Toronto’s Ookwemin Minising joins global network of cities taking on the climate crisis through community-forward design

PUBLISHED: November 12, 2025

In This Blog:

• Discover how Ookwemin Minising is helping Toronto lead the way in climate-responsive, community-forward design
• Learn about the project’s global recognition at the C40 World Mayors’ Summit 2025
• Explore what makes a “green and thriving neighbourhood” and how Ookwemin Minising is bringing this vision to life
• See how the island’s design tackles climate change while fostering connection, culture, and inclusivity
• Find out how Waterfront Toronto is shaping a resilient, low-carbon future 

Waterfront Toronto’s Ookwemin Minising project joins an international network, Green and Thriving Neighbourhoods, through C40 Cities (C40), tackling the climate crisis through purposeful and people-centered design.

This week, the project gained global recognition as Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow spoke about the transformative vision for Ookwemin Minising in a video message at the C40 World Mayors’ Summit 2025. Hosted in Rio de Janeiro, the summit brought together mayors, governors and local leaders from nearly 100 C40 cities, alongside philanthropists, investors, academics, and civil society to showcase how cities are delivering innovative, community-focused solutions to the climate crisis.

Toronto’s newest island, Ookwemin Minising, is one of 24 pilot neighbourhoods for the program showcased at the summit. As Mayor Chow proudly noted, the island is helping tackle the dual challenge of building affordable, low-carbon housing, all while restoring our natural environment. The Green and Thriving Neighbourhoods program is helping project leaders and community stakeholders like Waterfront Toronto lead the way for the next generation of ambitious, climate-​responsive​​ neighbourhoods. 

Through the program, Toronto and cities around the world are developing dynamic, livable, low-carbon, ​resilient, ​and inclusive complete communities.

It’s about delivering neighbourhoods that are not just about the form – what they look like – but how they function – how people live in them.

It’s about thinking about the planet and building neighbourhoods that change how people live and connect. 

What is a green and thriving neighbourhood? 

• They put the ‘neighbour’ back into the design where  human connection, creativity and culture are present and celebrated
• The housing is varied​​,​​ with affordable options that provide for a wide range of incomes and needs
• They mix in shops, services and amenities, making them easily accessible to all residents
• The public spaces are inviting and welcoming for people to stay, while streets encourage active and sustainable modes of transport
• Built with green construction – net-zero​​​ operational carbon buildings and sustainable infrastructure that’s designed to help the planet and made to last
• Nature is seamlessly woven into everyday living 

Here are just a few of the ways Ookwemin Minising will do this:

Vibrant public spaces and destinations

• Our ‘Growing Streets’ design turns streets into green corridors, where nature and connection to the water is a part of everyday life
• Year-round events, programming and festivals reflect Toronto’s diversity to help shape the neighbourhood’s identity
• 10-minute neighbourhood with walkable streets and a variety of shops and services within a ten-minute walk  

Dealing with climate change in the neighbourhood design 

• Flood protection, lush plantings, tree canopy (trees planted closely together) and climate​​-​​​​responsive streetscapes (streets designed to manage the impact of severe weather events)
• Resourceful and innovative practices including re-using construction and demolition materials   ​​     ​​ 

Something for everyone 

• A mix of housing types and ownership to support and give choices to individuals, families, and newcomers alike, with affordable housing options
• Energy-efficient, climate-resilient and certified ‘zero carbon’ homes connected to parks, courtyards, and public space

Getting Around the Neighbourhood 

• Putting the needs of people walking down streets first, before cars, with connected cycling paths
• Making it easier for people to travel from the island community to the rest of the city 

Long before the idea of Ookwemin Minising took shape, the Port Lands and Don River served as a vital gathering place and anchor of the community. Nearly a decade ago, Waterfront Toronto began working with international experts, including C40 and their network of peer cities, imagining a new kind of neighbourhood on Toronto’s waterfront – one which was accessible, affordable and sustainable for all. 

Today, Ookwemin Minising stands as the solid result of all three levels of government supporting Waterfront Toronto and looking to the future to address the urgent need for housing, economic growth and prosperity, strengthening Toronto’s competitive advantage as a magnetic destination to live, work and visit.

As the World Mayors Summit comes to a close, we’re reminded of how cities around the world are moving from plans to action, turning climate pledges into real world action. And Toronto? We're proud to be at the forefront of that change.