The Terms of Reference define critical elements of the extensive study on the future of the Eastern Gardiner, including its goals, alternatives for consideration, evaluation process and consultation plan.

Waterfront Toronto and the City will now submit the Terms of Reference to the Ontario Minister of the Environment (MOE) for approval in September.  The MOE will assess the Terms of Reference during a 12-week review period, which includes a period for public comments.

“This is another important milestone in the Gardiner Environmental Assessment and Integrated Urban Design study process,” said Waterfront Toronto President John Campbell. “If the Terms of Reference are approved by the Minister of the Environment, we will be able to begin the environmental assessment in earnest as early as January 2010 and be completed by the end of 2011.”

The Terms of Reference for the Gardiner environmental assessment meet and exceed the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act by incorporating an urban design study that will consider the form and function of existing and planned public spaces that neighbour the expressway.

Four potential outcomes will be carefully examined, including removal, replacement, improvement, and maintaining the status quo.  Each option will be weighed against criteria related to five overarching project goals: revitalizing the waterfront, reconnecting the city with the lake, balancing modes of travel, achieving sustainability and creating economic value.

As with the development of the Terms of Reference, the Gardiner Environmental Assessment and Integrated Urban Design Study will feature a strong public consultation component, with opportunities for the public to be actively engaged and to provide input at every stage of the process.  Public meetings will be held across the City and a dedicated website (www.gardinerconsultation.ca) will feature e-consultations that mirror face-to-face consultations.
The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront.  Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.

Media contact:
Michelle Noble, Waterfront Toronto, 647-288-8048

Developed using input collected over months of public consultation, the proposed Terms of Reference define critical elements of the study, including its goals, alternatives for consideration, evaluation process and consultation plan.

“These Terms of Reference are a blueprint for an inclusive and transparent process that will consider key options and hear all viewpoints on the future of the eastern Gardiner,” said Waterfront Toronto President and CEO John Campbell.

“We are confident that this study will lead to an informed decision that supports the sustainable renewal of our lakefront and creates lasting value for Torontonians.”

The Gardiner environmental assessment process meets and exceeds the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act by incorporating an urban design study that will consider the form and function of existing and planned public spaces that neighbour the expressway.

Four potential outcomes will be carefully examined, including removal, replacement, improvement, and maintaining the status quo. Each option will be weighed against criteria related to five overarching project goals: revitalizing the waterfront, reconnecting the city with the lake, balancing modes of travel, achieving sustainability and creating economic value.

As with the development of the Terms of Reference, the Gardiner Environmental Assessment and Integrated Urban Design Study will feature a strong public consultation component, with opportunities for the public to be actively engaged and to provide input at every stage of the process. Public meetings will be held across the City and a dedicated website (www.gardinerconsultation.ca) will feature e-consultations that mirror face-to-face consultations.

“We are pleased that the environmental assessment is moving forward according to schedule and on budget,” said Campbell.

The draft Terms of Reference will be tabled with City Council’s Executive Committee on June 2 and City Council on July 6/7. Pending authorization from Council, the Terms of Reference will be submitted to the Ontario Minister of the Environment (MOE) for final approval in September. If the Terms of Reference are approved following the 12-week MOE approval process, the environmental assessment is expected to commence as early as January 2010 and be completed by the end of 2011.

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Media contact: Michelle Noble, Waterfront Toronto, 647-288-8048

Media Kit

News Release (pdf)
Draft EA Terms of Reference (pdf)
Backgrounder – Draft Terms of Reference (pdf)
Gardiner Expressway Fact Sheet (pdf)
Preliminary Record of Consultation – Terms of Reference Stage (pdf)

The comprehensive environmental assessment, co-sponsored by Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto, will examine the feasibility, impacts and costs of potential options for the easternmost stretch of the elevated roadway. While Waterfront Toronto has advocated for the removal of the Gardiner, the study will examine several alternatives, including removal, replacement, enhancement, and maintaining the status quo.

A key element of the assessment, which is expected to cost approximately $8 million, is an integrated urban design study which will ensure that the review process places an emphasis on quality of place. Therefore while the process will examine transportation issues it will also assess the future of the Gardiner in the overall context of creating a better city.

“Progress along the waterfront has brought us to the point where it’s time to decide the Gardiner Expressway’s place in Toronto’s future,” said Waterfront Toronto President and CEO John Campbell. “A number of exciting waterfront revitalization projects are already underway and many more are in the planning stages of development. Any decision on the future of the Gardiner will have an impact on our work to create a world-class waterfront where Torontonians can live, work and play.”

The environmental assessment and integrated urban design study will be a highly consultative process. Public suggestions, comments and concerns will be solicited throughout the review process. At least 16 public meetings will be held in locations across the City and a dedicated consultation website www.gardinerconsultation.ca has been built to enable online public involvement and input.

“Our goal was to create a public consultation program that is as inclusive as possible and ensures that the full range of opinions, viewpoints and perspectives are heard and included,” said Campbell. “Through public meetings and the consultation website, all interested individuals can stay informed and provide feedback at every step in the process.”

The first step in the environmental assessment and integrated urban design study process is to develop the terms of reference for the scope of the study. The draft terms of reference are expected to be submitted for approval to City Council in July and to the Ontario Minister of the Environment in September.

To ensure that the terms of reference are informed by public input, two rounds of public meetings are being held throughout Toronto. The first round, which starts with a public forum in Etobicoke on Saturday March 28, also includes meetings in Scarborough, North York, and downtown. www.gardinerconsultation.ca will host the information presented at the public forums and provide opportunities for online input that mirror those at the in-person meetings. Details on meeting times and locations are available on www.gardinerconsultation.ca and on Waterfront Toronto’s website www.waterfrontoronto.ca.

Upon approval of the terms of reference, the environmental assessment and integrated urban design study will commence in earnest with the development and evaluation of alternatives. The identification of a preferred alternative is expected to be completed by winter 2010/2011.

The final phase of the study is anticipated to extend throughout 2011, and will include detailed engineering and urban design studies to thoroughly address the feasibility and costs of the preferred alternative. Once complete, the final EA and Urban Design Report will be submitted to City Council and the Ontario Minister of Environment for approval.

The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.

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Media contact: Michelle Noble, Waterfront Toronto, 647-288-8048

Media Kit

News Release (pdf)
Fact Sheet: Gardiner EA Process (pdf)
Fact Sheet: Gardiner Expressway (pdf)
Backgrounder: Gardiner Consultation Process (pdf)
Biographical Notes (pdf)

The results of the environmental assessment will determine the feasibility and logistical requirements for removing the Gardiner from Jarvis east to the Don Valley Parkway. The environmental assessment process, expected to take several years to complete, will include a thorough public consultation component and an extensive in-depth technical analysis.

“We are delighted that City Council has approved our proposal to undertake a comprehensive environmental assessment of removing the Gardiner east of Jarvis,” said Mark Wilson, Chair of Waterfront Toronto Board of Directors. “Council’s decision advances the momentum for waterfront revitalization.

“No final decisions will be made about the Gardiner until the environmental assessment is completed and its recommendations considered by both the Board of Waterfront Toronto and City Council,” added Wilson.

Part of the environmental assessment process will include examining all alternative solutions. Development of an approved design, a construction management plan and an environmental management plan are also expected to be included in the process. A comprehensive study of both regional and local traffic impacts is anticipated.

The environmental assessment will also determine the cost of the proposed removal of the Gardiner east of Jarvis and replacing it with a waterfront boulevard.

The environmental assessment will begin with a year-long examination to determine its scope of work. The first step is for Waterfront Toronto to work with the City to determine the parameters of the assessment and urban design principals, and then undertake a request for proposal process to hire an environmental consultant to lead the project. Terms of reference for the assessment will be developed with input gained through public consultations. City Council and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment approval of the terms of reference for the environmental assessment are required.

“Undertaking an environmental assessment of removing the Gardiner is a first step towards reconnecting Toronto to its Lake, improving north-south routes, and strengthening transit-first approaches,” said John Campbell, President and CEO of Waterfront Toronto. “It also moves us closer to enabling the new communities and developments underway in East Bayfront and West Don Lands to become true waterfront communities. And it means we are all working towards making Toronto and its waterfront, more beautiful.”

After consideration and debate the board of Waterfront Toronto unanimously decided in June to recommend removing the Gardiner from Jarvis east to the Don Valley Parkway and replacing it with a great street similar to University Avenue. City Council was asked to approve the recommended approach and for the City to be a co-proponent with Waterfront Toronto in initiating an individual environmental assessment.

The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.

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Media contact:

Marisa Piattelli, Waterfront Toronto 416-214-1476 (office) or 416-561-1366 (mobile)

For more information on the Gardiner Expressway please click here.

News Release (pdf)

• The Board of Waterfront Toronto moved today to recommend to City Council the initiation of an Individual Environmental Assessment to consider the partial takedown of the Gardiner Expressway from Jarvis Street to the Don Valley Parkway and to replace the structure with a“great street”.
• Waterfront Toronto will seek Council approval for the recommended approach and for the City to be a co-proponent with Waterfront Toronto in initiating an Individual Environmental Assessment.
• In moving this motion, the Board of Waterfront Toronto is expressing its belief that the time has come to deal with this long-standing issue and to redefine the Gardiner’s role in a revitalized waterfront.
• We are also expressing our belief that the future growth and vitality of the waterfront, and of the City of Toronto more broadly, will be based on enhanced transit initiatives and transit infrastructure sol utions including those being implemented by the City, GO Transit and Metrolinx.
• Our decision today is consistent with Waterfront Toronto principles of sustainable, intelligent city building. It is consistent with a global movement that seeks to put the environment and transit increasingly at the forefront of solutions to urban growth challenges.
• The Board’s discussion and decision today represent, fundamentally, an approach focused on the future and the vision of the kind of city and waterfront we want to build.· It will enhance the sustai nable communities that Waterfront Toronto is building in the West Don Lands, East Bayfront, and Lower Don Lands.
• The EA will be the opportunity to go beyond examining road alternatives – it should define a transportation strategy for the area and an achievable plan for distributing demand among all available modes. This is an opportunity to facilitate discussion of multi-directional accessibilityby all modes – vehicles, pedestrians, transit, cyclists – within the area and to the adjacent areas.
• And, as always, Waterfront Toronto will commit to ensuring full, timely engagement by the public on this issue.

Media Kit

News Release (pdf)
Proposed Motion (pdf)
Chair’s Summation (pdf)
Traffic Study Backgrounder (pdf)
Presentation – June 12, 2008 (pdf)
Executive Summary (pdf)
Fact Sheet (pdf)
Backgrounder (pdf)

Waterfront Toronto, working with City officials, undertook a technical study of the Gardiner Expressway/Lake Shore Boulevard Corridor in 2006. Waterfront Toronto is recommending removal of the Gardiner from Jarvis Street to the Don Valley Parkway. The approach is consistent with Waterfront Toronto’s vision to reconnect the city to its waterfront, develop better north/south pedestrian connections and improve the quality of place in the new communities under development in East Bayfront and the West Don Lands. The approach balances public and waterfront benefits with financial viability.

“It’s time to address the long standing issue of the Gardiner”, said John Campbell, President and CEO of Waterfront Toronto. “Waterfront Toronto is advancing planning and implementation of new communities around the Gardiner. The challenge is to find realistic options that address revitalization objectives and intelligent, sustainable city-building principles including looking to transit to accommodate future growth. Ultimately, any option should help us build a more beautiful city and waterfront.”

With Waterfront Toronto Board approval, the recommendation will be submitted to City Council for final decision.

“This is the most practical approach and offers the greatest public benefits,” said Mayor David Miller, a member of Waterfront Toronto’s board, “Removing the eastern section of the Gardiner is an affordable step that will allow us to develop the East Bayfront, Lower Don Lands and West Don Lands properly while enhancing the public realm along Lake Shore and improving access to our waterfront. We have already seen what can be done.”

Following Council approval, a full Environmental Assessment will be undertaken before any work begins.

Waterfront Toronto will be holding a briefing for media on Friday, May 30th at 11:30 a.m. at Waterfront Toronto offices at 20 Bay Street, Suite 1310 – Main Boardroom.

The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.

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Media contact:

Marisa Piattelli, Waterfront Toronto, 416-214-1476
Stuart Green, Mayor’s Office, City of Toronto, 416-338-7119

Media Kit

News Release (pdf)
Executive Summary (pdf)
Fact Sheet (pdf)
Backgrounder (pdf)
Presentation – May 30, 2008 (pdf)
Images (pdf)