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Speaker Presentations:
Leslie Woo
Mary-Frances Turner
Hessam Ghadaki
Marilyn Ball
Anson Kwok

Canadians gravitate more and more towards an urbanization model. It’s everywhere, extending beyond central business districts of major cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montréal and now reaching interconnected urban nodes in the once-suburban expanses that surround them. In Ontario, the Places to Grow legislation that everyone is familiar with created a greenbelt that was there to limit sprawl and mandate intensification in many municipalities in the “905” region, and one of the keys to achieving these objectives is through the redevelopment of transit corridors for higher densities and a wider range of uses. As a result, both the Province and municipalities are directing significant planning efforts and transit investments to a number of these corridors, while concurrently, large-scale redevelopment of these areas face a range of challenges in corridors historically dominated by a pattern of low-density, auto-oriented uses, and habitually lacking adequate transit infrastructure.

These challenges (as well as successes) were discussed at length by both the public and private sector on October 10 at an event held in Le Parc Conference and Banquet Centre in Markham. Leslie Woo, vice-president of Policy, Planning and Innovation at Metrolinx began the discussion by outlining the current “vision” for the transit corridors as reflected by the Province through plans developed by Metrolinx, after which the focus shifted to the municipal level by looking at the Highway 7 corridor through York Region and the Hurontario / Main Street corridor through Mississauga and Brampton. What became evident early on is how much the two regions have in common.

Both York Region and Mississauga have been among the fastest growing regions in Canada for the past decade, and with traffic congestion being one of their primary concerns both municipalities have been working closely with their residents to establish the vision that such massive transit-based projects require. In both cases, “this isn’t about preparing for future needs, although that is part of it,” says Marilyn Ball, Chief of Planning and Infrastructure Services at the City of Brampton, “it’s about responding to current needs.” Ridership is already there on both Hurontario and along Highway 7, and by linking those downtowns (Port Credit to Mississauga to Brampton, and Vaughan to Richmond Hill to Markham), “it gives an opportunity to rethink downtowns/ corridors, both in terms of land use and built form,” says Ball.

To take advantage of these opportunities, municipalities acknowledge that the development industry often needs incentives. And they work, “like how Mississauga originally began to incentivize downtown development by lifting height and density restrictions, which gave rise to the proliferation of residential tower developments,” says Ball. “But mobility hubs have to approach land planning as a whole economic strategy: it’s not all about height and density, it is also about allowing for senses of place and vibrancy. One key way to do this is to be sensitive to what’s already there – for example Hurontario goes through several already well-established historic neighbourhoods, so development there needs to be very mindful of the existing character and preserving the heritage in a way that maximized the opportunities.” This kind of sensitivity is mirrored by the need to prepare for good connective tissue in the open space between projects along a corridor. “Connective tissue is vital to build a successful rapid transit plan, and that’s where the private development partnerships come in,” said Mary-Frances Turner, vice-president at York Region Rapid Transit.

Hearing the Message
“[A] municipal commitment to rapid transit sends the right messages to investors, and helps to show in physical reality the relationships between higher density development and rapid transit as they relate to place making,” said Turner, and two such companies that have heard the right message are Times Group Corporation and Pinnacle International, both of whom are working on corridor projects in the 905 and presented their work at the seminar. Times Group has been creating high-rise residential developments in the 905 since the early Nineties with projects along Highway 7, and are continuing to add to this portfolio with projects under development such as Uptown Markham, Riverwalk East Village Park and Galleria Marketplace, and that all integrate schools, parks, residential and commercial mixed uses.

“Development and transit are symbiotic,” says Hessam Ghadaki, corporate counsel for Times Group. “Each relies on the other.” But he acknowledges that opposition to development along corridors remains a reality, especially from rate payers and others who are involved in the planning phase that may still object to significant changes, especially to density and heights. And of course, he points out, municipal charges and levies can and will impact intensification.

Over on Hurontario in Mississauga, Pinnacle International is currently working on Pinnacle Uptown, which will feature a variety of high rise, midrise, townhomes, retail and commercial uses on 36.5 acres, 15 acres of which will be dedicated to parkland. According to Anson Kwok, vice-president of sales and marketing, Pinnacle has been working with Mississauga since 2006 when they purchased the land, but are exhibiting some caution in their planning, and holding provisions on the buildings along Hurontario until transit studies are completed. For example, he says, road networks need to be ‘designed’ to be more pedestrian friendly and personable. “But our main concern,” says Kwok, “is will funding for transit come through?” echoing a common sentiment that while it is clear that almost any location near mass transit stations significantly increases in value, developers and the business community worry that municipalities lack the resources to finance transit infrastructure projects adequately and need support from the federal government.

Aging Baby Boomers may be getting tired of shoveling snow and Gen-Yers may be attracted to better job opportunities and a glamorous city life, but one commonality is clear: we all want to limit time lost in increasing suburban congestion. “With our limited number of hours in a week, none of us wants to spend it in traffic,” says Kwok. But in the 905, “like it or not, cars continue to be king,” says Ball. “They are not going anywhere, and should be addressed in all plans when trying to design a community that is pedestrian-first and vibrant.” This way, transit intensification through its focus on people movement, place making and quality of life, is a catalyst, and the impact of transit corridor projects on these scales will be far-reaching and will undoubtedly affect every segment of the real estate market.

Peter Sobchak
Communications Committee Co-Chair
Building Magazine

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