Waterfront Innovation Centre

125 Queens Quay East
(just east of Lower Jarvis Street
and Canada’s Sugar Beach)

Jobs and Innovation
 

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

The Waterfront Innovation Centre brings high-value jobs to the growing East Bayfront community and will act as a catalyst for additional employment and economic development in the area. 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 has advanced 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.

Construction was completed in August 2021 and anchor tenants including, WPP, MaRS (in partnership with the University of Toronto), and theScore, began to occupy the facility in May 2022.

Ultra-Highspeed Broadband

At the heart of the Waterfront Innovation Centre is the waterfront-wide ultra-highspeed broadband fibre-optic network that delivers one of Toronto’s fastest and most economical highspeed Internet service. Built and operated by Beanfield Metroconnect, the network can support tenants working in the technology, creative, gaming, digital visualization and media, film 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.