long ago a post-industrial landscape.
The result of years, decades really, of championing by the community.
A revitalization, championing the revitalization. An international design competition. A almost two year due diligence process. And $1.4 billion in tri-government funding. Thank you to all three levels of government for that. What everyone thought was just a pipe dream is now a reality.
[DESCRIPTION: The slide slowly fades to an overhead aerial image of the new Don River valley and Biidaasige Park. This image is shown in the context of showing Ookwemin Minising. The winding river channels, green wetlands, and newly constructed bridges are visible, with ongoing construction and undeveloped areas surrounding the site. Refer to slide 12.]
[AUDIO:]
And what we've delivered here are several key things that some of you may already know about. First and foremost, we have flood protected 600 acres of land through the Portland's flood protection project, which delivered the parks that were opened this summer, but also that beautiful new river channel, as well as the additional spillway to the south, which takes all of that land out of the floodplain. We've given a new life to the river and a new future to the river with this new river mouth. And of course, we've created the island that you see here now by carving the new river channel.
[DESCRIPTION: Illustrative map showing planned community services and facilities within the future Ookwemin Minising neighbourhood. Labeled icons indicate approximate locations for a library, community centre, school, non-profit facilities, a health clinic, and a fire station. The map also shows planned streets including New Cherry Street, Old Cherry Street, Commissioners Street, and Villiers Street, with parks and green spaces surrounding the community. A note states that exact facility locations are not yet determined. Refer to slide 13.]
[AUDIO:]
We are, now that it's flood protected, able to start really thinking about building a new community here.
We're working to design a complete community. So that includes thinking about all of the amenities, community services, and other things that are needed to creep the community whole. This is just an example of some of the ones that we're starting to work on in the plan. It includes planning for a school, a community center, three daycare centers, a fire station, and a library.
[DESCRIPTION: Illustrative land use map of the future neighbourhood south of Keating Channel and north of Commissioners Street. North is up. The Keating Channel borders the top of the map, and the Don River valley and wetlands are to the south. The map shows a network of new blocks defined by Villiers Street, Centre Street, New Cherry Street, and Munition Street. Grey shapes represent future mixed-use buildings, with small green spaces shown near Villiers Street. A pink dashed outline marks the study or planning boundary. Refer to slide 14.]
[AUDIO:]
So in order to make the development happen, we are now working with the globally recognized partnership of GHD, SLA, landscape architects, Allies and Morrison, Trophic Design, Transsolar Engineering, Level Playing Field, and Monumental to begin designing all the pieces that are needed to make a real neighbourhood. So to design the public streets, to design the plazas, as well as the sanitary, sewer, and utility infrastructure that goes underground that then enables this new community to come to life. At the same time, we are finishing another piece of Biidaasige Park, which is where the Canoe Cove Islands are, which you may have seen if you were out there this summer. We're expecting to open that sometime next year.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to a green, blue and white map of the area where Biidaasige Park North is situated and how the park is near existing roads and water channels. Refer to slide 15.]
[AUDIO:]
And as if that wasn't enough great park space, we're also now working on yet another park component, Biidaasige Park North, which is still part of the original vision from the design competition that we ran way back in 2006.
But we're now thinking about this park as part of a new event space that will take advantage of the undeveloped blocks in the early years to be able to host events, cultural attractions, and other things and start to really bring a sort of life to the island before all of the residents have arrived.
And that space is going to also be designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, who designed Biidaasige Park and really the whole flood protection system for us.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to a graphic of a green, white and red graphic of people enjoying the neighbourhood by flying kites, running, walking, and getting around by bus, all in a park setting. Refer to slide 16.]
[AUDIO:]
And I mentioned the team with all the names on it being led from a landscape perspective by SLA.
They are really now starting to look at, how do we design a streetscape system here that is unique, that creates a sense of place that is unlike anything you would find elsewhere in the city.
And they're looking at that through an approach to streetscape design that is somewhat novel. They call it urban forest, where they're actually trying to create a density of plantings that you would not usually associate with streets, maybe more a bit with parks, that serve both as a habitat, as a stormwater treatment system, and as a very healthy green environment to move through. They've delivered some of these in Europe. This will be their first one in North America. So we're very excited about trying to bring that to life.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to five graphics showing the five landscape layers to show how people will get around in the area, how nature is part of it all, how dense the area is with buildings and the corridors for people to travel through. Refer to slide 17.]
[AUDIO:]
There's actually kind of five layers to this landscape approach that they've laid out. The first they call the Living Legacy, which is to celebrate not only the industrial heritage, some of which you see highlighted in orange there, but also the Indigenous heritage and the whole Ookwemin Legacy Corridor, as they're calling it. And you'll see more about that in the back. They've also identified sort of four characters for the main east-west corridors, which include the Keating Channel Promenade, Villiers Street, Center Street, and Commissioner Street, each of which they're proposing to have a somewhat different character to create variation and an engagement in a dynamism on the island.
The third is space for nature, and that's the urban forest that I spoke about a minute ago. So trying to really take some of the incredible nature and ecology of Biidaasige Park and the New River and weave it right into the fabric of the island, right through the community.
The fourth they call everyday mobility, so making sure this is a neighbourhood that people who live here can move around in comfortably, as well as the bigger streets that have been built like Cherry and Commissioners, which are kind of about regional mobility.
And lastly, what we're calling Strategic Density.
So trying to make sure that as we build the island, that all of the buildings have a really strong relationship to the public realm, that they help reinforce the connection between what goes on the ground floor inside the building and what goes on outside the building on the public streets, all while trying to deliver as much housing as we can to help with our housing crisis while delivering a human-scaled neighbourhood.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes an enhanced, brown monochromatic photo, made to look like a graphic, that shows the CN tower in the background and the streets and waterways through the neighbourhood amid small, medium and high buildings. Refer to slide 18.]
[AUDIO:]
Council not only supported the density increase, but at the same time directed city staff in Waterfront Toronto to try to look at adding even more density to the island with that target of 30% affordable housing. So that's something we're working on now. That's part of this Strategic Density idea. At full build out, we're now envisioning about at least 15,000 residents on the island, and we are hoping for first occupancy by around 2031.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to two concept graphics that show how the buildings will interact with the streets, parking and servicing roads and the different heights of the buildings. Refer to slide 19.]
[AUDIO:]
To deliver that density, we've been working closely with the world-renowned architecture firm, Allies and Morrison, who are proposing to add density while looking at a variety of different building typologies. So not just tall towers, which is something that Waterfront Toronto has not typically done anywhere else on the waterfront, but trying to have a mix of tall towers, tall mid-rise, mid-rise, and even some townhouse units.
This way, we'll keep the island varied, engaging, still allow sunlight to make it down to the ground on the public sidewalks, and also preserve key views to the waterfront. So that work is progressing, and we're very encouraged by what they've produced so far. Oops, now I hit that button too many times.
[DESCRIPTION: The slide four photos that show people, and children, listening to speakers as well as drawing on large pieces of paper with their ideas for the Ookwemin Minising. Rfer to slide 20.]
[AUDIO:]
So I'm almost done. So right now, we are working on the concept design for all of this infrastructure, streetscape, and public realm.
That phase will be, that's what you're going to see presented tonight. Once that phase is finished, two things will happen. In early 2026, Waterfront Toronto and city staff hope to submit a report to city council about adding an additional somewhere between 20 and 30% density increase to the island.
And I do want to point out that the work that we're designing and what you're going to see tonight is all going to be delivered in phases. The silence is not all going to be built out at once, and that applies as much to the buildings as it does to the public realm. So we're not going to build the entire street network all at once. We will build the streets in phases. So some of what you're going to see tonight may not get delivered for 5, 10, 15, maybe even 20 years, depending on how long the build out takes. But it is all being planned holistically and in an integrated fashion.
Once we're done with the concept design, we will then move into a detailed design of all of the same elements, the streets, plazas, promenades, and infrastructure.
So that we have all of that basically ready to go. As money comes along as the development phases occur.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to presenter at podium.]
[AUDIO:]
And I think what's important to know is that throughout that whole process, we're going to be talking to the community. So in forums like this, we will also be using our Ookwemin Minising Advisory Network, which has a variety of stakeholders on it who help inform us in our process. And we will certainly be continuing our very robust dialogue with the Indigenous community. So we hope to have a plan for this that has very broad buy-in and support, builds a fantastic community, and that everybody here can feel proud of. So with that, I'm going to ask them to bring up the step stool for the rest of the team who aren't absurdly tall, like me and George.
And introduce, sorry, not just the step stool. The step stool won't be doing the presentation. That will be done by Meg Davis, our Chief Development Officer. Come on up, Meg.
[DESCRIPTION: The presenter introduces the next speaker, who comes up behind the podium. A title card appears displaying “Meg Davis, Chief Development Officer, Waterfront Toronto]
[AUDIO:]
As Chris said, I'm Meg Davis, the Chief Development Officer at Waterfront Toronto. And wow, what a crowd. I'm just seeing this for the first time. I want to acknowledge that our colleagues at the City of Toronto are here this evening without whom we could not do any of the things that you're seeing here. So I want to acknowledge City staff for the great work they do. And for Quayside, our development partners of Dream and Great Gulf, who together form Quayside Impact, are also here this evening.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to a rendered aerial view of downtown Toronto and the waterfront. A cluster of four towers and three mid-rise buildings are outlined in white. Refer to slide 21.]
[AUDIO:]
So Quayside, as part of the long-term revitalization, will deliver a dynamic, inclusive, and resilient community. Planning policies, such as the city's Central Waterfront Secondary Plan, the East Bayfront and Keating Channel Precinct Plans, the city's community services strategy, considered all of the elements of complete communities and services and facilities that are needed to make a great community.
Quayside will connect some of the city's most iconic neighbourhoods, including the St. Lawrence, Distillery District, and the new island of Ookwemin Minising.
And Quayside has ambitious goals relating to affordability, design excellence, sustainability, and community building.
At Quayside, Waterfront Toronto is delivering innovative public spaces to activate the waterfront, and the infrastructure needed to improve the area's mobility and support for new housing.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to aerial view of downtown Toronto, including the CN tower and a dense skyline of buildings. Featured in the foreground is a water's edge pedestrian walkway and a variety of mid-rise buildings. Refer to slide 22.]
[AUDIO:]
And if you have had a chance to look out the window, you'll see that we've been hard at work.
[DESCRIPTION: A slide with a map illustrating the existing layout of streets in East Bayfront. The map shows the current configuration of Queens Quay East, running on an east-west axis, and its transition to an angled Parliament Street, running on a north-east axis, to meet Lake Shore Boulevard East. There is a dedicated cycling lane along the south side Queens Quay East, Parliament Street and the south side of Lake Shore Boulevard to the east.]
[AUDIO:]
And over the past two years, we have filled in the tip of the Parliament slip to support the extension of Queens Quay all the way over to Cherry Street and the realignment of Parliament Street. So I invite you to take a look if you haven't already had a chance to do so.
[DESCRIPTION: Rendering of map changes to the future layout of streets in East Bayfront. The map shows Queens Quay East extended along a straight line further to the east, and Parliament Street realigned along a north-south axis with a subtle curve creating an intersection with vehicular and pedestrian signals. There is a connected and dedicated cycling lane along the south side of Queens Quay East, the east side of Parliament Street and the south side of Lake Shore Boulevard to the east. Also featured is a section of meadow on the south side of Queens Quay East between Small Street and Parliament Street, representing an area protected for the future transit right-of-way. Refer to slide 24.]
[AUDIO:]
That helps us create a more traditional intersection at Parliament in Queens Quay, improving the experience for everyone, including pedestrians and cyclists.
Through this work, we're supporting create-- sorry, connectivity now, but also future-proofing for the future East Transit Project. And you're going to hear a little bit more about that in a few minutes. This work will create additional development blocks as well for more homes and mixed-use development in phase two.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to three renderings that illustrate the vision for the area’s public realm. Image on the left illustrates a sidewalk lined with open tree beds with layered plantings, and people sitting on natural elements incorporated within the streetscape including large rocks and logs. Top right illustrates a pedestrian walkway beside the water, lined with trees, open planter beds and bench seating. Bottom right shows a sidewalk lined with open tree beds, a person seated in a wheelchair in a conversation setting with people seated on natural elements incorporated within the streetscape including large rocks and logs. Refer to slide 25.]
[AUDIO:]
Our design is leading with ecology, signaling the transition from the highly urbanized city areas to the water's edge and then across into the naturalized landscape of Ookwemin Minising and the new revitalized mouth of the Don.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to two graphics with text describing how new housing will delivered.]
[AUDIO:]
But as you all know, Toronto is facing a housing affordability crisis. The market conditions have deteriorated, and development has basically ceased across the city. But amid all of that, Quayside stands out because with the collective commitment of the city and our government partners, as well as our development partners, we've made changes to Quayside that allow us to keep it on track.
Our strengthened housing plan has been made possible through significant contributions and commitments from the federal government, the municipal government in funding and financing for the project.
[DESCRIPTION: The slide shifts to vibrant graphics showcasing future housing and community sites, illustrating where and how many developments are planned. Refer to slide 26.]
[AUDIO:]
So what does this new plan provide?
It will deliver more affordable housing sooner. In phase one, we'll be accelerating approximately 533 affordable rental homes, which is about 100 more than what we had originally proposed.
The housing will focus on families with about 57% being two, three and four bedroom units. We're also introducing over 1,100 purpose-built rental homes, a tenure that we haven't had yet on the waterfront and is sorely needed. And that will replace previously planned market condominiums.
While we were doing our work on this strategy, we met with the not-for-profit affordable housing providers to find out what their approach would be to providing efficient and faster delivery of housing. We heard that standalone buildings provide operational efficiencies and are easier to manage.
So previously, let me go back one. It's hard to see on here, but so previously blocks 1A, 1B and C, and you'll see this better when you go over to see the station, were to be a mix of affordable housing and market condominiums. Given the feedback that we heard, we have transitioned to the low-rise bar building along the front of the property 1C to be entirely affordable housing in three manageably-sized buildings. By modifying the design and the approach to construction, we can deliver more homes faster. Although timber is no longer part of the plan, it will not diminish the sustainability goals of net zero for Quayside.
Block 1B, that you can see on this plan, will still be a mix of affordable units with market rental units, and block 2 will be all market rental units.
[AUDIO:]
Construction should be underway in 2006, and the first residents will be moving in in 2031.
And then on the condominium portion of the site outlined in red, which is 1A, was originally proposed for a single 67-storey condo tower with 1,100 units. The current market conditions can't support a building of that size and that many units coming on market all at once. So the solution is to phase the development by breaking it into two smaller buildings, and you'll see that again over on the boards. The city is considering a rezoning later this fall for that to take effect.
[DESCRIPTION: Architectural plan showing two phases of a development project: "Condo Phase" outlined in red, and "PBR and ARH Phase" in blue. The plan includes labeled buildings and landscaped areas, with surrounding streets. Refer to slide 27.]
[AUDIO:]
So what does this all look like? At the heart of the new neighbourhood will be the community forest, a green corridor stretching from Bonnycastle to Small Street. It'll be one of the largest, greenest privately owned public spaces in the city, with a vibrant network of car-free spaces where the community can gather.
Phase 1 will also include a community hub, a new childcare centre to support all the community needs, as well as a rooftop urban garden to create opportunities for farm-to-table partnerships, education and special events.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to image depicting a vibrant pedestrian pathway in a modern urban park surrounded by contemporary apartment buildings. Several people are leisurely enjoying the area, some walking and others sitting on benches. Trees and greenery line the path, enhancing the peaceful urban setting. Refer to slide 28.]
[AUDIO:]
The design continues to be led by a strong roster of architects, including Alison Brooks, Henning Larsen, SLA, and two are architects who are guiding the Indigenous design, and they're all from the original team. And now we've added the strength of Allies and Morrison and Teeple Architects to our team.
[DESCRIPTION: The video switches back to speaker at podium.]
[AUDIO:]
Quayside also will be a zero-fossil fuel, zero-carbon certified master plan community with a variety of sustainability innovations like carbon-free heating and cooling systems, as well as low-carbon building materials.
[DESCRIPTION: From video it changes to a slide of an aerial view of future Quayside neighborhood at Toronto's east waterfront, outlined along Queens Quay East from Bonnycastle Street to Parliament Street and across Parliament Slip. Text reads, from left to right, Phase 1, Phase 2 mixed-use development, Silo Park and School Site plus Potential Cultural Destination. Refer to slide 30.]
[AUDIO:]
So looking ahead, for Phase 1 we're moving into detailed design, site plan approvals, advancing the zoning, all with the help of our city partners.
Phase 2 will follow within a few years and will include mixed-use development, school site, a cultural destination and a new park.
In closing, Quayside is more than just a development. It's proof that delivering housing is possible through hard work and commitment of governments and collaboration with the private sector.
[DESCRIPTION: Video returns to speaker at podium.]
[AUDIO:]
So with that, I'm going to pass you over to our Chief Strategy and Public Affairs Officer Joe Cressy to take you through the next... I don't know, Joe, if you want this.
A little riser.
[Applause]
[DESCRIPTION: Another presenter approaches the podium and picks up the screen changer.]
[AUDIO:]
Well, thank you, Meg.
What... Thank you very much. What an incredible turnout.
[DESCRIPTION: Title card appears for new speaker saying “Joe Cressy, Chief Strategy & Public Affairs Officer, Waterfront Toronto.” A slide with an aerial view of Toronto's downtown waterfront looking over Toronto Islands towards the CN tower. Refer to slide 31.]
[AUDIO:]
You're looking out at this room. There are hundreds of people. Toronto's waterfront has always belonged to everybody, and you can see that in real demonstration here today. But I would note, and I just want to recognise some fierce waterfront defenders who are here. I see former Mayor Barbara Hall, our Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, and John Wilson, our former Chair, from Bring Back the Don back in the day. All of you have played a part, but the three of you I'd like to single out.
[AUDIO:]
You just heard from Chris and Meg talking about our ambitious plans to build new neighbourhoods at Quayside and on Ookwemin Minising. And of course, the objective is not to build buildings, but to build neighbourhoods on the water, and I hope you see that. But our job at Waterfront Toronto is more than simply building complete communities, it is to stitch together and unlock an integrated and connected waterfront. And it's on that basis that I want to tell you a bit more about what governments have funded us to do in this next phase.
So, a year-round connected waterfront.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to images of people gathered at an outdoor event near water, watching a vibrant fireworks display with green and orange smoke in the sky. Refer to slide 32.]
[AUDIO:]
We're building two neighbourhoods, but how do we unlock the potential to reorient the city to the lake, to stitch us together in the central and eastern waterfront? Well, to that end, governments have funded us as part of our work in three areas. Early activation on Ookwemin Minising, I'm going to tell you a little bit about that.
A destination strategy, to look at a consistent waterfront approach to bring new destinations and attractions in a complementary fashion, that's the second. And the third is on marine use, something that George touched on and Chris leads.
[DESCRIPTION: A slide appears showing artistic rendering of Biidaasige Park North with Lake Ontario overlooking Toronto's skyline in the background, shown in both daylight summer time (top) and nighttime winter time (bottom). Refer to slide 33.]
[AUDIO:]
So let me begin with Ookwemin Minising and our early activation program.
So, as many of you may have experienced, and as Chris and George were talking about, flood protection created a new river, which in turn created a new island. And many of you, hopefully, have seen and experienced that new river and part of Biidaasige Park that opened this summer. But the full build-out of this island, as much as we'd love to see it here overnight, it will take decades for the full island to be built out.
But our goal is not to wait until it's being built out to transform it into something living now. We don't want to wait till the housing to build the parks and the social infrastructure, rather, we want to start with activating the island today. So this summer, part of the park system and river opened. Next summer, you're going to see the Lassonde Art Trail open. An extraordinary $25 million art trail with permanent exhibits. You're going to see Canoe Cove open, a place with five man-made islands where kids and adults alike can learn to paddle in a canoe or a kayak or a paddleboard. And you're also going to see an event lawn take shape.
[AUDIO:]
An event lawn with space for 3,000 people overlooking the city with infrastructure for film and screening and events and concerts. Think of Christie Pitts, but a lot bigger. And overlooking the water in the city. But that's next year. We have, governments have funded us to develop an early activation program that will initiate in a couple years as a 10-year project to use the new park that's being built, you can see it on the screen there called Biidaasige Park North, that will be built there along with housing, future housing sites that we're going to activate for 10 years.
What are we going to do when I say we're going to activate it? Well, we're working with the City of Toronto on a program and a model to bring events, temporary attractions, arts, culture, sport, recreation, food, beverage, and community. We want to activate this island now and in the years to come rather than wait until it's built out and it becomes a place. So we're doing that.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to an aerial view of Toronto’s CN Tower, with tall modern buildings, looking towards Billy Bishop Airport. Refer to slide 34.]
[AUDIO:]
The second piece of work that I want to touch on that the governments have asked us to prioritize is on destinations.
Now, Toronto's waterfront, it has some exceptional destinations.
Anybody who's been to Toronto Islands, put up your hand if you've been to the Toronto Islands.
I hope every hand is up because they're remarkable. We have the Toronto Islands, we have the Harbourfront Centre, there are some wonderful destinations, but I think we all recognize that Toronto's waterfront can be more. We want it to be better. This is a generational project to turn Toronto into waterfront city until if we aspire to reorient our city to the lake, we know a dedicated focus on ensuring we have destinations and attractions as part of that, along with complete communities and neighbourhoods.
[AUDIO:]
So we're undertaking this work on behalf of government partners. So what are we looking to do? What is a waterfront destination strategy? Three components. The first is an overarching vision that we as Waterfront Toronto, you as our public, as the public who we are accountable to and our government partners that we commonly share. What are the destinations we have today? Who uses them? What do we need in the future? Where should they go? These are the questions we hope to unlock. And ultimately, we're looking to identify those identified opportunity sites along the waterfront, including Ookwemin Minising that will look to transform into new attractions. We're looking to unpack what are the potential uses for those sites and then a roadmap to implement on them. And over the coming year, we're going to be talking to you and the public in large and small forms a lot about this piece of work.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to a group of people travelling in a boat in Lake Ontario with a backdrop of modern high-rise buildings under a clear blue sky. Refer to slide 35.]
[AUDIO:]
And then the third stream I'll touch on now as part of our next phase of work on behalf of governments is on the Marine use Strategy, and so what are we trying to do here?
What's our objective? Simply put, it's to activate the inner harbour for a range of transportation options. So rather than just the ferries that are going to and from the islands and the water taxis that jut about everywhere is a comprehensive approach to use our water to move people, to move people east-west, to stitch the inner harbour together as if it was a necklace. So you can hop on and off and go around it, maybe from Harbourfront Center to Ookwemin Minising to the islands and in between. And so in 2020, Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto, Ports Toronto and the TRCA, you'll find with us there's always a lot of organizations involved.
We updated a formal Marine Use Strategy. Now we're moving to implement. We're exploring long-term options, something that Chris Glaisek has really helped to lead on like a sea bus option, something they do in lots of cities around the world. But we're also looking at short-term options to implement in the year to two years ahead to move people east-west. And this is all part of our broader efforts to create a connected and active waterfront.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to cyclists and pedestrians on a multi-use waterfront trail with the City of Toronto in the background. Refer to slide 36.]
[AUDIO:]
And so I'll close here by just saying, you see on the slide there a little bit about what we've heard in this first summer at Ookwemin Minising. But what this slide really speaks to is that building a new city on the waterfront is up to all of us. Waterfront Toronto, we work on behalf of three orders of government, but we are accountable to you, the public. And that means meaningful engagement. Engagement to design our projects, to build our buildings, to undertake new studies like the ones I just talked about.
[DESCRIPTION: The slide transitions back to the live video of the podium as the next speaker approaches.]
[AUDIO:]
This is a city building project that requires all of us. And it's in that spirit that we're carrying on this work and that you're here tonight. And with that, I want to turn the floor over to Pina Mallozzi who is going to talk about Waterfront East Transit. Pina.
[Audience Applauding]
[DESCRIPTION: Title card appears for speaker displaying, “Pina Mallozzi, Senior Vice President, Design, Waterfront Toronto”.]
[AUDIO:]
Thank you, Joe. Hello and welcome everyone. Wow, there really is a lot of people in the room. I'm Pina Mallozzi, the Senior Vice President for Design at Waterfront Toronto. It's great to see many familiar faces, but also a lot of new faces in the room with us tonight.
So we've heard about many of the inspiring projects underway and everything from housing to destinations and how we're going to activate our harbour.
But next, let's talk about how we connect residents and visitors to the waterfront and along the waterfront, which is obviously an important component of this. So let's talk transit.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to graphic regarding “Connecting the waterfront” and an artist rendering showing Queens Quay East with a streetcar line, running in a dedicated right of way, next to pedestrians on a tree lined street and low rise buildings. Refer to slide 38.]
[AUDIO:]
The Waterfront East Transit is designed to help bridge communities and destinations new and existing along the Eastern waterfront. It will connect residents, workers, and visitors from Union Station along the Eastern waterfront to Ookwemin Minising and then to East Harbour.
The Waterfront East Transit is expected to serve 53,000 people and in the long term, the project will help enable housing and connectivity, as George noted, for approximately 100,000 residents and supporting thousands of jobs. Working closely with our partners at TTC, at the City of Toronto, we're set to bring this vision to life.
[DESCRIPTION: Slide changes to a detailed map showing the plans for the new Waterfront East Transit route and intermodal links that will connect with Union Station, the Ontario Line (via Corktown Station) and is planned to ultimately extend to East Harbour. The current phase of Waterfront East Transit Route is shown in solid red from Union Station to the Ferry Docks, and along Queens Quay East toward Cherry Street and to Ookwemin Minising, which will also create a transitway from the Distillery Loop through to the new island. Depicted in dotted red lines, is a future phase, which would run along Commissioners Street near the Film Studios and connect north to East Harbour. Refer to slide 39.]
[AUDIO:]
So what is it? As you can see on the slide, it really is a network connection. The Waterfront East Transit project will operate as a dedicated, as a streetcar in a dedicated right-of-way, connecting Union Station on the west to the, ultimately to East Harbour on the east. It'll run along Queens Quay, Cherry, and Commissioners and connect into the Ontario line at the Corktown Station as well as ultimately at East Harbour Station. It is 3.7 kilometers in length from Union Station to Ookwemin Minising and an additional 1.5 kilometers, the red dash line, to get to East Harbour with eight stops along the way. The plan is council approved and it is included in the province's regional planning for transit.
[DESCRIPTION: The slide transitions to a detailed breakdown of the three segments included in the network expansion. Refer to slide 40.]
[AUDIO:]
Tell you a little bit about some of the details of it. So the project is broken into three segments. Segment one will involve creating an underground connection between Union Station and Queens Quay.
So what will happen is that where the current 509-510 streetcar loop is, that loop will get bigger.
The tunnel from that loop to Queens Quay today will be upgraded and then there's a portal to the west, a new portal will be built that will direct the street car to the east in and around the Yonge Street area.
Segment two involves reconstructing Queens Quay east towards Cherry Street to allow for the streetcar to run along the Queens Quay corridor in a dedicated right-of-way. This includes an extension of Queens Quay east from where it ends today at Small Street to Cherry. And Meg showed us that transformation already underway. And finally, segment three will involve creating a transitway from the distillery loop south.
This will be an extension of the 504A King Car down onto Ookwemin Minising. You may have already noticed if you were visiting Biidaasige Park recently that there is a second red bridge crossing the Keating Channel as well as some grassy meadow area in the Cherry and Commissioner's right-of-way. That's the space that we have set aside for that transit corridor to make its way onto Ookwemin Minising. Once it gets onto Ookwemin Minising, it will loop around on the island in the interim and then ultimately a future phase will extend it to East Harbour.
[DESCRIPTION: The slide transitions to a breakdown of the project, featuring three images that represent each key stage.]
[AUDIO:]
So where are we at with this project?
Well, we've certainly been working on this for quite some time and we've made a lot of progress. We have completed all the environmental approvals required for the delivery of the Waterfront East Transit Project.
Just this past year, we received full approval from the Ministry of the Environment on the TPAP for the project. And we're moving along in design as well. We've completed 60% design for all the surface works components, so the segment two and segment three components of the project.
And segment one has completed 30% design. And we're now moving into construction documents or 100% design for the early work components of the projects. We're also working very closely with our three government partners on a funding approach and feel optimistic that this will come forward soon.
[DESCRIPTION: The slide transitions back to the live video of the presenter at the podium, who invites the host to return to the stage.]
[AUDIO:]
We've got a lot more details on this and the project team is here tonight. So we really look forward to answering your questions at the station at the back of the room, immediately following our presentations. So maybe with that, I think I'd turn it back to George.
All right. Well, thank you again, Pina. And I would just elaborate, as Pina has pointed out, a lot of the work is well underway with regards to that extension. It is not an Eglinton Crosstown LRT. It is an extension of the streetcar system going-- just as we have it right now, the 509 goes west all the way down to the exhibition. It's just extending it now going east. We've also de-risked as much as possible, as Pina said. We already have the LRT bridge in play. We've filled in the parliament-slipped portion that would extend this going across. And if you go to Biidaasige Park right now, you will see a corridor that's already built for it. So we've done a lot to prepare for this and de-risk it for governments. And we look forward to moving forward. And that's kind of our priority this year is to make sure we get transit.
So before I conclude, I want to, first of all, thank everybody for coming. I do want to acknowledge we could not have got this done had we not had the three-government model.
This is way too complicated for any one level of government to have been able to accomplish. So credit to the governments who thought about creating the Waterfront Toronto Agency. And I will be calling on one of our government representatives, but also one of our board members, the Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, to say a few words. And then I'll give you instructions for where we go from here.
Thank you.
[Applause]
[DESCRIPTION: The next speaker approaches the podium to present, without accompanying slides.]
[AUDIO:]
Thanks so much. How is everyone doing?
Do we feel more knowledgeable about what is happening to revitalize our waterfront?
Can we get a cheer in the back if that's the case?
How many of us have a lot of questions that we want to get answered?
Well, I will not stand in your way, but I'm very honoured to be here tonight. As was mentioned, my name is Ausma Malik, and I'm very proud to be Toronto's Deputy Mayor. So proud to be the city councillor right here in Spadina-Fort York, home of so many of the incredible projects that are continuing to move forward and that Waterfront Toronto, with all three levels of government and so many incredible project teams, staff to move forward. But most of all, at the heart of it, are our communities.
And I just want to give everyone who is here so much appreciation, everyone who has been a part of advocating for our waterfront, even when it was just an idea, a twinkle in our eye, to make it happen. Can we give a big cheer to all of you for sticking with us and for making this possible?
[Applause]
I appreciate the kind introduction and to everyone's presentations this evening as well. And it is so exciting to be here with neighbours, with business leaders, and with so many folks who are calling the East Waterfront their home, the place to work, to learn, and to grow. And for so many of you who are here from also across the city, seeing what's happening here, understanding a little bit more, and seeing how it can be an example for the work that we do together. For me, my priority is to work together for that livable, affordable, and green community, especially in our downtown neighbourhoods and especially where we have the potential to continue to grow.
And in a city like ours, I say all the time, we should have everything that we need to thrive alongside that essential growth. And that's excellent parks and public spaces. It's community infrastructure. It's rapid public transit and accessible affordable housing. And what is so beautiful about what we are looking at today is that that is not just words or a vision.
[AUDIO:]
It is becoming a reality through our collective efforts. And we know when planning began for the East Bay Front years ago, Waterfront Toronto was established to provide the focus and coordination to revitalize these lands that had long been neglected and cut off from the city. And that's a theme that I know you have heard tonight and that will continue in our conversations around that connectedness and that commitment to a waterfront that includes all of us and where we can feel that sense of belonging.
Their leadership along with City of Toronto staff has led to successes we've seen on our waterfront. You've heard it here, new communities, businesses, public spaces, and infrastructure that we need to continue to support livable neighbourhoods. And I'm committed to build on that foundation and committed to continue that work with you. And as part of that, we started off the year this past January thrilled. I was thrilled to join federal and provincial government partners and Waterfront Toronto to announce a nearly $1 billion investment into the next phase of waterfront revitalization, funding to enable that infrastructure that we've been talking about, the 14,000 housing units, a minimum 20% affordable, and the extension of the incredible Biidaasige Park Land that we've heard more about tonight.
This comes alongside City Council approved purpose-built rental housing incentives to fast track 1,250 new rental and 550 affordable units at Quayside starting next year. That is an outcome of our work together. And this is what is possible when there is a strong vision for our waterfront and where there is the will to use all the tools that we have to meet our challenges and when governments work together. And you know that this type of ambitious work does not come without its challenges. And that's why opportunities like tonight are so important for us to continue to hear what's on our mind, what's exciting that we're seeing, what are the questions that we're holding, and most of all, what are the ideas that you continue to bring to this process so we do this well. This momentum for our work together is continuing, and there is more to do. You heard a little bit about it here.
[AUDIO:]
The East Waterfront LRT is critical to building this new community, these new communities, and I am committed to getting that funded, started, and continue with you. And community infrastructure that includes new schools need to be completed. And we know that that is collaborative work, better connections across the Gardiner, and of course to the new Ookwemin Minising Park and Communities. How many of you have had a chance to see what is being shaped on our new island? We love our existing island, and our new island is really amazing.
As always, I'll be there to advocate and to move this forward in delivering for our waterfront and our city every step of the way. I want to again thank Waterfront Toronto staff and the city for organizing this opportunity and this open house tonight to be able to share with you the incredible progress that has been made to date and what is to come. And thank you all again for giving your time tonight. I'm looking forward to hearing from you, your questions, our discussions, and together we can achieve a waterfront community that meets the challenges of climate leadership, of our housing needs, and that builds equitable and accessible neighbourhoods that welcome visitors that we can call home, that have successful businesses, and most of all, that we can be proud to call a place for all of us. Thank you so much.
[DESCRIPTION: The speaker concludes the presentation, and the host returns to the platform.]
[AUDIO:]
All right. Well, thank you again, Ausma, Deputy Mayor, in concluding a couple of things I want to say. Well, first of all, thank you for coming. I hope you felt the excitement about not just what we're going to build, but what we've accomplished to date. And as we pointed out, we've got the confidence of governments who just invested another $975 million. But I want to point out something.
[DESCRIPTION: A title card appears displaying “George Zegarac, President & CEO, Waterfront Toronto”.]
[AUDIO:]
Today in the provincial legislature, legislation was introduced to advance housing quicker. And in that omnibus bill is an extension of Waterfront Toronto's mandate from 2028 to 2035 with the opportunity to go to 2040. That is a great sense of confidence that three levels of government have shown in us. It is attributed to all the great work of our partners, the city people here, our staff here, but also the community and the input that you gave us that we actually took into consideration as we built out this beautiful community. So now is an opportunity for us to stop talking at you and for you to go to the stations that are behind you.
Along the walls, they're going all the way around. It's a great opportunity for you to actually see the property Quayside that we've been talking about through the windows. But staff will take the opportunity to listen to your comments, which we'll be noting as well, but also for you to get answers to questions that you might have. So in concluding, I just want to thank everybody. It was a great group of people here today. I want to thank you for taking time out of your evening to engage with us today. And I'll let you just get to it. And hopefully, you get a lot of great information from the staff here. Thank you for coming.
[DESCRIPTION: As the presenter departs the stage,the video transitions to an ending slide displaying “Thank you”.]