Canada Lands Company submits one of the largest transit-oriented development applications in City of Toronto history

On October 24, Canada Lands Company submitted its Downsview West District Plan application to create one of the largest transit-oriented communities in the City of Toronto’s history.

Downsview West, which is grounded in its involvement of over 10 years in the community, is Canada Lands’ third neighbourhood in the Downsview area. Building on the recently approved Downsview Secondary Plan, Downsview West aims to transform the area adjacent to the Downsview Park TTC/GO station and Downsview Park.

The 30-hectare Downsview West District Plan would transform the area into a vibrant urban mosaic, and deliver approximately 8,800 homes, which will provide homes to approximately 17,000 residents.

With a total of 20 per cent of homes designated for affordable housing, this is one of the largest commitments from a single development application in the City of Toronto’s history. Approximately 40 per cent of homes are designed to be two and three-bedrooms units, which will cater to diverse households, including families.

Canada Lands Company is also partnering with the City of Toronto on its Rental Housing Supply Program to support this commitment to affordable housing.

Downsview West is one of four districts within Canada Lands’ Downsview Lands portfolio that aims to transform this area and create a total of approximately 22,000 housing units.

The Downsview West District Plan also targets net-zero operation by 2040, and is aiming to minimize carbon emissions.

With most residents living within a five-minute walk from higher-order public transit, this will help support the goal of having 75 per cent of trips taken by walking, cycling and transit.

The plan also features more than one kilometre of off-street pedestrian and cycling paths, plus vibrant, complete streets. Additionally, it encompasses approximately 3.8 hectares of parks and open spaces, exceeding the municipal Planning Act requirements and provides spaces for gathering, recreation, tree canopy and rainwater retention.

The Downsview West District Plan incorporates a Green Infrastructure system to treat rainwater as a resource, using private lands, roadways, and open spaces to manage water during extreme rain events. It also highlights the Aanikoobijiganag Miikana (Ancestors’ trail), an 800-metre pedestrian route connecting Downsview Park TTC/GO stations to Downsview Park, that features Indigenous-inspired public realm design, art installations and architecture. This will provide a canvas for Indigenous and diverse storytelling allowing residents and visitors to learn about Indigenous peoples and the area’s histories.

Indigenous placekeeping concepts were developed through extensive engagement with Rightsholders and Indigenous communities and brought to life by Indigenous landscape architecture firm, Trophic Design.

In the fall of 2021, Canada Lands Company and its neighbour, Northcrest Developments, submitted a proposal to the City of Toronto to transform the broader Downsview lands. The award-winning approved Framework Plan was the result of 18 months of engagement. It was informed by feedback from Rightsholders, the local community and stakeholders.

“A complete community built for families, climate resilience, transportation, jobs and amenities, the Downsview West District Plan is the result of robust engagement and our deep ambition to deliver more housing with affordability and diversity in mind. We look forward to continued collaboration with residents, builders, Indigenous communities and the City of Toronto to deliver on a neighbourhood that will transform the area for generations to come,” said Stéphan Déry, president and CEO, Canada Lands Company.