Overview – Keele Finch Plus

Council Direction was given to begin the Study in December 2015.

Phase 1 (Study Initiation) lasted from spring to fall of 2016.

Phase 2 (Plans and Analysis) consisted of two parts. Phase 2A (Plans and Analysis – Developing Options) was completed in September 2017. Phase 2B (Preferred Concept) was anticipated to be complete in 2017. To ensure an extra level of due diligence, Phase 2B was delayed to further consider stakeholder and public input, and to complete an extra level of technical analysis. Phase 2 was completed in July 2018 with North York Community Council’s endorsement of the preferred concept. At this meeting, staff were given direction to prepare a Secondary Plan.

Phase 3 (Implementation) began in the second half of 2018. Consultation on draft policy directions occurred in May and June of 2019, and announcement of consideration of a Protected Major Transit Station Area was presented at the June 2019 Open House. Feedback from the public consultation and the completion of additional technical analysis, such as the noise, air quality and safety study, informed draft Official Plan Amendments that were posted online in January 2020. The final report and Official Plan Amendments will be considered at the City’s December 8, 2020 Planning and Housing Committee.

Two of the City’s partners – Metrolinx and the TTC – are working to help ensure that current and future Torontonians can move about in an efficient manner. The TTC is constructed an extention to the Line 1 subway to Vaughan, with a stop at Keele Street and Finch Avenue West. This new subway opened at the end of 2017. Similarly, Metrolinx is investing in the Finch Avenue West Light Rail Transit (LRT) line. This line is expected to run from Keele Street to Humber College, mainly along Finch Avenue West. The LRT is expected to begin construction in 2018, and to be open by 2023. These two lines meet at Keele Street and Finch Avenue West and will act as significant stimuli toward change in the area.

The Keele Finch Plus Study is complementary to Metrolinx and the TTC’s work. The Study is about evaluating options to take advantage of new transit infrastructure around Keele Street and Finch Avenue West. The transit infrastructure is being designed to accommodate a growing Toronto, but we need to make decisions about how to grow with transit. This includes thinking about where people will live and work, how to improve access from local neighbourhoods to transit and what kind and size of buildings will be in the area in the future.

Much of the ground work is already complete. This was achieved through other processes and efforts, including public consultation. For example, much of the area near Finch Avenue West between Keele Street and the rail corridor is designated Employment Areas in Toronto’s Official Plan. This means that this area is protected for employment uses only, but that more intensive employment uses may be possible. Similarly, the Keele and Finch area is a designated ‘Mobility Hub’ in the Regional Transportation Plan (Metrolinx’s Big Move), which means it is identified as an area that can handle significant intensification along with transit infrastructure. How that will be achieved will be determined with your help through the Keele Finch Plus Study.

Make sure you get involved to have your voice heard and help us build on this foundation!