“It can’t just be about how much housing we can build… it’s got to also be about the quality of neighbourhoods we’re creating,” said Jason Thorne, the City of Toronto’s new Chief Planner, during the May 23 launch of the Gardiner Corridor Alliance (GCA).
Formed as a coalition of developers, designers, planners, engineers, and civic advocates, the GCA is working to transform 6.5 kilometres along the Gardiner Expressway into a more connected, inclusive, and inspiring public realm. Anchored by the Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan (UGPRP), the GCA invites a reimagining of the corridor — not just as a traffic conduit, but as a place of cultural, commercial, and community value.
The launch event, hosted at The Bentway, welcomed ~80 attendees. Alongside Thorne, the evening featured remarks from Canadian Urban Institute President Mary Rowe, Toronto Region Board of Trade’s Saad Usmani, and The Bentway Conservancy’s Ilana Altman. Their reflections pointed to the powerful role of design, vision, and collaboration in shaping the city’s future.
Following the talks, guests headed to the Bentway Skate Trail at 250 Fort York Boulevard for a celebratory kickoff to the summer season, complete with music, refreshments, and vibrant public art. The moment captured the spirit of what the GCA hopes to extend across the corridor: a sense of place, possibility, and shared civic life.
READ: The Bentway's Under-Gardiner Vision Just Got (Much) Bigger
“Working Together And Thinking Ambitiously”
During his remarks, Thorne, who attended the event on behalf of the City, described The Bentway as a project that he’s long been inspired by, even while at his former post with the City of Hamilton.
“It is one of those projects — the mission of it, the creativity of it, the craziness of it — that has always said to me: 'this is the kind of things that cities can do when cities and [communities] work together and think ambitiously',” he told attendees.
“Whether you're from here or from another city, you can't walk along [The Bentway] and not go back to your own neighbourhood or go back to your own city, and start looking at everything differently — suddenly everything looks like opportunity; everything looks like something that can be reimagined.”
As the GCA turns its attention to the Gardiner corridor — spanning from Dufferin to the Don Valley Parkway — projects like The Bentway offer a glimpse of what’s possible. Already, 44 public realm improvements are either underway or recently completed along the route, including the multi-use community hub, which transforms seasonally into a hotspot for community events and gatherings.
“I’ve watched, over years, how the city had started to envelop the Gardiner. It started to wrap itself around it. So when Ken [Greenberg] and Judy [Matthews] said they were going to do this thing, I thought it was the right thing to do,” said Canadian Urban Institute’s Rowe at Friday’s event. “Because it’s acknowledging an asset. It’s taking something that has historically been seen as an eyesore — we all hear these disparaging comments about aging industrial infrastructure — and [adapting it] into new uses.”
A Coalition of City Builders
The Gardiner Corridor Alliance has been convened as a growing network of community leaders, architects, urban designers, developers, and advocates who are invested in shaping the Gardiner corridor’s future. While The Bentway has provided an early demonstration of how underutilized infrastructure can be transformed into civic space, the GCA aims to expand that ambition beyond a single site — toward a comprehensive vision supported by the UGPRP.
The Plan itself acts as both a guide and a challenge: how can fragmented pockets of land beneath the Gardiner be united as something coherent, equitable, and future-focused? With support from the GCA, this vision is being carried forward through multiple projects and partnerships across the city.
Speaking at the event, Altman emphasized that this transformation will require both alignment and imagination.
“This is a big project, this is a lot of work, and this is going to be a project that could have an incredibly meaningful impact on our city — but it's going to require all of us to align [on the fact] that this is important; that we need to stop seeing this as a barrier, stop seeing the Gardiner as a binary debate,” Altman said.
“The Gardiner, if we get it right [...] will be a point of pride for our city. When people come to Toronto and they say, ‘What do I need to see?’ You’re going to say, ‘You’ve got to take a walk under the Gardiner.’ That’s the future that we’re working toward, and we think it's possible because of the incredible people that we have in this room here today.”
Partners In the Vision
The Gardiner Corridor Alliance’s vision is being realized through partnerships across the public and private sectors. Founding supporters include Choice Properties (Presenting Partner); Aird Berlis, EllisDon, and Wallman Architects (Members); and BDP Quadrangle, Bousfields, Brook McIlroy, Colliers, Concord Adex, KPMB Architects, KRCMAR, PUBLIC WORK, Q Tower, RAW Design, Rockport, and SvN Architects + Planners, Tercot Communities, and the Waterfront BIA (Affiliates).
These contributors reflect the multi-disciplinary, multi-sector approach the GCA is championing — one rooted in cooperation, innovation, and long-term thinking. STOREYS is also proud to be the lead media sponsor of the GCA.
Next Steps: Walk the Gardiner
Looking ahead, the GCA is keeping the momentum going with a series of walking tours scheduled for June. These events will give GCA supporters the opportunity to explore the untapped potential of the Gardiner’s under-utilized spaces, learn about ongoing and future projects, and continue the conversation about what this corridor can become.
Part of a larger program of professional development and networking opportunities available to GCA supporters, tour attendees will be guided through key sections of the corridor by subject-matter experts and prominent community stakeholders.
To learn more about the Gardiner Corridor Alliance or to join the growing group of supporters, please contact Kate Wivell at kwivell@thebentway.ca.
Welcome To The Gardiner Corridor Alliance Launch
Photography: Mila Bright Zlatanovic
To learn more about the Gardiner Corridor Alliance or inquire about joining, contact Kate Wivell, Fundraising & Partnerships Manager, at kwivell@thebentway.ca.
This article was produced in partnership with STOREYS Custom Studio.
