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YZD is the ongoing transformation of the 370-acre (~150 hectare) former Downsview Airport lands in Toronto. Over the next three decades, the site will become home to seven new mixed-use neighbourhoods.[1]
History
[edit]Former Airport
[edit]For nearly 100 years, the site served as a general aviation airfield. It was formerly used as a military air force base for Royal Canadian Air Force units, and in more recent years was a testing facility for Bombardier Aerospace.[2]
Sale
[edit]In 2018, Bombardier sold the Downsview Airport lands to the Public Sector Investment Board (PSP), which established Northcrest Developments oversee the redevelopment of the site.[3]
In May 2024, Bombardier officially handed the 370-acre (~150 hectare) site over to Northcrest Developments.[4]
In August 2024, the site was renamed to YZD.[5]
Process and Framework
[edit]Downsview Secondary Plan
[edit]The Downsview Lands Framework Plan was developed by Northcrest and Canada Lands Corporation and laid the groundwork for approximately 52 acres of the Downsview area’s redevelopment. It served as the basis for the City of Toronto's updated Secondary Plan and outlines how the lands will be used, including transit and streets; parks and public spaces; infrastructure; and urban design guidelines for the area’s future.
In 2021, the City started the Secondary Plan process, which was approved by City Council on May 22, 2024[6]. The updated plan came into effect on August 9, 2024.[7]
Development Overview
[edit]In total, the redevelopment will include more than 28 million sq. ft. (~2.6 million sq. m) of residential space, seven million sq. ft. (~650 thousand sq. m) of commercial and cultural areas, and nearly 74 acres (~30 hectares)[8] of parks, green and open spaces, including the two-kilometre (~1.24 mile) runway[9], which will be preserved as a public pedestrian corridor.[10]
Neighbourhoods
[edit]The Hangar District
[edit]The first phase of YZD is known as The Hangar District, which will repurpose approximately 1.5 million sq. feet[11] (~139 thousand sq. m) of hangar space to create a new mixed-use community. The Hangar District will cover approximately 101 acres (~41 hectares) and will feature commercial opportunities, approximately 2,850 housing units, and approximately 8 acres (~3 hectares) of parks, green spaces and privately-owned public spaces.
NEARBY POINTS OF INTEREST
- Yorkdale Mall
- Sheridan Mall
- Earl Bales Park
- Downsview Park
- The Hangar Sport and Event Centre
- York University (Keele Campus)
- Centennial College
- Humber River Hospital
- The Downsview Complex
- Black Creek Pioneer Village
- Mel Lastman Square
- ^ www.yzd.ca https://www.yzd.ca/about-yzd. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Downsview Airport", Wikipedia, 2025-02-27, retrieved 2025-04-03
- ^ "Northcrest Developments | UrbanToronto". urbantoronto.ca. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
- ^ Westoll, Nick (2023-12-08). "Downsview airfield operations to end by mid-2024 as redevelopment project ramps up". CityNews Toronto. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
- ^ "Huge Downsview Airport redevelopment gets a name: YZD". renx.ca. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
- ^ "Agenda Item History". toronto.ca. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
- ^ "Update Downsview". April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Toronto is turning an old airport into a sprawling new neighborhood - Fast Company". web.archive.org. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
- ^ www.yzd.ca https://www.yzd.ca/about-yzd. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Hines joins Northcrest to JV on Downsview Hangar District development". renx.ca. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
- ^ lindsaylow (2023-03-29). "Introducing the Hangar District, a massive new Toronto neighbourhood". Post City News. Retrieved 2025-02-19.