The Waterfront Innovation Centre will be an anchor development in East Bayfront, home to the companies and institutions that are putting Toronto at the forefront of creating and shaping technology.

Privately-funded by Menkes Developments Inc., the Waterfront Innovation Centre will be a brand new, purpose-built workplace that will reinvent how employees work together in Toronto’s rapidly evolving creative technology sectors. Located on Queens Quay next to Canada’s Sugar Beach, this development will create approximately 350,000 square feet of commercial space for more than 2,000 employees.

Designed by Sweeny &Co – leaders in the architecture of progressive, sustainable workplaces - this cutting-edge commercial facility will create a collaborative work environment that will allow employees to interact and share resources. Companies working in data-intensive industries such as advanced visualization, interactive digital media, gaming, and film and television production will benefit from the building’s state-of-the-art amenities and the waterfront wide ultra-high-speed broadband network.

The Waterfront Innovation Centre will generate high-value jobs in the emerging East Bayfront community and act as a catalyst for additional employment and economic development in the area. Potential employees will also have the opportunity to live in the same community where they work, fulfilling a growing demand for live-work-play neighbourhoods in the downtown core.

The Waterfront Innovation Centre is the next step in implementing the East Bayfront Precinct Plan, which emphasized the importance of a commercial district in East Bayfront that would support Toronto’s economic competitiveness, accommodate shifts in the economy and respond to the need of knowledge-based companies and workers.

Pre-leasing is now underway. Construction is expected to start in late 2016 once the appropriate commercial leasing threshold is met and all City approvals are in place.

ultra high speed broadband

At the heart of the Waterfront Innovation Centre is the waterfront-wide ultra-high-speed broadband fibre-optic network that is delivering one of Toronto’s fastest and most economical high-speed Internet service. Built and operated by Beanfield Metroconnect, the network will support future tenants working in the technology, creative, gaming, digital visualization and media, firm and TV production and related sectors by providing the speed necessary to handle bandwidth-intensive applications required by these industries.

developer selection

Menkes was selected to develop the Waterfront Innovation Centre through an open, competitive and transparent process. A two-stage Request for Qualification and Request for Proposal was conducted, guided by a Steering Committee comprised of Waterfront Toronto senior management and one board member, City of Toronto staff and external subject matter experts in both real estate development and intelligent communities. The entire process was overseen by a Fairness Advisor, The Honourable Justice Coulter A. Osborne.

Menkes was chosen because their submission best responded to specific economic development objectives for the site, demonstrated a strong vision and implementation plan, including a financial plan. The premier Canadian real estate firm has a track record of delivering high-quality innovative commercial space and shares Waterfront Toronto’s desire to be a leader in sustainability and design excellence.