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 will transform the area adjacent to the Downsview Park TTC/GO station and Downsview Park into diverse housing options. Including approximately 8,800 homes for about 17,000 residents. With 20 per cent of homes designated for affordable housing, this is one of the largest commitments from a single development application in the City’s history.
Approximately 40 per cent of the homes are designed to be two and three-bedrooms units. The plan is also targeting net-zero operation by 2040 to minimize carbon emissions.
The community will incorporate a green infrastructure system to treat rainwater as a resource, using private lands, roadways, and open spaces to manage water during extreme rain events.
Other features include over one kilometre of off-street pedestrian and cycling paths, complete streets, 9.3 acres of parks and open spaces, which exceed the municipal Planning Act requirements and provide spaces for gathering, recreation, tree canopy and rainwater retention.
Indigenous placekeeping concepts were developed through extensive engagement with Rightsholders and Indigenous communities and brought to life by Indigenous landscape architecture firm, Trophic Design.
The plan will also highlight the Aanikoobijiganag Miikana (Ancestors’ trail), an 800-metre pedestrian route connecting Downsview Park TTC/GO stations to Downsview Park, featuring Indigenous-inspired public realm design, art installations and architecture for storytelling and education.
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.
