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Toronto’s Downsview Lands made headlines on UrbanToronto earlier this Fall with the announcement of the temporary Rogers Stadium to be built at the former airport site. Adding to the momentum of change on the vast North York acreage here, Canada Lands Company (CLC) has now submitted plans to the City for the Downsview West District, another piece of the 210-hectare/520-acre masterplan spearheaded by CLC and Northcrest Developments. One of the city’s most ambitious mixed-use community redevelopment plans, it will be walking distance from the Downsview Park subway and GO station.
The District, which spans 30.3 hectares/74.9 acres, is part of the historic Downsview Park lands generally west of the rail corridor, east of Sheppard Avenue, and north of Carl Hall Road. The site’s heritage structures include the Depot Building, a Cold War-era military warehouse, and the former Fire Hall.
The proposed development is part of the broader Downsview Framework Plan, which engaged over 3,000 participants in reviewing priorities like improved transit access and public spaces. Surrounding this district are the Arbo District to the west, YZD to the southeast (formerly known as the Hangar District), and the future Downsview East District to the east. Downsview Park itself is to the south.
For the Downsview West District, the developer has submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision application. Two community hubs will anchor the area, one at the subway and GO station at the north end, and the other at the south end of the site next to Downsview Park.
The site would be divided into three distinct character areas. The Station Quarter, adjacent to the Downsview Park transit hub, would be a high-density area combining residential, commercial, and office spaces. The Heart at the Crossroads would anchor the district with Heart Park and Depot Plaza, offering the largest concentration of open space. The Mews, primarily mid-rise residential, would provide a transition to Downsview Park.
The master plan includes 20 development blocks with a built form ranging from mid-rise buildings at six storeys to tall towers reaching 60 storeys. The tallest buildings would be concentrated near the Downsview Park transit hub, while mid-rise structures create a transition toward the Depot Building and Downsview Park. In total, the district proposes 840,000m² of Gross Floor Area (GFA), balancing residential, commercial, and community uses.
At full build-out, the district would accommodate approximately 8,800 residential units, with 20% designated as affordable housing, creating homes for around 17,000 residents. Over 120,000m² of non-residential space, including 25,000m² of retail GFA, would support 3,300 jobs. Also included are a Toronto District School Board elementary school, three childcare centres, and 1,100m² of agency space to support social services.
Public spaces include 3.8 hectares of parks and open spaces, including a 1-hectare Major Park and 1.6 hectares of POPS (Privately-Owned Publicly-accessible Space). The plan also emphasizes adaptive reuse of the exisiting Depot and Fire Hall, serving as anchors for the community’s cultural and employment hubs.
The plan highlights cultural recognition through the Ancestors’ Trail, an 800m pedestrian route celebrating Indigenous heritage and linking Downsview Park to the transit hub. Sustainability initiatives aim for near-net-zero operational carbon by 2040, with all new buildings meeting Tier 3 Toronto Green Standards. The district prioritizes green infrastructure, including stormwater management systems and a tree canopy target of 25%, supported by the planting of approximately 1,400 trees.
Initial work would focus on the south end. The first phase prioritizes residential buildings and infrastructure, while later phases extend northward, with the revitalization of The Depot Building in the final phase.
At the site's north end are the Downsview Park TTC and GO station, providing access to University Line 1 and the Barrie GO Line, while the district’s new street network is to include dedicated cycling lanes and 900m of off-street active mobility routes.
More development activity is happening on nearby lands. To the west, the Arbo District will include 11 buildings up to 20 storeys, while 3374 Keele Street calls for a 29-storey tower. Northwest, 11 Catford Road envisions four buildings ranging from 4 to 25 storeys. Southeast, YZD, formerly known as the Hangar District plans 39 buildings up to 14 storeys alongside the temporary Rogers Stadium. East of the district, closer to Sheppard West station, proposals include a 14-storey building at 1050 Sheppard Avenue West and three towers at 20 De Boers Drive, soaring 50 to 55 storeys.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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| Related Companies: | Northcrest Developments, Urban Strategies Inc. |
