January 11, 2018, Toronto, Ontario — Re-naturalizing and flood protecting the Port Lands is a key priority for the governments of Canada, Ontario and Toronto. Building resilient infrastructure in the Port Lands will increase Toronto’s capacity to adapt to climate change impacts and unlock the potential for the Port Lands to be home to the healthy, prosperous complete communities of the future.
 

POSTED: OCTOBER 16, 2017
BY: AARON BARTER
 

Once completed in 2024, Port Lands Flood Protection will create a new mouth for the Don River, river valley, parkland and natural habitat. The new 1,000-metre river valley will run through the Port Lands, south of the existing Shipping Channel, creating a new island, which we’re calling Villiers Island.    
 

New Mouth for the Don River, Parkland, Natural Habitat and Other Infrastructure to Set Foundations for Development of Climate-Resilient, Large-Scale Urban Asset

The Lower Don Lands - a 125 hectare (308 acre) area that runs from the Parliament Street Slip east to the Don Roadway and from the rail corridor south to the Ship Channel - is Waterfront Toronto’s most complex and ambitious project to date. Planning for the area needed to address a myriad of requirements and challenges including flood protection, infrastructure, urban design and transportation, plus a comprehensive process was needed to produce a master vision to integrate the various components.
 

Located at the foot of Cherry Street in the Port Lands, Cherry Beach is one of the city's most remarkable resources. It is known as the cleanest beach in Toronto, which means that swimmers can enjoy the water here for most of the summer. Cherry Beach will eventually become the western arm of Lake Ontario Park, the large regional park planned for the waterfront.