Toronto’s New Waterfront Street - Queens Quay Opens on Time After Three Years of Revitalization Work

cyclists and pedestrians walking along a new promenade on Queens Quay

Toronto, June 19, 2015 – After three years of construction, Toronto’s revitalized waterfront boulevard is open – on schedule, and in time for the Redpath Waterfront Festival and the upcoming Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.

Once a street that featured poor design, insufficient room for pedestrians, and ageing infrastructure, Queens Quay has been transformed into a beautiful boulevard that includes a separated TTC right-of-way, a new section of the Martin Goodman Trail that connects the Trail across the downtown waterfront, and an enlarged pedestrian promenade that reflects the central waterfront’s importance as the second most-visited area of the city. Under the street, key infrastructure has been replaced or upgraded, including power, gas, water, sewage and telecommunications systems.

The design for the new Queens Quay was developed after an international design competition and extensive environmental assessment process that were aimed at enhancing the area’s appeal as Toronto’s prime waterfront destination. Years of public consultation resulted in a design that not only improved the street’s condition, but directly reflected the needs and dreams of those who live, work and play here.

The new Queens Quay features improved facilities for:

Pedestrians: A wide, red granite pedestrian promenade, comfortable benches and healthy trees planted using Silva Cells – all of which stitch the area together
Cyclists: A separated bike path that provides the missing connection of the Martin Goodman Trail and that features dedicated bicycle signals
Transit users: A new dedicated right-of-way, new, fully accessible platforms and shelters, prioritized signal system
Motorists: Dedicated turning lanes and signals, lay-bys for car and bus passenger drop-offs
Waterfront retailers and restaurants: New north-side sidewalks and landscaping that extend to the edge of storefronts will now stimulate ground floor retail activity and urban vitality

The Queens Quay revitalization project budget of $128.9 million was funded by the federal, provincial and city governments and through Waterfront Toronto:

City of Toronto: $65.2 million
Province of Ontario: $14.5 million
Government of Canada: $13.4 million
Waterfront Toronto: $35.7 million

This new street will link major destinations along the water’s edge, create pedestrian and cycling-friendly promenades and encourage an economically vibrant area that serves as a destination for locals and visitors alike.

Waterfront Toronto
The Governments of Canada and Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto's waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.