Toronto Island Park Master Plan: Have Your Say

Torontonians from all walks of life have shared their vision for Toronto Island Park! Now you can help decide which ideas bring this vision to life. Rate, comment on and share your own Big Ideas by June 20, 2021.

Big Ideas are specific ideas that will help to implement our collective Vision, Values and Guiding Principles for Toronto Island Park. A Big Idea can be large, or seemingly small, and can relate to anything from programming to physical changes and more.

Island Stories is a collective storytelling project that captures the unique ways Torontonians from all walks of life experience Toronto Island.

We have heard from families who have lived on the Island for decades, visitors who have enjoyed concerts, ferry rides, and the island maze, individuals who have celebrated special moments on the island, and even stories of a lighthouse ghost! The campaign has provided an opportunity for reflection as we collectively create the Toronto Island Park Master Plan.

Share your story on the Island Stories page and inspire your thoughts for the future of the Island.

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:

• Organizations interested in the Toronto Island Park Master Plan, including geography-specific interests (such as Toronto Island or Waterfront-based organizations) or topic-specific interests (such as environmental advocacy organizations). The City is also seeking applications from organizations representing equity-deserving groups such as LGBTQ2S+, women, young adults (18 to 29 years old), racialized communities, and people with disabilities.
• Indigenous Peoples including representatives from First Nations, Métis Councils and Indigenous-led/Indigenous-serving agencies and organizations.

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 are influencing the Master Plan:

• Indigenous Engagement, including rights-bearing First Nations, the Métis Community and urban Indigenous communities
• Public and community engagement and research, including Island and waterfront communities and businesses, all Island and water users and others
• Environmental Assessment requirements, including flood mitigation constraints
• Technical expertise and advice, including City of Toronto and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) staff and project consultants DTAH, Urban Metrics and FS Strategy
• Priorities from other planning documents and City policies, including TOcore, the Marine Use Strategy and others

There are three phases in the engagement process. Each phase includes 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 November 2020 to January 2021, 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 was used to guide the first phase of engagement.

Phase 1: Towards a Vision

March to April 2021

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.

Phase 2: Ideas to Concepts

May to November 2021

The second round of engagement will confirm the Vision, Values, and Guiding Principles and move onto developing Big Ideas and Concept Plans for Toronto Island Park.

Phase 3: Confirming a Path Forward

December 2021 to May 2022

The final phase, targeted for early 2022, will focus on putting the finishing touches on the draft Master Plan.

Celebration

Summer 2022

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).

Indigenous Placekeeping and Engagement

The City is also committed to meaningful, Indigenous-led engagement. We are working 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 includes 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 help us to keep an Indigenous worldview front-of-mind.

The Indigenous Placekeeping and Advisory Groups include:

• Indigenous Placemaking Advisory Circle (IPAC): The Indigenous Placemaking Advisory Council is a group convened by the City of Toronto’s Indigenous Affairs Office. It is comprised of 10-15 fifteen individuals representing a range of Indigenous organizations and perspectives.
• Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN): These discussions include representatives of the MCFN, Elders, knowledge keepers and others who connect about placekeeping on Toronto Island from the Michi Saagiig perspective.

Advisory Groups

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:

• Technical Advisory Committee: The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is comprised of staff representing 20-30 City divisions or other public agencies (Waterfront Toronto, Ports Toronto, and others). The TAC provides advice, technical guidance and helps connect the Master Plan to other concurrent, related initiatives.
• Community Advisory Committee: 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.
• Business Reference Groups: The City holds business reference meetings with Island and waterfront businesses to review and discuss key issues emerging from the Business Strategy. They meet as needed over the course of the process.

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