Waterfront Toronto Launches International Competition for Quayside Development Partner

March 10, 2021, Toronto, ON – Waterfront Toronto today launched an international competition to secure a development partner for the Quayside lands. The first step in this effort is to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to identify potential development proponents with the proven experience, design portfolio, financial resources, and shared vision necessary to bring Quayside to reality.

“The people of Toronto have told us that they want to see a bold vision realized on the waterfront that reflects the confident, welcoming, and imaginative civic spirit of our city,” said Stephen Diamond, Chair of the Board for Waterfront Toronto.

“We are looking for leaders in the development field that will share our ambition to create a place that fuses Quayside to the water, and provides more beauty, utility, and originality than previously imagined. We want Quayside to be timeless, adaptive, and to propel us into our rightful place among the great waterfronts of the world,” Diamond concluded.

Quayside will usher in a new chapter in Toronto development. It will remind people of everything they want from living in the city and demonstrate what is possible when vision, passion, and design excellence are brought together.

Quayside will be a sustainable community for people of all ages, backgrounds, abilities and incomes. A place providing market and affordable housing options for individuals and families. It will offer opportunities for aging in place, including the supports and amenities that will allow seniors to live independently. Inclusive economic development opportunities will create jobs and spaces for business owners that reflect Toronto’s diversity.

Waterfront Toronto’s vision for Parliament Slip is a signature piece of the project and delivers on the Corporation’s promise to reorient the city to the water.

“Quayside is an opportunity to reimagine a stronger economic future and create a post-pandemic landmark community that addresses many of the vulnerabilities that the COVID-19 crisis has exposed,” said George Zegarac, CEO for Waterfront Toronto.

“The past year has driven people apart, when they'd rather be together. We’ll know we have been successful when anyone who's ever thought about moving away from the city looks at Quayside and remembers every reason they wanted to live in Toronto in the first place,” Zegarac added.

Key Facts

The Quayside site totals 4.9 hectares (12 acres), including 3.2 hectares (8 acres) of developable land across five development blocks. It is one of the last undeveloped expanses of land steps from Toronto’s downtown. Through the RFQ stage of this competition, a short list of proponents will be selected to participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a winning development team that will deliver a dynamic, inclusive and resilient community, including new affordable and market rate housing, and the conditions for a diversity of businesses to succeed.

To view the RFQ, proponents and interested parties can visit https://waterfrontoronto.bonfirehub.ca/. The RFQ Submission deadline is May 12, 2021. Waterfront Toronto aims to select a winning proponent before the end of 2021.

About Waterfront Toronto

Waterfront Toronto was established by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of the city’s waterfront. It is mandated to deliver a revitalized waterfront that brings together the most innovative approaches to sustainable urban development, excellence in urban design, real estate development, and leading technology infrastructure.

Working with the community, and with public and private-sector partners, Waterfront Toronto creates complete neighbourhoods anchored by parks and public spaces, and diverse, sustainable, mixed-use communities that offer a high quality of life for residents, employees, and visitors alike. We are transforming the waterfront for the use and enjoyment of the people of Toronto, Ontario and Canada, to foster economic growth and to redefine how the city, province and country are perceived by the world.

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What people are saying about Quayside

“UHN applauds Waterfront Toronto’s vision of supporting a continuum of care including Long Term Care to help address a backlog of over 5,700 people on waiting lists in the Central Toronto area. It has never been more important to support new models of care for our aging populations.” — Dr. Kevin Smith, President & CEO, University Health Network

“Waterfront businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic and Quayside is an opportunity to build back stronger and even better. It’s just the shot in the arm that we need to reach our full potential and make us one of the best waterfronts in the world.” — Tim Kocur, Executive Director, Waterfront Business Improvement Area

“Harbourfront Centre and Waterfront Toronto have a shared vision for a dynamic, vibrant and sustainable waterfront that belongs to everyone. As the revitalization and transformation of Toronto’s waterfront continues, we look forward to working together to help each other make this world-class waterfront a reality.” — Marah Braye, Chief Executive Officer, Harbourfront Centre

“The mandate of Waterfront Toronto is to create extraordinary new places to live, work, learn and play. We are excited about the possibilities this opens up for fresh new thinking about the types of spaces and care models Ontario’s seniors will be looking for in the future. Demand for long-term care continues to grow but more than that, the desire and expectation that we can and should move beyond the status quo. This project presents a wonderful and much-needed opportunity to set a new bar and position Toronto as a leader in innovative seniors’ care!” — Lisa Levin, CEO, AdvantAge Ontario

“The COVID-19 Pandemic has amplified the need for the nation to look at new models of care for our seniors and we strongly support Waterfront Toronto’s proposal to use its Quayside development to pilot a new model that will provide vital long term care capacity to a city with growing waitlists.” — Dr. Andrew J. Smith President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Media Kit:

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Artistic rendering of what the fully developed Quayside could look like. This massing is one possible vision for Quayside and has not been approved and would be subject to a rezoning process. Rendering by Standard Practice.
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Aerial rendering of the Proposed Vision for Quayside looking northwest at sunset. Rendering by West 8 + DTAH.
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Proposed Vision for Parliament Slip animation, looking southeast from Queens Quay. Rendering by West 8 + DTAH.
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Rendering of Queens Quay East that also illustrates the aspiration for ground floor animation. Rendering by Standard Practice.
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Proposed Vision Aerial looking northeast day. Rendering by West 8 + DTAH.
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Quayside Block Plan (Figure 2). Image by Waterfront Toronto.
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Aerial View of the Quayside Development Area. Image by Waterfront Toronto.