Toronto Rail Yards: A New Mixed-Use Community Set to Transform the City

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A new mixed-use development above an active rail corridor in Toronto aims to provide housing, office space, parks, and retail, with significant job creation expected during construction.

TORONTO – The Toronto Rail Yards project is poised to redefine urban living in the city, as plans unfold for a substantial mixed-use community set to rise above an active rail corridor situated between Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue. This ambitious 14-acre project is spearheaded by the LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada, in collaboration with Fengate Asset Management. Upon its completion, the development is expected to introduce nearly 4,000 new residential units, over two acres dedicated to urban park space, 85,000 square meters of office facilities, two child-care centers, and roughly 4,700 square meters of retail areas, according to a recent announcement.
The project will kick off with the construction of a six-acre deck that will extend over the rail yard, thereby maximizing public space and facilitating connections to GO Transit as well as the wider transit network of the city. A team of international design experts from Henning Larsen, along with notable Toronto-based firms such as Hines, PCL, WW+P Architects, and RJC Engineers, has been assembled to bring this vision to fruition. The development will be executed in phases to mitigate construction disturbances, with site preparation projected to start in 2028, followed by deck construction later that same year.
The Toronto Rail Yards project plans to reclaim underutilized air rights above the existing rail infrastructure. It is described as a significant step forward in transit-oriented urban development for Toronto. Joseph Mancinelli, chair of the LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada, emphasized the project's potential impact, stating, "Great cities are built with ambition, and with a responsibility to leave something meaningful behind. Toronto Rail Yards will create homes people need, jobs that sustain families, and a legacy for the city."
The deck is anticipated to generate over 4,600 construction jobs and lead to more than nine million hours of union construction labor, marking this initiative as not only a crucial investment in Toronto's future but also a representation of the capabilities of union labor for future generations. The development is designed to include a diverse array of housing options, catering to various family sizes and integrating amenities that serve both residents and the larger community.
Michael Sørensen, global market director at Henning Larsen, shared insights on the design philosophy behind the Toronto Rail Yards, stating, "The design of Toronto Rail Yards is rooted in the neighborhood—creating a new urban environment for daily community life, shaped around how people will arrive, gather, and feel connected to the city and to one another. The scale, materiality, and microclimate of its welcoming spaces will make Toronto Rail Yards a place with a genuine sense of belonging at its core."

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