The Ontario Line
The Ontario Line
As part of the Technical Advisor Team to Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx, we pioneered a new model for transit-oriented development in Canada. The 15.5-kilometre Ontario Line adds 15 stations through downtown Toronto and the east end, representing the country’s first coordinated delivery of transit infrastructure alongside mixed-use communities, parks, and open spaces.
Our approach balances value creation with community integration. We coordinate multidisciplinary teams to develop building and landscape concepts to 30% design detail, protecting future overbuild opportunities within P3 agreements. Each site is evaluated to capture value that helps offset subway costs while respecting existing planning frameworks and minimizing impacts on surrounding neighbourhoods through extensive municipal and public engagement.
Our work establishes frameworks for new transit station areas, many of which currently lack guidance for the scale of development appropriate near new stations. By defining clear planning parameters and urban design principles beyond individual sites, we inform broader policies like Toronto’s Gerrard-Carlaw Planning Study and set precedents for station-area growth.
Comprehensive technical coordination ensures seamless integration. We manage heritage, structural, mechanical, electrical, transportation, and environmental consultants, preparing technical reports that support site entitlements. The TOCs connect with new station entrances and regional transit links—including passenger rail and bus loops—creating true mobility hubs.
Our systems-based approach connects transit infrastructure with complete communities. Acting as a “shadow developer team,” we blend decades of public and private sector expertise to balance technical requirements with market feasibility. Co-authoring the Ontario Line Design Guide, we set urban design visions and principles for stations and systemwide elements, ensuring a cohesive quality across the line.
Currently, we’re advancing eight sites along the Ontario Line’s southern portion. With initial planning entitlements secured and Developer Agreements finalized, we support Infrastructure Ontario in marketing these sites—demonstrating the viability of this integrated transit and community development model.
