From waterfront to watershed : mapping a big idea in the Greater Toronto Region

[摘要] Today, Toronto is revered among Great Lakes;; and waterfront cities for its environmental planning: its massive re-investment in water and stormwater infrastructure; protected headwaters of the region;;s rivers; realized waterfront plans; and more swimmable beaches. Twenty years ago, the Metro area was designated a hotspot of pollution, the waterfront was marked with vacant brownfields, while rampant development grew from the city;;s edge. This thesis explores how Toronto transformed its relationship to water and Lake Ontario by examining the work and legacy of a federal and provincial inquiry into the Future of Toronto;;s Waterfront. While the Royal Commission;;s inquiry concluded nearly twenty years ago, its impact and legacy on regional planning appears embedded in the Toronto;;s planning today. The Commission advanced an ecologically-based approach to planning by using the established interest in the waterfront to leverage concerns for the region;;s watershed. The process of the Commission inquiry served as a vehicle for garnering public support and political will for policy change. The Commission;;s pragmatic approach to resolving growth and development pressures alongside environmental concerns strengthened its appeal, and contributed to the adoption of many of the Commission;;s recommendations at the federal, provincial and municipal level. The Commission;;s work led to significant land use and policy reform in the early 1990s, under the Liberal and New Democratic Parties. However, these policies were rescinded under a change in federal and provincial power in 1995. They were later re-adopted in the early-to-mid 2000s. Today, the language and ideas first presented by the Commission appear to resonate to a certain degree in the region;;s and province;;s planning policies. While certain unique circumstances of Toronto and the Commission distinguish it from other cities and regions, these exceptions do not detract from the fact that the Commission;;s ecosystem and watershed solution for the region was exceptionally strong and persuasive. The Commission;;s cohesive presentation of its ecological strategy largely resonated with the public and politicians, leveraging policy change. The Commission;;s plan warrants attention as an important case study for cities on the Great Lakes and waterfronts.

[发布机构] Massachusetts Institute of Technology