For years, The Bentway — transforming overlooked infrastructure into vital public space — has redefined what’s possible beneath Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway. And now, that bold reimagining is gaining new momentum.
The Gardiner Corridor Alliance (GCA), a newly formed collective of developers, designers, planners, engineers, and other urban changemakers, is the latest evolution of The Bentway’s mission. Anchored along 6.5 kilometres of the Gardiner — from Dufferin to the DVP — the GCA brings together professionals shaping the corridor’s future to collaborate, share insights, and help turn underused spaces into connective community anchors.
A new community convened by The Bentway, this place-based initiative reinforces the idea that the Gardiner’s underside isn’t just a leftover — it’s a catalyst. A space to build public value, foster community, and advance smarter, more integrated development as Toronto grows.
A Corridor Of Change
The Gardiner Corridor is one of the most active and fast-evolving zones in Canada. Today, along its length, 44 development projects are either underway or recently completed. Add to that the upcoming Ontario Line, the sweeping revitalization of the Port Lands, and a major rehabilitation of the elevated expressway itself — not to mention the recent upload of the Gardiner from the City to the Province — and the corridor stands at a unique inflection point.
The Bentway/Bradley Golding
The GCA has been designed to harness this momentum. By bringing together the experts already building in and around the corridor, the Alliance creates a platform for collaboration, and a shared vision for how this critical stretch of infrastructure can better serve surrounding communities.
Introducing: The Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan
The Gardiner’s future is anchored by the Under Gardiner Public Realm Plan (UGPRP) — a comprehensive framework for enhancing the public spaces beneath and alongside the Expressway.
Jointly developed by The Bentway and the City of Toronto (and formally endorsed by City Council in April 2024), the UGPRP proposes a bold rethinking of how the Gardiner connects to its surroundings. The plan outlines a cohesive vision for intersections, trail links, placemaking infrastructure, sustainability features, design guidelines, and future Bentway spaces that aim to bring ground-level consistency, vibrancy, and accessibility to the corridor.
More than just a roadmap, the UGPRP positions the underside of the Gardiner as an emerging civic anchor — one that connects neighbourhoods, supports Toronto’s climate goals, and enhances the quality of life for the people who live, work, and travel through the area each day.
Over the coming years, The Bentway, City of Toronto, and numerous stakeholders developing spaces along the corridor will work together to implement the UGPRP’s recommendations — in both existing public spaces and future development sites.
The "Who" And The "What"
Bringing together a broad cross-section of the city-building industry, the GCA has received inaugural support from a wide range of experts and notable names, including: Choice Properties (Presenting Partner); Aird Berlis, EllisDon, and Wallman Architects (Members); and BDP Quadrangle, Bousfields, Brook McIlroy, Colliers, KRCMAR, PUBLIC WORK, Q Tower, RAW Design, Rockport, and SvN Architects + Planners (Affiliates).
From legal practice to landscape architecture, and from capital investment to community planning, GCA members reflect the breadth of expertise required to responsibly and imaginatively reshape the massive urban corridor.
As such, the GCA isn’t just a forum — it’s a working group, a learning platform, and a launchpad for shared initiatives. Members of the Alliance gain access to a network of peers and collaborators working directly along the corridor, quarterly professional development events, and unique opportunities to experience the Gardiner Corridor. What's more, the GCAalso provides passage to hyper-local insights and perspectives, peer showcase and workshop opportunities.
Over the course of 2025, GCA members will also receive a bi-monthly newsletter dispatches, as well as invitations to curated site-based events that will deepen their understanding of the Gardiner’s evolving future.
Pulse Topology at The Bentway/Jonathan Gazze
The program officially kicks off on Friday, May 23, 2025 with a launch event at The Bentway Studio, followed by The Bentway’s Summer 2025 Opening Night Party. The event will feature presentations by leading players in the development and city-building community, along with appearances by government officials and other civic leaders.
Reinforcing The Bentway’s City-Building Vision
Since its founding, The Bentway has grown from an experimental public space into one of Toronto’s most visionary urban initiatives. Its work — from public art and performance through to civic dialogue and design innovation — has helped change how city dwellers engage with their built environment.
The GCA is a natural extension of this work. It connects the people and projects already shaping the Gardiner Corridor and gives them a framework to build something bigger, together.
To learn more about the Gardiner Corridor Alliance or inquire about joining, contact Kate Wivell, Fundraising & Partnerships Manager, at kwivell@thebentway.ca.
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This article was produced in partnership with STOREYS Custom Studio.
