The City is co-creating the Toronto Island Park Master Plan with Indigenous rightsholders, local communities and the general public! That means we’re collating thoughts, ideas and feedback in gradual stages and in a variety of ways to ensure your voices and ideas are reflected in the final Master Plan.
There are three phases in the engagement process, which will run from 2021 to 2022. The first phase, called “Towards a Vision,” takes place from now until April 2021. In this phase, we want you to help us explore what the future of Toronto Island Park could look like. There are many ways to participate. In consideration of COVID-19 Public Health guidelines and restrictions, no in-person activities will be offered at this time.
Tell us what you like and don’t like about Toronto Island Park and where you see specific challenges and opportunities by placing pins and comments on an interactive map. Read what others have said about the park and join the discussion! This activity closes on April 9, 2021.
Share your experiences of Toronto Island Park (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and how you would like to experience it in the future in an online Visioning Survey. The questions are split into six sections and will take approximately 10 to 20 minutes to complete. The survey closes on April 9, 2021.
Register to join a virtual forum to learn more about Indigenous placekeeping and the Toronto Islands on April 28, at 6:30 p.m.
The event will focus on sharing insights and teachings on Indigenous placekeeping, especially in the context of the Toronto Island Park Master Plan. It will include an opening invocation and thanksgiving, an Elders and knowledge-holders panel and presentations on perspectives of Indigenous placekeeping.
Share your thoughts, ideas and experiences in an engagement toolkit.
To request a printed toolkit and prepaid return envelope:
The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is a group made of waterfront-based, city-wide, and Indigenous communities that have a mandate or interest that connects to the Toronto Island Master Plan. The CAC’s role is to work in collaboration with the City to help shape and provide feedback on the development of the Master Plan.
The City is striving to compose a CAC that includes:
If your organization is interested in joining the CAC, complete the online application form.
Engagement is an important and valuable part of the Master Plan development. It makes up two of five key inputs that will influence the Master Plan:
There are three phases in the engagement process. Each phase will include synchronous activities that engage multiple people at the same time (e.g. public meetings and workshops) and asynchronous activities that engage people individually in their own time (e.g. surveys and discussion guides).
From October to December, the City completed several pre-engagement interviews and focus groups to get a preliminary understanding of the issues and opportunities that exist on Toronto Island. This feedback will be used to guide the first phase of engagement.
The first round of engagement will focus on what the future of the park could be. This phase will result in a new Vision as well as a set of Values and Guiding Principles.
The second round of engagement will confirm the Vision, Values, and Guiding Principles and move onto developing Big Moves and Concept Plans for Toronto Island Park.
The final phase, targeted for early 2022, will focus on putting the finishing touches on the draft Master Plan.
A celebration and launch, scheduled for summer 2022, will mark the completion of the Master Plan.
The engagement program is designed to reach both targeted audiences (through Advisory and Placekeeping Groups) and broad audiences (all island users, including and especially those communities for whom Toronto Island Park has special significance, including LGBTQ2S+ communities, Black communities, newcomers, youth, seniors, and people with disabilities).
The City is also committed to meaningful, Indigenous-led engagement. We are aiming to work closely with rights-bearing First Nations & Métis communities, Indigenous organizations, Urban Indigenous serving agencies, and grassroots First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members. The process will include both Indigenous placekeeping (discussions focused on how this Master Plan can help Toronto Island Park feel like an Indigenous place) and Indigenous engagement (discussions with Indigenous audiences – particularly First Nations, Métis, urban Indigenous organizations, 2-Spirit peoples, and Indigenous women and youth – about the broader Master Plan).
Guidance by elders is important to this work. Elders and traditional knowledge holders help us access valuable Indigenous traditional knowledge, providing teachings and guidance that will help us to keep an Indigenous worldview front-of-mind.
The Indigenous Placekeeping and Advisory Groups include:
The Advisory and Placekeeping Groups include communities with interests or mandates that are directly connected to the Toronto Island Park Master Plan and who can provide insight to guide the development of the Master Plan. These groups include:
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While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content on this site. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our maps, drawings, or any other content, please contact Lori Ellis at 647-427–5331or islandparkmasterplan@toronto.ca.