The province made it a TOC (Transit Oriented community) in April 2022. "Of the 15 buildings of varying heights and tenure planned, a total of 4,300 units of housing would be located in several of those buildings"...." https://urbantoronto.ca/news/2022/04/ministers-zoning-orders-support-east-harbour-and-four-more-transit-oriented.47671

Devyn Thomson
The industrial heritage and adaptive reuse of the existing buildings can create a focal point for the development.

Paula Virany
Is it the Manhattanization of Toronto or the Strip Mall-ization of Toronto?

Cadillac-Fairview's plan is to destroy all heritage buildings on the site. It would be illegal for them to do that, however the Ford government passed legislation that allows destruction of heritage buildings via MZO's (a very aggressive, undemocratic approach.) It led to public demonstrations when the government moved to destroy the Foundries Building. Luckily demonstrators stopped that.

There are three beautiful old brick buildings on the East Harbour site. They are the Unilever building, 433 Eastern and the old Consumers' Gas company building at 419 Eastern. These buildings must be kept intact or incorporated into the new design. It is the history of a city that gives it character, charm and ultimately liveability.

Policy makers often explain that Toronto is going through “Manhattanization” i.e. it is becoming a large, dense city. This is accurate, however one of the reasons that NYC is so fantastic is that it's FULL of gorgeous historical buildings, such as the old brownstones (many are now condos) Greenwich Village, the Meat Packing district etc. All these add beauty and charm to NYC.

If Toronto keeps levelling all its heritage buildings this will not be Manhattanization. It will be a soulless mess.

Can Cadillac Fairview serve our great city and country and keep the heritage buildings? Isn’t that their civic duty?

Will these buildings be left intact or be incorporated into the design? As lobbies, parts of buildings or facades?

Matthew C
I am concerned that the 50,000 square feet of cultural space is not going to suit the demand in the right ways. It is important to establish a more clear definition of what that means and who it applies to; i.e. Cultural events and exhibition spaces are one thing, but that also is different from the need for maker-spaces or individual studio spaces which the city lacks and is also different from retail spaces open to the public like galleries and venues. Beyond just event spaces, try to think about cultural spaces and need for revenue generating creative industries in the office towers. Don't pool all of the creative uses in the 50,000 sq ft cultural space category as it could limit creative potential for the city and the vibrancy of the neighbourhood. The last thing I want defined is: What is culture? What categories does that entail? Culinary/food is considered culture, the arts are another portion, but so are small artisan shops, as well as non-conventional spots like a barber or tailor. Culture is now expanding its bounds and I wish there to be a more open definition of what cultural experiences could mean. If there are pilot projects in Toronto where we see live music on patios outside and inside cafes and restaurants, perhaps definition and expansion of cultural experience can be explored and intermingled. Maybe cultural space could be creatively maximized in these facets.

Paul Y
800 comments on Parks? Trees? Culture? Maybe . . . as a way to market this plan. It is not endorsed by our elected representatives or City planning staff. It will go forward as a Ministerial Zoning Order (see staff report - top of pg 2). LINK: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/ph/bgrd/backgroundfile-168262.pdf The province is giving the developer a massive re-zoning and we/the City are left out. The consultants and developer are here short-term. We can take up valuable time asking about public space, affrdble housing, parks, trees and culture however, without the City planning process there are no agreements and no reasons I can see why a developer (partnered with the Premier) would spend on these extras. Cadillac Fairview (owned by the Teachers Pension Fund btw) will maximize profit for share holders regardless of what we add to this list of opinions. We have no power. And yes we have a huge affordability crisis in Toronto but from my experience living here since mid 80's simply building more condos has never resulted in affordability. Public funding (from development charges etc.) and/or development agreements have. Where I live, a family shelter was integrated into a condo because the Councillor and staff worked with the developer and made it a condition for approval. Will this developer funded consulting team figure out how to ensure the developer provides what the City planners and Elected reps would have demanded? Don't think so. Look at who has the power.

Trevor McLeod
sustainability standards the units will adhere to

Veronica T
1) Birds - should be designed to avoid disruption to migration patterns and glass should include mechanisms to prevent birds from flying into them 2) can all residential buildings be on the outside of the perimeter ? if they are surrounded by office buildings they'll have poor views and lower value. 3) I think more grass and park space is necessary. if you're incorporating that many residential buildings, you're going to have dogs and pets that will need the green space. More greenspace modeled after the Esplanade, which has open fields and a basketball court, would be beneficial. It's a great greenspace that connects the Distillery to the St Lawrence market 4) please cater to local business, it would be a shame to see all big chain restaurants and shops.

mike gohl
I would also like to see this district be a world-leader in technology and sustainability. Quayside had that same spirit, the willing to go above and beyond to make a lasting impact for Toronto, but failed due to privacy concerns. East Harbour needs to be innovative and 'harbour' new and future-oriented modes of getting around, technologies and innovative entertainment.

Mark McCarthy
The pedestrian experience. This is a large part of what would make the area pleasant to be in. A functional and human-friendly neighbourhood would benefit from the following: - Ample public seating. - Ground-level retail (including patios where applicable). - Streets that are not solely car-oriented. - Parks/parkettes which can function as a space to rest & meet, not just the tiny unused "privately-owned public space" parks we see outside many new condo constructions. - Waste & recycling bins. - Sidewalks with the space for wheelchairs and for crowds on busy days. - Public restrooms - Bicycle parking

Emilie Decouer
People who work in east harbour should be able to afford to live there. Try to go above and beyond with affordable units, we are in a housing crisis.

Vera Kreuz
Ensure there are new Shopping options that current retail streets do not offer. Think of this site as a mix, but there needs to be a uniqueness so that East Harbour isn't just a Yorkville 2.0 (think Kensington Market eclectics with vintage clothing, unique boutiques and culture). Harajuku in Tokyo is a good example because it caters to youth and is funky and unique. East Harbour should have an identity outside of what we are used to in most Toronto retail streets. It should appeal to all ages, not just a bland and repetitive Eaton centre style shopping district. East Harbour should showcase unique locally owned boutiques and create a culture where people will want to shop in places where they know and are proud of the fact it is one of a kind.

Marisa B
Affordability, transit connections, bike routes, public spaces

Jennifer S
Environmental impact & green space. Schools & child care services.

1. Are there any changes to the previous Street Network plan. One key part of that plan was to have some of the smaller streets be vehicle-free. Does your reference to "pedestrian-accessible open spaces" include these? There don't seem to be any cycling spaces on Streets A-D. How will you design these streets with a Vision Zero lens and safe spaces for all users? 2. With regards to the Transit Hub does Metrolinx have any estimates of future traffic, especially with regards to the idea of the hub operating as a "Union Station to the East". 3. Is there a plan to encourage transit use prior to the completion of the Ontario Line and the Broadview Streetcar extension or is the development only proceeding after those projects are in place. 4. One of the rationales offered for keeping the Soap Factory in place was the amount of material (eg. concrete and steel) that would be re-used. Do you have any plan to account for the increased GHG emissions that will be generated by building fully new buildings? 5. The Toronto Green Standards Checklist indicates the buildings will meet Tier 1. I didn't see any plan to achieve higher environmental standards beyond the minimum Toronto require, such as LEED? I'm hoping I missed that; if not, that would be very disappointing. 6. Is the only addition affordable housing your $5M contribution to offsite housing?

Transit & Transportation

Generally interested in the project