A number of green streets projects have been completed at various sites in the city and more are being planned. Green streets projects are completed either directly by the City or through Development led projects.

The Green Streets Map provides an overview of green infrastructure, assets that capture rainwater and direct it to plants and trees, that have been constructed throughout the City.

Review a description of green infrastructure types.

Planned road work is an opportunity for the City to consider whether a street is a suitable location for green streets. Bundling green streets work with other planned construction reduces construction costs and the overall disruption to the neighbourhood.

The City uses a technical screening process to identify and prioritize streets and locations in the right-of-way that are suitable for various types of green streets when road work is planned. A number of factors are considered in the evaluation, including:

  • soil quality and infiltration rates
  • existing air quality
  • tree canopy
  • stormwater management
  • social wellness and equity
  • the amount of space in the right-of-way
  • impacts to mature trees

Six Points Interchange Reconfiguration

Green Streets at the Six Points Interchange Reconfigurations shows trees and plantings along wide boulevard.

Located along local roads in the mixed-used Etobicoke-Centre neighbourhood, this project was completed in 2020.

Site selection

The City’s Official Plan identified Etobicoke Centre as one of four designated centres within the City and in 2003 the City initiated a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Six Points Interchange to assess options for reconfiguration. The EA was conducted between 2003 and 2007 and included extensive public consultation. The overall reconfiguration provided an opportunity to introduce green streets elements, including stormwater tree trenches to support the growth of trees to maturation.

Scope of work and benefits

The Six Points Interchange Reconfiguration included a realignment of Dundas Street West, new traffic signals, widened sidewalks, three new streets, cycling facilities, new parkland, removal of two bridges, the creation of a district energy plan and inclusion of new street trees. New street trees were planted within stormwater tree trenches and continuous soil trenches along several streets. The stormwater tree trenches allow stormwater from the roadway to drain into catchbasins and this stormwater is redirected to the soils underneath the tree through a series of perforated pipes. The stormwater tree trenches provide benefits including reduction of the quantity of stormwater that enters the sewer system since it is redirected to the soils underneath the trees thereby increasing overall resilience to extreme storms.

The continuous soil trenches differ from the stormwater tree trenches in that there is no catchbasin connection, thus, road drainage is not captured. However, there is still an overall decrease in the quantity of stormwater that enters the sewer system as the impervious surface that existed previously (i.e. concrete or asphalt) has now been replaced with a pervious surface in the form of soils. Both stormwater tree trenches and continuous soil trenches provide other benefits including increased water quality through filtration through the soils, increased biodiversity and shade resulting in increased thermal comfort.

Maintenance and monitoring

After the stormwater tree trenches were constructed, the contractor maintained the trees and any drainage infrastructure for a standard period of two years until the infrastructure was assumed by the City.

The City also works with the Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program (STEP), which is led by the conservation authority, to monitor components of the stormwater tree trenches. STEP is currently monitoring the performance of the stormwater tree trenches to assess the stormwater volume retention capabilities of the system as well as the filtration capabilities.

Green Streets Systems

Continuous soil trenches and stormwater tree trenches

Byng Avenue

Green Streets project on Byng Ave shows planting in the right of way near driveways

Byng Avenue, a local road in a residential neighbourhood in Etobicoke, was completed in 2019.

Site selection

Road rehabilitation was on the City’s Capital Program for construction and included reconstruction of the road and replacement of sidewalk. This presented an opportunity to bundle green streets scope into the already rehabilitation work.

In the areas where green streets infrastructure was proposed, there were no conflicting utilities or mature trees, which allowed for ease of construction of the green streets elements.

Scope of work and benefits

This project included the installation of two major green streets components; bioretention planters and a porous concrete sidewalk. These reduced the volume of stormwater that enters the sewer system, thereby increasing overall resilience to extreme storms and enhanced water quality through filtration through the bioretention media. The bioretention planters also include native plantings that increase biodiversity.

Maintenance and monitoring

After the bioretention facilities and porous concrete sidewalk were constructed, the contractor maintained the horticulture and any drainage infrastructure for a standard period of two years until the infrastructure was assumed by the City. After that period, the City has been maintaining the drainage infrastructure and adjacent property owners have been maintaining the horticulture (i.e. watering, weed removal, litter removal).

Since this was the first location within the City where a permeable sidewalk was installed, the City took additional steps to ensure there was adequate monitoring of this green street feature. The City hired a consultant to oversee pre-construction and post-construction monitoring. The post-construction monitoring included assessment of the infiltration rates of stormwater through the porous concrete.

Green Streets Systems

  • Bioretention
  • Permeable pavement

Fairford Parkette

Green Streets plantings in the Fairford Parkette.

This project was completed in 2015 at the intersection of Fairford Avenue and Coxwell Avenue, in a mixed-use East York neighbourhood.

Site selection

As part of the City’s Capital Program, intersection modifications were proposed at Fairford Avenue and Coxwell Avenue due to concerns about pedestrian safety.

Scope of work and benefits

Prior to construction, there was a right turn lane from Fairford Avenue going eastbound towards Coxwell Avenue. The intersection modification design included the elimination of the right turn channel and the construction of a new parkette. The parkette design included bioretention planters with shrubs and trees.

The bioretention planters provide a number of benefits including reduction of the quantity of stormwater that enters the sewer system thereby increasing overall resilience to extreme storms and enhanced water quality through filtration through the bioretention media. The bioretention planters also provide enhanced biodiversity through the horticulture and shade from trees resulting in increased thermal comfort.

A new seating area and bike parking were also constructed

Maintenance and monitoring

After the bioretention planters were constructed, the contractor maintained the trees, shrubs and any drainage infrastructure for a standard period of two years until the infrastructure was assumed by the City.

The City has taken over maintenance of the systems, including watering, litter removal, weed removal, and overall maintenance of the drainage pipes.

Green Streets systems

Bioretention

As of May 2022, the Toronto Green Standard Version 4 came into effect and requires that all newly constructed streets include green infrastructure to capture and control stormwater to the maximum extent possible.


Stanley Greene Boulevard

Green Streets showcases plantings in the boulevard between the pavement and the road.

Stanley Greene Boulevard, a local road in a residential neighbourhood located south of Downsview Park, was completed in 2020.

Site selection

The construction of green streets systems were included as part of the development proposal for the Stanley Greene subdivision. The location was proposed by the applicant for the development and reviewed and approved by City staff.

Scope of work and benefits

The project included the construction of a new street, which included a sidewalk on the west side of the street and a multi-use trail on the east side of the street.

The roadway and multi-use trail were separated by a bioswale, which provides a number of benefits including reduction of the quantity of stormwater that enters the sewer system thereby increasing overall resilience to extreme storms. The design also allowed for the elimination of catchbasins on the west side of the street as a significant volume of stormwater could be captured within the bioswale. The bioswale also provides enhanced water quality through filtration through the bioswale media. The bioswale also provides a physical buffer between the multi-use trail and the roadway, increasing pedestrian safety.

Maintenance and monitoring

The applicant for a development is typically responsible for maintaining a constructed asset for a period of two years after the work is deemed completed. This period was extended to five years as this was one of the first bioswales constructed in Toronto and this extension ensured there was sufficient time for it to become established.

The City will take over maintenance responsibilities after the five year period.

Green Streets systems

Bioswale

  • Green Infrastructure: The Official Plan defines this as an infrastructure asset consisting of natural or human-made elements that provide ecological and hydrological functions and processes and includes natural heritage features and systems, parklands, stormwater management systems, street trees, urban forests, natural channels, permeable surfaces and green roofs
    • Green Streets: Streets that include natural or human-made elements such as trees, horticulture, permeable surfaces, or stormwater management systems that provide ecological and hydrological functions. These elements can be found within the right-of-way on areas such as sidewalks, in the roadway, on traffic islands or in the boulevard. The natural or human-made elements that make a street, a ‘green street’, are sometimes referred to as ‘low impact developments’ (LIDs).
      • Green Streets Designed to Capture Stormwater: All streets that are considered ‘Green Streets’ provide a hydrological function by capturing stormwater through natural or human-made elements. When human-made elements are included, they are specifically designed and engineered to capture stormwater. These designs may include the installation of additional inlets, pipes or drains beneath the system to capture, control and convey stormwater.
  • Grey Infrastructure: This includes any infrastructure that has been designed and constructed to capture or treat stormwater or sanitary sewage and may be in the form of underground pipes, reservoirs or treatment plants.
  • Horticulture: Includes plantings that may consist of perennials and annual plants or shrubs. Horticulture may capture stormwater through surrounding soils, however, no additional stormwater management design features in the form of inlets, pipes or drains are included.
  • Street Trees: Trees that are located within the right-of-way.
  • Right-of-Way: This includes the area beyond private property and typically includes the roadway, curbs and sidewalks. On residential streets, the right-of-way typically includes a section of the front lawn and driveway closer to the roadway while the portion of the driveway and lawn closer to the house is privately owned.
  • Boulevard: This includes the area within the right-of-way, between the curb or edge of the road pavement and private property and does not include the sidewalk. It is the portion of the right-of-way that is not used, or intended to be used, for motor vehicle travel by the general public. On residential streets, this area may include soft landscaping including sod or other plantings and street trees would also be planted in this area. This may also include hard landscaping in the form of pavers.