Waterfront Revitalization – Western Beaches Public Realm Plan

• Winter 2024 to Spring 2025: Hire a design team
• Summer 2025: Community Engagement Phase 1
• Fall 2025: Community Engagement Phase 2
• Spring 2026: Community Engagement Phase 3 and final Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update
• June 10, 2026: Present the final Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
• June 24 to 26, 2026: Present the final Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update to City Council

Open House

• June 4, 2026
• 6 to 8 p.m.
• Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre (220 Cowan Ave, Toronto, ON, M6K 2N6)

Join the in-person open house to learn about the final plan and ask questions of the project team.

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Level of Engagement

This project has been classified as an Involve project based on the International Association for Public Participation Spectrum. This means we work directly with the public, stakeholders and rightsholders throughout the Public Realm Plan update process to ensure that ideas and aspirations are understood and considered.

Community Advisory Committee

This project will have a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) with a mandate to provide a forum for feedback, guidance and advice to the project team at key decision points during the community engagement process. The CAC will meet once during phase 1 and phase 2 of the community engagement process. The CAC is not a decision-making body and does not speak on behalf of the entire community.

Indigenous Advisory Circle

This project will have an Indigenous Advisory Circle consisting of Indigenous leaders, knowledge keepers, community advocates and design professionals to establish meaningful dialogue and provide cultural insights throughout all engagement phases on Indigenous Placekeeping for the Western Beaches.

2023

Public Life Study

In the summer and fall of 2023 a Public Life Study mapped five zones in Western Beaches to gather data on park users’ demographics and activities, assess amenity provisions, and observe conflict areas between motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to improve usability and safety.

The study found underrepresentation of children, teenagers, and older adults, with male users being the majority among cyclists and in the evening. Summer attracts more visitors from other areas of the city whereas fall sees more local residents. Over 80% of visitors have positive responses to the Western Beaches, valuing water access, and suggesting improvements such as additional food/drink vendors, better water quality, and enhanced lighting.

The study highlights opportunities to enhance safety, improve maintenance and amenities, and encourage year-round engagement with the Western Beaches through better trail delineation, safer intersection crossings, and an all-season public space design program.

View the full report.

Interactive Mapping

Between October 12th to December 13th, 2023, an interactive mapping exercise gathered approximately 1,300 comments from around 1,500 unique users, fostering lively discussions about the Western Beaches study area.

Participants shared their experiences on this online forum on how they travel and use the Western Beaches area. They also identified various areas of concern and improvement, highlighting priorities for further exploration and discussion. There was strong consensus on enhancing user safety and comfort along the Martin Goodman Trail and emphasizing the importance and diversity of community uses along the western waterfront. The image below shows the commenting platform highlighting areas of concerns and areas for improvements in Western Beaches.

In this phase, the City worked with the community, the Community Advisory Committee and the Indigenous Advisory Circle to review and update the vision, guiding principles and big moves for the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan. The outcomes informed the development of draft recommendations in Community Engagement Phase 2.

Draft Vision Statement

The vision is created with the community to describe the ideal future Western Beaches area. It is a big-picture statement that should inspire everyone toward a common understanding of the project’s overall goals and objectives. The draft vision statement is:

Western Beaches will be many things at once – offering a multitude of experiences to all users. It will continue to be a beloved and versatile stretch of Toronto’s western shoreline, with a series of parks, paths, and beaches that invite people to linger, play, reflect and move through. Movement will feel seamless and intuitive, supported by meaningful connections and a strong sense of place. It will be a vibrant and welcoming destination to everyone, animated by places to sit, gather and reflect. More than just a view, it will offer a true waterfront experience, where people can see, touch and feel the water.

Draft Guiding Principles

The guiding principles are high-level directions that reflect the community’s most important values and ideas for how Western Beaches should look and feel. There are also several key technical considerations such as flood and erosion mitigation, climate change, and transportation-related goals that inform and need to be reflected in these principles. They help to clarify the vision statement and guide how the area should be planned for by describing the desired outcomes. The draft guiding principles are:

• Design a range of spaces that support diverse activities – from quiet reflection to active play – for people of all ages and abilities.
• Incorporate flexible infrastructure and programming that embraces all seasons, including Indigenous seasonal calendars.
• Celebrate Indigenous presence and embed Indigenous cultures, values, and teachings through design, naming, art, and interpretation.
• Reflect Indigenous ways of being and the teaching of “All Our Relations” by designing a public realm that expresses interconnection and supports the well-being of all forms of life.
• Restore shoreline habitats, protect ecological systems, and prioritize nature-based solutions throughout the site.
• Create immersive lakefront experiences that allow people to safely touch, see, and feel the water.
• Expand access to water-based recreation, including swimming, paddling, and beach activities that invite interaction with the shoreline.
• Reveal the distinct identity of the Western Beaches through design that reflects its cultural history and natural character.
• Improve safety for all road and trail users by providing clear, continuous, and universally accessible paths for walking, cycling, and rowing.
• Strengthen access to park destinations and connections to nearby neighbourhoods by active transportation and transit.
• Create welcoming places to sit, gather, and enjoy food and drink that encourage people to linger and return.
• Embed climate resilience through adaptive planting, shade, and stormwater strategies that respond to a changing climate.
• Incorporate public art, interpretation, and storytelling that encourages learning about the history of the place and its culture.
• Create a flexible plan and design with phased implementation to accommodate future growth and changing needs.

Community Engagement Meetings and Events

July 2025

In-Person Pop-Up Events

On July 6, the design team held a pop-up event in Sunnyside Park (immediately west of Sunnyside Pavilion) and Budapest Park (immediately west of Palais Royale). On July 15, the design team held a pop-up event in Sir Casimir Gzowski Park (near the playground and picnic shelter) and Marilyn Bell Park (near the tennis courts and outdoor fitness equipment). These events shared and collected feedback on the emerging vision, guiding principles and precedent images for the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update.

Online Survey

From July 11 to July 27, an online survey collected feedback to help shape the emerging vision, guiding principles and priorities for the Western Beaches. The survey was promoted through on-site signage, this page, email and social media and digital ads. The survey received 1,448 responses.

Key Survey Feedback

Respondents were asked how satisfied they were with the vision statement

• 17 per cent of respondents were very satisfied
• 48 per cent were somewhat satisfied with the emerging vision
• 20 per cent described themselves as neutral towards the vision
• 10 per cent were somewhat dissatisfied
• Five per cent were very dissatisfied

62 per cent of respondents suggested changes to the vision statement. Respondents wanted more attention in the vision statement to the following areas. Ideas are organized from most to least common:

• The vision statement should better capture the need to improve access to the area from adjacent and more distant parts of the City
• There should be greater focus on being on or in the water including recreational boating and swimming
• The vision statement should refer to safety in general and more specifically safety across travel modes
• Issues with breakwater management or improvement should be included in the vision statement
• The vision statement should include reference to improved amenities
• The vision statement should include reference to environment and wildlife
• The vision statement should better indicate the importance of diverse users
• The vision statement should be written in clearer and more specific language

The 14 guiding principles were shared with survey respondents. When asked to rank their top five most important guiding principles from most to least important, the results based on weighted ranking were as follows:

• Improve safety for all road and trail users by providing clear, continuous, and universally accessible paths for walking, cycling and rowing (14 per cent)
• Restore shoreline habitats, protect ecological systems and prioritize nature-based solutions throughout the site (13 per cent)
• Expand access to water-based recreation, including swimming, paddling and beach activities that invite interaction with the shoreline (13 per cent)
• Strengthen access to park destinations and connections to nearby neighbourhoods by active transportation and transit (10 per cent)
• Design a range of spaces that support diverse activities – from quiet reflection to active play – for people of all ages and abilities (nine per cent)
• Create welcoming places to sit, gather and enjoy food and drink that encourage people to linger and return (nine per cent)
• Embed climate resilience through adaptive planting, shade and stormwater strategies that respond to a changing climate (nine per cent)
• Create immersive lakefront experiences that allow people to safely touch, see and feel the water (eight per cent)
• Create a flexible plan and design with phased implementation to accommodate future growth and changing needs (four per cent)
• Incorporate flexible infrastructure and programming that embraces all seasons, including Indigenous seasonal calendars (four per cent)
• Celebrate Indigenous presence and embed Indigenous cultures, values and teachings through design, naming, art and interpretation (two per cent)
• Reflect Indigenous ways of being and the teaching of “All Our Relations” by designing a public realm that expresses interconnection and supports the well-being of all forms of life (two per cent)
• Incorporate public art, interpretation and storytelling that encourages learning about the history of the place and its culture (two per cent)
• Reveal the distinct identity of the Western Beaches through design that reflects its cultural history and natural character (one per cent)

283 respondents (28 per cent) suggested changes or additions to the guiding principles.  The key themes suggested that the guiding principles better address the following areas. Themes are listed from most to least common:

• Repair or remediation of the breakwater should be included in the guiding principles
• Guiding principles should address active transportation, mobility conflicts and traffic concerns
• Guiding principles should suggest improvements to amenities
• The guiding principles should clearly suggest improvements to water access and quality
• There was interest in prioritizing nature, limiting changes and maintaining the parks
• Comments reiterated the importance of recreational water uses
• Other feedback included: being family friendly, addressing homelessness, improving beach access, building social gathering places, multi-season use, disability access, sport courts, city-wide access and dogs
• There was a desire for clearer and more specific language in the guiding principles

Participants were asked to select which of 12 interventions they thought would help achieve the vision and guiding principles for the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update. The ranked responses are as follows:

1. Access to water (76 per cent)
2. Multi-user paths (70 per cent)
3. Connection to transit (69 per cent)
4. Naturalized ecologies (66 per cent)
5. Diverse seating options (58 per cent)
6. Terraced sea wall with seating (55 per cent)
7. Meadow landscape (51 per cent)
8. Small gathering areas (50 per cent)
9. Floating wetlands (43 per cent)
10. Sand dunes (29 per cent)
11. Outdoor classroom (20 per cent)
12. Marking site history (17 per cent)

409 respondents (41 per cent) provided suggestions for additional big moves. The common themes of this feedback from most to least common include:

• Improve access to the area
• Provide local food options
• Prioritize swimming, beach and water quality
• Provide additional amenities
• Prioritize nature
• Support water-based recreation
• Add parkland

Community Advisory Committee Meeting 2

On July 3, the project team met with the Community Advisory Committee for the second time. The meeting introduced members to draft vision and guiding principles, provided opportunities for interactive feedback, and hosted breakout workshops on identity, mobility, recreation and natural systems.

Download the July 3, 2025 Community Advisory Committee meeting summary.

June 2025

Community Advisory Committee Meeting 1

On June 26, the project team met with the Community Advisory Committee for the first time to discuss the project, answer questions and establish terms of reference.

Download the June 26, 2025 Community Advisory Committee meeting summary.

In this phase, the City and its design consultants worked from the outcomes of Community Engagement Phase 1 and technical considerations to develop design options for the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update. These plan options were presented to the community for feedback and will be used to develop the final Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update.

Refined Vision Statement

Western Beaches will be many things at once – offering a multitude of experiences on land and water, welcoming all users in every season.

It will continue to be a beloved and adaptable stretch of Toronto’s western shoreline, safe and easy to get to, with a series of parks, paths, naturalized areas, beaches, and waterways that invite people to linger, play, reflect and move through.

Movement will feel easy and intuitive, comfortable for all modes of active transportation, supported by meaningful connections, universal accessibility, and a strong sense of place. It will be a vibrant and welcoming destination for everyone, animated by spaces for quiet reflection, lively gathering and active recreation.

More than just a view, it will offer a true waterfront experience, where people can see, touch, and feel the water, and enjoy clean, swimmable shores alongside inclusive opportunities for water-based recreation.

Grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, it will honour deep relationships with the land and water, celebrate Indigenous presence, and reflect the Western Beaches’ place within a larger living system, connected to the lake, river, and surrounding watershed where people, nature and place are deeply intertwined.

Above all, it will be a sustainable, and resilient landscape where all lives, species and future generations thrive.

Refined Guiding Principles

1. Design diverse and inclusive spaces: Design a range of spaces and places that support diverse activities from quiet reflection to active play, for people of all ages and abilities.
2. Year-round flexibility: Incorporate flexible programming and infrastructure that embraces all seasons, including Indigenous seasonal calendars.
3. Indigenous placekeeping: Celebrate and restore Indigenous presence, values, and teachings through all phases — planning, design, construction, and operation, including naming, art, storytelling, and cultural interpretation, reflecting the teaching of All Our Relations.
4. Naturalization and habitat restoration: Restore shoreline habitats, enhance biodiversity, and protect ecological systems through nature-based solutions and considering Indigenous stewardship.
5. Climate resilience and adaptation: Strengthen resilience to climate change by designing landscapes that can adapt to changing conditions — from rising temperatures to fluctuating lake levels and more frequent extreme weather — while supporting comfort, safety and ecological health over time.
6. Water quality: Ensure ongoing improvement of water quality is prioritized through measures that protect public health and support safe recreation, contributing to a clean and healthy waterfront.
7. Lakefront access and recreation: Create immersive lakefront experiences that allow people to safely touch, see, and feel the water, while expanding access to water-based recreation such as swimming, paddling and beach activities.
8. Identity and character: Strengthen and reveal the distinct identity of the Western Beaches through design that reflects its cultural history, natural character and diverse communities.
9. Mobility and connectivity: Improve safety for all road, trail and watercraft users by providing clear, continuous, and universally accessible paths for walking, cycling, and rowing, with an emphasis on managing conflicts among various users, and enhancing the experience for all.
10. Access to the Western Beaches: Explore opportunities to strengthen connections between communities and the waterfront and improve access to the Western Beaches by active transportation, public transit and water-based modes.
11. Gathering and social connection: Create welcoming places to gather that encourage social connection, cultural exchange and celebration that reflect Toronto’s diversity.
12. Food and beverage diversity: Enhance opportunities for improved hospitality and food experiences by offering diverse, high-quality, and culturally rich food and beverage options that encourage people to linger and return.
13. Cultural storytelling: Incorporate public art, interpretation, and storytelling that encourages learning about the history of the place and its cultures, including Indigenous, local and immigrant narratives.
14. Flexibility for the future: Create a flexible plan with phased implementation to accommodate future growth, evolving community needs and changing environmental conditions.

Community Engagement Meetings and Events

December 2025

Online Survey

From November 20 to December 8, an online survey collected feedback to help shape the emerging big moves and draft ideas for the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update. The survey was promoted through on-site signage, Councillor updates, this page, email and social media and digital ads. The survey received 792 responses.

Key Survey Feedback

Respondents were asked how much they agreed or disagreed with each of the 14 big moves. All big moves received at least 49 per cent support. The top five big moves that received over 74 per cent support are listed below:

• 95 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Make the water clean and swimmable”
• 80 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Create safe pedestrian and cycling flow”
• 78 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Plan for climate-ready, resilient design”
• 75 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Reimagine and repair the breakwaters”
• 74 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Restore natural systems and habitats”

267 respondents provided additional comments. The most common comments are summarized below:

• Support for using a light‑touch approach, respecting private clubs and centring ecological considerations
• Prioritizing mobility, protecting the disc golf course, making budget‑conscious choices, differentiating power‑boat use, improving access and addressing water quality
• Support for swimming, local food vendors, buffering the park from the highway and adding activities such as surfing or markets

Respondents were asked to share their support for the following ideas under the 14 big moves and provide any additional comments.

Big Move 1: Make the Water Clean and Swimmable

• 86 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Advance ongoing cleanout of High Park stormwater management (SWM) facilities.”
• 85 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Implement real-time water quality and CSO monitoring system.”
• 82 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Promote City’s progress on improving combined sewer overflows (CSOs).”
• 63 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Pilot Floating Wetlands Systems.”

69 respondents provided additional comments:

• Concerns about floating wetlands, including impacts on boating routes, maintenance and Humber River runoff effects on water quality
• Issues with basic garbage cleanup and maintenance and a desire for stronger environmental and ecological focus

Big Move 2: Repair and Reimagine the Breakwater

• 80 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Advance work to repair existing breakwaters.”
• 78 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Explore options to integrate nature-based design approaches into breakwaters.”

69 respondents provided additional comments:

• Support for moving breakwaters farther offshore and for naturalizing or repairing them
• Suggestions to partially or fully remove breakwaters, interest in pedestrian access to naturalized breakwaters, concerns about costs and wildlife impacts and a desire for improved sandy beaches and clean water for swimming

Big Move 3: Improve Access to the Lake

• 63 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Expand and improve the Beach between the Legion and Boulevard Club.”
• 60 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Improve opportunities to overlook and experience the water’s edge.”
• 42 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Create opportunities for ceremonial water access.”

101 respondents provided additional comments:

• Mixed views on the new beach and proposed public access between the Legion and Boulevard Club
• Mixed feedback on the new dock structures, with both opposition and support
• Additional themes including desire for less new infrastructure, support for the disc golf course, interest in improved transit, concerns about project costs and parking, opposition to ceremonial water access, interest in improving Sunnyside Beach, prioritizing water quality, concerns about homelessness, desire to keep existing pedestrian paths and preferences for keeping the beach simple

Big Move 4: Protect and Enhance Boating and Rowing Culture

• 72 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Strengthen on-water safety protocols and enforcement.”
• 66 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Evaluate and refine approach to paddle craft rentals based on current pilot.”
• 64 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Add public dock amenities for paddlers and swimmers.”
• 59 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Establish safe rowing and paddling corridors, separate from swimming zones.”

60 respondents provided additional comments:

• Concerns that the space inside the breakwater is too small, along with worries about motorized watercraft and overall water safety
• Noting that the specific location of new docks is important
• Additional points including car and parking access for people bringing boats, opposition to lane separation inside the breakwater, support for natural areas, support for boating and public boating access, interest in removing shipping containers and a desire for improved water quality and swimming areas

Big Move 5: Create Safe Pedestrian and Cycling Flow

• 74 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Identify segments to continue/extend a pedestrian-only path parallel to Martin Goodman Trail (MGT).”
• 74 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Improve safety conditions at driveways and parking access points along the Martin Goodman Trail.”
• 74 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Communicate that Martin Goodman Trail is a shared path.”
• 73 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Improve Safety and Connectivity at the Humber Bay Arch Bridge.”
• 65 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Turn Aquatic Drive Trail portion of Martin Goodman Trail into a slow zone.”
• 57 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Improve secondary paths to meaningfully connect to destinations.”
• 49 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Extend the boardwalk for the entirety of the study area.”

180 respondents provided additional comments:

• Opposition to a public walkway between the Boulevard Club/Legion and the water, primarily due to safety and private‑property concerns
• Support for improved pedestrian access, full separation of cyclists and pedestrians and better enforcement of travel rules
• Additional themes including concerns about cost and value of proposed options, belief that the MGT is adequate as‑is, suggestions for new or adjusted traffic lights, support for the disc golf course, desire for improved signage and wider trails and concerns about motorized transport on bike paths
• Further comments highlighting pedestrian safety concerns near Lake Shore, requests for unpaved surfaces, support for a continuous boardwalk, interest in reclaiming a lane of Lake Shore, concerns about homelessness, desire for improved lighting and better bridge landings and calls for improved car access and transit

Big Move 6: Strengthen Access to Western Beaches

• 82 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Improve underpasses.”
• 80 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Enhance connection to High Park.”
• 77 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Work with TTC to consider transit improvements to Western Beaches.”
• 65 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Reimagine parking areas as welcoming gateways.”

69 respondents provided additional comments:

• Mixed views on car access and parking, concerns about project costs and suggestions to remove lanes from Lake Shore
• Additional themes including added bridges, more evergreen trees, improved cycling infrastructure, separated travel in underpasses and concerns about graffiti and homelessness in underpasses.

Big Move 7: Enhance Navigation and Wayfinding

• 57 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Initiate a Western Beaches Wayfinding Plan.”

24 respondents provided additional comments:

• Concerns that this big move is unnecessary and that its cost outweighs its value
• Requests for accessible wayfinding and for reducing sign clutter

Big Move 8: Deliver Year-round Amenities and Comfort

• 83 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Deliver accessible, year-round washrooms.”
• 69 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Upgrade quality and quantity of visitor amenities.”
• 67 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Improve the cycling experience with more consistent and supportive amenities.”
• 65 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Identify a unifying standard for park amenities in the Western Beaches.”
• 61 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Integrate thermal comfort consideration into all future park design.”

90 respondents provided additional comments:

• Concerns about homelessness affecting maintenance and use of amenities, along with a desire for less new infrastructure
• Concerns about fire pits, interest in protecting the disc golf course, worries about project costs and concerns that the area may remain underused in winter despite winterizing
• Additional themes including calls for saunas, views that improvements are unnecessary, support for protecting local clubs, concerns about garbage and maintenance, requests for more innovative ideas, support for water fountains and all‑season amenities, opposition to washrooms and requests for more bike racks

Big Move 9: Create a Food and Beverage Strategy

• 69 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Expand and diversify food and beverage options.”
• 54 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Expand picnic and barbecue areas in key locations.”

92 respondents provided additional comments:

• Need for a strong garbage‑management strategy to support any food and beverage offerings in the western beaches
• Comments on protecting the disc golf course, interest in sit‑down food options
• Mixed views on BBQs

Big Move 10: Reimagine Play on the Waterfront for all Ages

• 77 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Refurbish existing playgrounds.”
• 70 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Introduce a nature play zone.”
• 56 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Introduce a multipurpose sports zone.”
• 53 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Improve and expand the existing outdoor fitness zones.”
• 50 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Enhance and better integrate the existing BMX facility.”

59 respondents provided additional comments:

• Support for keeping the area natural and unstructured, along with strong support for protecting the disc golf course
• Interest in protecting or enhancing tennis facilities and some support for adding pickleball
• Additional themes including fixing the dinosaur structures, opposition to the disc golf course from a few respondents, support for new playgrounds, concern about maintenance and interest in multigenerational and creative play

Big Move 11: Revitalize Heritage Destinations

• 84 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Reinforce Sunnyside Pavilion as a community hub.”
• 68 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Reimagine the Joy Oil Station as a visitor centre.”
• 45 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Reveal Western Beaches’ stories through an interpretive plan.”

38 respondents provided additional comments:

• Additional comments about celebrating existing clubs, keeping the western beaches simple, avoiding City‑run programs, reducing garbage and protecting the disc golf course

Big Move 12: Honouring Indigenous Presence and Storytelling

• 70 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Celebrate the mouth of the Humber River as an Indigenous place of significance.”
• 61 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Cultivate Indigenous teaching landscapes to support Indigenous programming.”
• 53 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Advance Placeknowing through art and signage.”
• 53 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Establish a narrative tail: ‘walking with story’.”

33 respondents provided additional comments:

• Additional comments encouraging the use of ecological materials and interventions, the importance of consulting the appropriate people and groups and support for Biidaasige Park as a model

Big Move 13: Restore Natural Systems and Habitats

• 90 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Support wildlife and habitat networks.”
• 87 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Restore ecological systems at the Humber River mouth.”
• 87 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Design with seasonal water changes.”
• 87 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Support aquatic habitat networks.”
• 87 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Cultivate native plant habitats.”
• 68 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Create soundscape and sensory water experience.”
• 57 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Celebrate medicinal and Indigenous planting practices.”

37 respondents provided additional comments:

• Concerns that this big move conflicts with other big moves and valued existing uses
• Concerns about potential increases in cleanliness and maintenance issues
• Support for enhancing Idea 4, including wildlife and habitat networks

Big Move 14: Plan for Climate Ready, Resilient Design

• 90 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Protect shorelines.”
• 89 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Design for water retention and filtration.”
• 88 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with “Capture and treat snowmelt runoff.”

17 respondents provided additional comments:

• Suggestions for innovative landscape solutions (e.g., “sponge city” approaches) or reducing road salt
• Requests to avoid armour stone and reduce hardscaped shorelines
• Additional ideas including creating stormwater pools, combining hard and soft infrastructure, establishing a stormwater baseline for Idea 1, improving water quality, dredging the waterway, partnering with insurance companies on education, fixing the breakwater and adding evergreens

November 2025

Virtual Public Meeting

On November 27, participants attended a virtual public meeting to learn about and provide feedback on the draft ideas for the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update. The meeting was promoted through on-site signage, Councillor updates, this page, email and social media and digital ads.

Download the November 27, 2025 virtual public meeting presentation.

Community Advisory Committee Meeting 3

On November 19, the project team met with the Community Advisory Committee for the third time. The meeting introduced the revised draft vision and guiding principles and provided an opportunity for members to review, discuss and provide input on emerging draft ideas as recommendations for the Western Beaches Public Realm Plan.

Download the November 19, 2025 Community Advisory Committee meeting summary.

In this phase, the City will share the final Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update at a final Open House event. It will also be posted on this webpage and shared with the subscribers on the project mailing list. The project will then move on to develop the final implementation and costing strategy.

The anticipated outcome of this phase is the final Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update.

The community engagement events anticipated in this phase include:

• Public Open House event
• Indigenous Advisory Circle Talking Circle

The Western Waterfront Master Plan (WWMP) was approved by City Council in 2009. Its purpose was to provide a vision for the Western Waterfront and guide future decisions regarding improvements to the public realm. The plan aimed to shape the development and transformation of the Western Waterfront over the next few decades. It has proposed several large initiatives such as north-south pedestrian and cyclist crossings, enhancements to the Martin Goodman Trail, expanded beaches with improved water quality, and increased opportunities for water-based recreation.

The context of the Western Beaches has changed since 2009. Developments such as rising lake levels, shoreline erosion, an aging break water, the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of the Reconciliation Action Plan, and increased awareness of the historical and cultural significance of the mouth of the Humber River has resulted in the need for an updated plan.

The update to the 2009 Plan will share progress made to date, list current initiatives, reconfirm project objectives, refresh priority actions, and identify new opportunities for improvements to the parks, trails, roads, and other facilities that support the Western Beaches and its visitor experience.

The goals of Western Beaches Public Realm Plan Update are to create a trajectory for the Western Beaches as:

1. Central to Toronto’s sense of place where everyone can access and engage with Lake Ontario and enjoy its beauty.
2. A local and regional destination that protects its natural and cultural heritage, grounded in Indigenous knowledge and Placekeeping.
3. A public amenity with a diverse and high-quality visitor experience, inclusive of passive and active recreational activities, food and beverage, and programming opportunities.
4. A place that offers safe and convenient mobility and recreational options for all users and improves the conditions for pedestrians and people cycling.
5. An implementable plan with near term, mid-term, and long-term actionable steps outlining tangible outcomes, budgets, and works.

Study Area

The Western Beaches spans over four kilometres and covers an area of 120 hectares in Toronto’s western waterfront. It extends east from the mouth of the Humber River to the eastern edge of Marilyn Bell Park. Its northern boundary follows the historic shoreline along the CN Rail Corridor embankment and The Queensway, while its southern boundary extends into Lake Ontario to include the existing breakwaters.