Eglinton Connects

Eglinton Connects
Name	Eglinton Connects
Location	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Status	Ongoing
Start	2012
Proponents	City of Toronto; Metrolinx; Province of Ontario
Type	Urban planning; Transit-oriented development

Eglinton Connects Eglinton Connects is a coordinated planning and redevelopment initiative for a major arterial corridor in Toronto focused on integrating rapid transit, land use, and public realm improvements. The plan aligns with regional strategies from Metrolinx, municipal policies from the City of Toronto Planning Division and strategic directions from the United Nations New Urban Agenda and Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure. It aims to coordinate projects associated with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, local municipalities, and private development to shape growth along a transit corridor.

Background and planning

The initiative developed after policy decisions by the Province of Ontario and strategic plans such as Places to Grow and Toronto's Official Plan revisions, responding to population forecasts from Statistics Canada and projections used by Infrastructure Ontario. Early phases referenced precedents including the Big Move and planning frameworks like the Greenbelt Plan and the Jane Jacobs-influenced advocacy of the Toronto City Council. Agencies consulted included Metrolinx, the Toronto Transit Commission, and nongovernmental organizations such as the David Suzuki Foundation and the Canadian Urban Institute to reconcile provincial transit investments with municipal zoning instruments and urban design guidelines influenced by examples like Vancouver's transit corridors and Portland, Oregon's light rail corridors.

Project components

Key components were defined through collaboration among the City of Toronto Planning Division, Metrolinx, community agencies, and developers represented by the Ontario Home Builders' Association and the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Components included station area planning linked to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, streetscape improvements similar to projects in Yonge Street, affordable housing commitments influenced by policies at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation and inclusionary zoning studies by the Government of Ontario. Infrastructure coordination referenced utility stakeholders like Enbridge Gas and Toronto Hydro as well as environmental assessments following Canadian Environmental Assessment Act-style processes and municipal environmental compliance approvals.

Transit and transportation

Transit planning centered on integration with the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project managed by Metrolinx and the joint procurement model involving Infrastructure Ontario. Coordination included transfer enhancements with the Toronto Transit Commission surface routes, multimodal connectivity to Pearson International Airport via regional express services, and cycling infrastructure referencing standards from the Toronto Cyclists Union and the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals. Traffic modelling drew on sources like Transportation Research Board methodologies and regional travel demand models used by Metrolinx and City of Toronto staff.

Urban design and land use

Land-use strategies sought to implement transit-oriented development principles seen in Vancouver and Curitiba, focusing on mixed-use intensification near stations and design guidance similar to the Design Guidelines for Mid-Rise Buildings from the Canadian Institute of Planners. Zoning amendments referenced the City of Toronto Zoning By-law and tools such as density bonusing and Section 37 agreements administered by Ontario Municipal Board precedents and later adjudication with the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. Public realm design drew on best practices from the European Union's urban regeneration programs and incorporated green infrastructure ideas from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and TRCA partnerships.

Community engagement and governance

Governance mechanisms linked municipal committees like the Planning and Growth Management Committee and provincial sponsors including Queen's Park offices, with advisory input from local Business Improvement Areas such as the Eglinton Way BIA and neighbourhood associations like the Davisville Village Residents' Association. Public consultation phases used methods promoted by the International Association for Public Participation and included workshops co-facilitated by NGOs like the Community Development Halton. Accountability measures referenced municipal accountability frameworks adopted by Toronto City Council and oversight considerations discussed in debates at the Ontario Legislature.

Implementation and timeline

Implementation milestones corresponded with procurement and construction schedules for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and related streetscaping contracts managed by construction partners and consortia similar to those engaged through Infrastructure Ontario procurements. The timeline intersected with transit delivery milestones in the 2010s and continued into coordinated station-area plan approvals in the 2020s, while financial instruments involved capital budgets from the Government of Ontario, municipal capital planning, and federal infrastructure funding models like programs administered under Infrastructure Canada.

Impact and critique

Supporters cited potential benefits observed in other corridors such as increased development activity in Scarborough and ridership gains like those documented on Sheppard Avenue and Spadina Avenue, while critics raised concerns echoing debates around Gentrification impacts in West Queen West and affordability pressures noted by advocates like the Maytree Foundation and ACORN Canada. Environmental advocates compared projected outcomes to green transit benchmarks by the Pembina Institute, and heritage groups referenced protections under the Ontario Heritage Act for character areas. Independent evaluations drew on methodologies from the Canadian Urban Transit Association and academic studies from institutions like the University of Toronto and Ryerson University to assess travel behaviour, land-value capture prospects, and social equity implications.

Category:Urban planning in Toronto