Gardiner pedestrian bridge across Fort York Boulevard

Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto are proposing to construct a pedestrian and cycling bridge to create a safe connection across Fort York Boulevard, underneath the Gardiner Expressway. The bridge crossing is part of The Bentway (formerly Project: Under Gardiner) which includes 1.75 kilometres of public space located beneath the Gardiner Expressway from Strachan Avenue to Spadina Avenue.

The bridge has been planned under Schedule C of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment. The Environmental Study Report has been completed and by this Notice is being placed in the public record for review and comment. Subject to comments received as a result of this Notice, the City of Toronto and Waterfront Toronto intend to proceed with the detailed design and construction of this project once funding is secured. The estimated cost is $6 million.

The Environmental Study Report is available for review at www.thebentway.ca/get-involved and at the following locations:

• Waterfront Toronto 20 Bay Street, Suite 1310
• City Hall Library, 100 Queen Street West
• Fort York Library 190 Fort York Boullevard
• Dillon Consulting 235 Yorkland Boulevard, Suite 800

Interested persons should provide written comments to the City and Waterfront Toronto on the proposed bridge crossing within 30 calendar days from the date of this Notice (deadline for comments is: February 17, 2017). Comments should be directed to Nadia Galati or Don McKinnon at Dillon Consulting Limited, at the address noted above.

A person or party may request that the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change order a change in the project status and require a higher level of assessment under an Individual Environmental Assessment process (referred to as a Part II Order). Reasons must be provided for the request and written copies must be sent to all of the following addresses:

Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

77 Wellesley Street West, 11th Floor, Ferguson Block

Toronto, ON  M7A 2T5

Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change

Environmental Approvals Branch 135 St. Clair Avenue West, 1st  Floor,

Toronto, ON  M4V 1P5

Pina Mallozzi, Director, Design, Waterfront Toronto

20 Bay Street, Suite 1310

Toronto, ON M5J 2N8

David Stonehouse Director, Waterfront Secretariat

100 Queen Street West, 12th Floor East

Toronto, ONM5H 2N2

Don McKinnon, Dillon Consulting

235 Yorkland Blvd, Suite 800

Toronto, ON M2J 4Y8

Please note that ALL personal information included in a Part II Order submission – such as name, address, telephone number and property location – is collected, maintained and disclosed by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change for the purpose of transparency and consultation.  The information is collected under the authority of the Environmental Assessment Act or is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public as described in section 37 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.  Personal information you submit will become part of a public record that is available to the general public unless you request that your personal information remain confidential.  For more information, please contact the Ministry’s Freedom of Information and Privacy Co-ordinator at 416-327-1434.

— Dennis Hanagan

In co-ordination with Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto, and the Judy and Wilmot Matthews Foundation, The Bentway is happy to announce the completion of our Schedule ‘C’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for a pedestrian crossing at Fort York Boulevard. This represents a major step towards breaking ground on The Bentway, one of Toronto’s most exciting public infrastructure projects. The Assessment outlines our recommendation to create a pedestrian bridge across Fort York Boulevard stitching together neighbouring communities and The Bentway site.

In 2015 the Judy and Wilmot Matthews Foundation and the City of Toronto announced their ambitious $25 million partnership to transform this 1.75km stretch of vacant land underneath the Gardiner Expressway. Since that time a wide range of partners have come on board to support the successful completion of the project and to address community needs. Waterfront Toronto conducted a community engagement and consultation process and reported their findings in a Public Consultation and Feedback Report.