Understanding the 


Urban Context
Jennifer Keesmaat

Chief Planner, City of Toronto
 Davenport
Community

Insert: Context Image,
Rendering
Rail Overpass

May 9, 2015

Jennifer Keesmaat
Chief Planner & Executive Director
Toronto City Planning
City Planning’s Strategic Plan: 

What do we do?

CITYPLANNINGORGANIZATION
PROGRAMS
Application Review
Business Performance & Standards
Civic Design
Committee ofAdjustment
Design Review
Community Policy
Environmental Planning
Graphics & Visualization
Heritage Preservation
Official Plan & Zoning By-law
Outreach & Engagement
PublicArt
Research & Information
Strategic Initiatives
Transit Initiatives
Waterfront Renewal
City Planning’s Strategic Plan: Mission
“As leaders and partners in an
innovative culture, we building a
great city through excellence in
planning and influential policy. We
implement Toronto’s Official Plan for
a sustainable, connected city of
neighbourhoods where life and
business flourish.”
Planning Framework
Planning is governed by a hierarchy
of laws, regulations, zoning by-laws,
and policies:

• The Planning Act

• Greenbelt Act, Places to Grow
Act
• Provincial Policy Statements
• Official Plan
• Zoning By-laws
• Guidelines

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OP Map 4 - Higher Order Transit Corridors

39
Local
Land Use

40
How does Toronto plan transit?
• “Feeling Congested?” is the banner for the City’s transportation and transit
planning for the five-year review of the Official Plan.

• Through “Feeling Congested?” the City is changing the way transportation,

particularly transit, gets planned in the City.

• Clear principles and criteria will be applied to all proposed rapid transit
projects in order to prioritize them as part of a new Comprehensive Rapid
Transit Plan (CRTP) to be woven into the revised Official Plan.

• Creating a comprehensive transit network is an important part of building

Toronto into an even more attractive place to live and work – to achieve our
Official Plan vision.

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Transportation Planning Principles and Criteria

SERVING
PEOPLE

STRENGTHENING PLACES

SUPPORTING
PROSPERITY
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Rapid Transit Lines Currently Under Study

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Davenport Community Rail 

Overpass EA Process

• Metrolinx is engaging City staff for input to the

review process:
– assess alternatives
– design excellence & City building objectives
– improvements to connectivity
– visual impacts
– capital works program implications
– Identify long-term maintenance and funding issues
– Construction Management Issues such as noise,
vibration, disruptions, etc.

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Opportunities & Challenges
•Connecting to the Subway
•GO Station at Bloor

Bloor Street at Rail Corridor looking north

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Opportunities & Challenges
•Repair the City’s Fabric
•Grade Separation

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Underpass at Dupont looking east
Opportunities & Challenges
•Connection to New Development

Sterling Lands Redevelopment Fuse Development

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Opportunities & Challenges
•Meaningful Cycling Connections

West Toronto Railpath Earlscourt Park

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Opportunities & Challenges
•Parks Connections

Foundry Park looking south towards rail corridor

Campbell Park just west of rail corridor

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Determining the Public Interest

Facts  &  Figures  

Details  of  development  
proposal,  physical  context

City  Planning  
Law  
Planning  Polices   Evaluation  &     Zoning  Bylaw,  Other  Bylaws,  
Provincial  Policy  Statement,   Recommendation Council  decisions,  Ontario  
Growth  Plan,  Official  Plan Municipal  Board,  
Committee  of  Adjustment

People
 
Applicant,
 City
 Departments
 
&
 Agencies,
 Local
 
Community,
 Other
 
Stakeholders
Contact Us
@ EMAIL to: ntahair@toronto.ca
MAIL to:
NIGEL TAHAIR
Transportation Planning
City Hall, 100 Queen Street West,
21st Floor, East Tower
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
416-392-1326
Thank You for Your Attention!
EMAIL to: bbrooks@toronto.ca
MAIL to:
BARRY BROOKS
Community Planning
City Hall, 100 Queen Street W
18th Floor, East Tower
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
416-392-1316
EMAIL to: dmighto@toronto.ca
MAIL to:
DEANNE MIGHTON
Urban Design
City Hall, 100 Queen Street W
19th Floor, East Tower
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
416-392-0381