Toronto’s not like other cities.
For decades, it has experienced rapid population growth and, even as the real estate market slows, is constantly changing with new towers rising to house our growing population.
But all things considered, experts say the city is doing quite well at managing housing density in a thoughtful way.
Unlike other growing places like Montreal or New York, Toronto is mostly a postwar city, which means it has to accommodate new density around a design that previously centred single-family homes and suburbanization, said Paul Hess, a professor and associate chair of University of Toronto’s department of geography and planning.
“To transform those into highly dense places that have some of the kind of small grain character that we like is really hard, and there are not a lot of places that have figured out how to do that,” Hess said.
Out of 40 urban areas around the globe, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat ranks Toronto-Hamilton as second at managing density and livability, only behind Hong Kong. Its “vertical urbanism index” considers livability through social, economic, and environmental factors.
“Livability is your life expectancy, accessibility to transport, schools, health; all that combination,” said Javier Quintana de Uña, the CEO of the Chicago-based non-profit. “You guys score incredibly high.”
Still, the city has faced challenges as new developments have led small businesses — and residents — to be priced out of communities, and some of the charm that once defined certain neighbourhoods has faded.
When determining how best to incorporate social services and shared spaces into new developments, the answer is complicated by the fact that the city is home to people from so many different cultures and backgrounds who may have different needs, noted Meg Holden, a professor of urban studies and resources and environmental management at Simon Fraser University.
“Canada certainly has benefited from high rates of growth historically, but it’s not comparable to European cities in that way; it’s more comparable to cities like Singapore or Hong Kong … but it’s still not comparable because Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver and Montreal have such a high rate of social demographic mixing,” she said, referring to the Canadian cities’ cultural diversity and growing wealth gap.
Still, these experts say there are ideas Toronto can borrow from other Canadian and global cities that could make our increasingly vertical lives better.
Singapore: Allocate public space in highrises
While towers in the 1970s and ‘80s used to be more like silos, perceptions have changed. Developments are highly regarded “if they succeed in creating community, mixing themselves with infrastructure that are accessible, physically and financially,” said Quintana de Uña.
Singapore has been a pioneer in this, he said, and mandates developers provide public space residential towers.
One development that broke the traditional mould in 2021 was CapitaSpring, a 51-storey tower combining residential and office spaces, as well as four storeys of open-air garden and a cycling path as part of the development.
In England, another example is the London Sky Garden, which Quintana de Uña calls “revolutionary.” The public garden — which also has restaurants and other attractions — is at the top of a tower that is more narrow at the base.
The challenge with mandating public space in towers is that it could lead to smaller, less affordable residential units, Quintana de Uña said.
Vancouver: Consider the open-air courtyard
Holden has conducted extensive research into “neighbourliness” — social connections among neighbours in high-density areas.
According to research she co-authored, outdoor amenity spaces are an aspect of design affecting quality of life. Courtyards, in particular, have the potential to improve residents’ social lives, providing seating and inviting people to linger.
Vienna House, a social housing, near-zero-emissions project in the works in Vancouver, is garnering attention for its design. (The development is named after the city, which is collaborating with the province’s public housing provider, and where about a quarter of residents live in social housing).
It will have 123 rental units upon completion — including 56 family units — around an open-air courtyard.
“That courtyard provides a sense of intimacy,” Holden said. “If you’ve got a balcony and you’re on the fifth floor, then you can let your children play below, but you can still stay upstairs and do the laundry or whatever you’re doing, and so your kids are more likely to have some independence, to make their own relationships, a single parent is more likely to be able to have sanity in their life, et cetera.”
San Francisco: Create a Legacy Business Program
One potential way to support small businesses struggling in the face of new developments is to create something like San Francisco’s Legacy Business Program, Hess said.
San Francisco launched the program in 2015 in an effort to support small businesses with historical and cultural significance to the city. Eligible businesses — which have to have been operating there for more than 30 years — receive marketing, assistance and specialized grants.
Hess said Toronto has had one-off instances of helping business negotiate with landlords, but a more standardized approach could present another way forward.
Montreal: Pedestrianize public spaces
Montreal has been working on programs to improve public space and pedestrianize streets in the summer, Hess said, to “strengthen” older streets and “keep them vibrant.”
The city has 11 pedestrianized streets in summer, which Montreal says enhances pedestrian safety and comfort, improving quality of life and the city’s vitality while boosting local retailers.
A “tiny example” of this in Toronto is Market Street next to the St. Lawrence Market, which becomes like a plaza in the summer, Hess said.
Currently, Toronto is examining how to increase pedestrian space along Yonge Street between College/Carleton streets and Queen Street. It’s also gearing up to start construction in Kensington Market to “prioritize pedestrians while accommodating slow speed vehicle access for local residents.”
