Our panelists for the event consisted of esteemed experts in the realm of city-planning: City of Toronto Chief Planner and Executive Director, Jason Thorne, Principal, ERA Architects, Michael McClelland, Founder, More Neighbours Toronto, Eric Lombardi and Executive Director, 8 80 Cities, Amanda O’Rourke.
Jason Thorne provided a clear overview of Toronto’s current growth and development. He noted that the city’s metropolitan area leads North America in development projects, with over one million new residential units and nearly 14 million square metres of commercial and employment space in the pipeline. This rapid transformation is particularly evident in Toronto Centre, one of the fastest growing communities for new housing and non-residential development. Jason emphasized the importance of redevelopment that includes parks, community facilities, Indigenous spaces and multiple transit options, while centering sustainability, affordability and equity.
Meanwhile, Michael McClelland spoke about the role of heritage and cultural conservation in creating a sustainable and equitable approach to redevelopment. Building complete communities includes balancing the need to accommodate new density with the preservation of social and cultural heritage such as community hubs and venues. ERA Architects has worked on projects that support linking cultural spaces to new existing ones, ensuring that they remain accessible to everyone. In Toronto Centre, his work with the Friends of Allan Gardens transformed the park and conservatory into a horticultural garden to become a year-round green oasis and vibrant destination at the heart of downtown Toronto.
Eric Lombardi gave insights into Toronto's current plans of increasing housing density in the city. He discussed the idea of the “missing middle” housing, which pertains to the lack of homes larger than a single-family home but smaller than a condominium apartment. By building the missing middle housing, Toronto can meet the urgent demand for more affordable homes while ensuring that they are suitable for households of all sizes. Furthermore, Eric argued that to build more housing efficiently, Toronto must adopt a proactive engagement model. It must genuinely reflect community needs by evaluating which amenities are necessary and what residents envision for their neighbourhoods. Ensuring the process is fair, inclusive and responsive to diverse social and economic contexts is essential to building public trust.
Lastly, Amanda discussed 8 80 Cities’ vision of city-building: the right to safe and active mobility, welcoming and accessible public spaces, and inclusive city-building processes. Their TASTE framework (Temporary, Affordable, Strategic, Test in Real Time, and Evidence) provides insights into how cities like Toronto can encourage residents to reimagine how they use public space. By activating public space through pop-up engagements and interactive installations, the group ignites participatory action, so residents can push for healthier, more equitable and sustainable communities to live and work in. Amanda shared one of 8 80 Cities’ pilot projects, the School Streets Initiative, which received a $3 million investment from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Discussing complete communities is vital to ensuring that Toronto Centre remains a liveable, safe, and accessible community for everyone. I extend my appreciation to all the residents who joined our event in-person and virtually. I hope you can all join us at our next TC Talks about Tenant Rights at the Wellesley Community Centre on June 10 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Please visit my website to register.
You can watch the livestream recording of TC Talks: Building Complete Communities here, and access the panelists’ presentations by clicking here.
