Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Toronto is expediting development adjacent to new transit lines, to build transit-oriented communities designed to increase transit ridership.
A partnership with the province is expected to shape nine housing developments next to five new stations along the Ontario Line: East Harbour, Corktown/First Parliament, Queen/Spadina King/Bathurst and Exhibition.
“I am excited by the prospect of these nine Transit Oriented Communities adjacent to future transit stations,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory. “The city is working in close partnership with the province to bring about good development and I am confident that together we will be able to increase transit ridership, and provide affordable housing and community services.”
At an April 6 meeting, city council approved the terms for eight proposals from Exhibition Station to the Corktown station and approved the major terms of agreement with the province and Cadillac Fairview related to East Harbour.
The terms include a requirement for 215 affordable rental housing units for a 99-year period, two childcare facilities and a community recreation centre, along with other investments in community services and infrastructure in the area to support the East Harbour development. When fully developed, East Harbour will be a major mixed-use community, with up to 50,000 jobs and 7,000 residents.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in February 2020 outlined shared objectives for transit developments. Site-specific memoranda of understanding will now be drafted to expedite construction, with a focus on affordable housing.
The East Harbour development includes the extension of Broadview Avenue from Eastern Avenue to Lake Shore Boulevard. The City and Province also agreed to cost sharing terms for the Broadview Eastern Flood Protection project, which will address flood vulnerability for a broad area around East Harbour.
A staff report will detail several implementation agreements related to East Harbour in early 2023.