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North York Centre Secondary Plan Update – Planning for the Future of Willowdale


After more than a year of study, consultation, and technical analysis, the North York at the Centre - Final Options and Directions Report was tabled at the Planning and Housing Committee on February 26. We are so grateful to the 22 residents who showed up, virtually and in person, to make deputations. Your voices matter, and it’s always key for staff to hear directly from those most impacted by the policies we pass.


This Secondary Plan update will establish a new long-term planning framework for the heart of Willowdale, guiding both private development and public investment over the coming decades.


Why This Matters

North York Centre is identified in the City’s Official Plan as a major Growth Centre and is served by three subway stations and two rapid transit lines. As intensification continues, our focus has been clear:

  • Accommodate future growth with appropriate density

  • Expand housing options

  • Ensure that growth is supported by infrastructure, services, and community space

Growth must be matched with investment. A successful Centre is not only about buildings — it is about creating a complete community where people can live, work, learn, gather, and thrive.


Community Engagement

It has remained a high priority for us to champion strong collaboration with City Planning staff throughout this process, including 3 additional localized community consultations to ensure a broad range of voices can be heard by planning staff. On February 26, many Willowdale residents joined the Committee meeting, both in person and virtually, to share their deputations. For many, it was their first time participating in the policy-making process. We are grateful especially to all those who trekked down to City Hall to participate. 


The approval of this recommended option in tandem with the many motions I passed and a few more that I will present at City Council on March 25, will launch the 3rd and final phase of this process. 


In Phase 3, additional components will include:

  • Urban Design Guidelines to shape how buildings, streets, parks, and open spaces work together.

  • An Infrastructure Implementation Strategy to coordinate, phase, and fund infrastructure and community improvements.

  • A Community Services and Facilities Strategy (CSF) to assess needs for child care, schools, recreation centres, libraries, and human services.

  • A Functional Concept Plan for mobility and public realm improvements.

  • A Functional Servicing Assessment to evaluate water, stormwater, and sanitary capacity and identify upgrades required to support growth.


Motions Passed at Committee


Since November 2025, when the Final Options and Directions Report was published, our office has been working closely with multiple City divisions to strengthen the outcome of this process. Numerous meetings were held, including with the City Manager, Chief Financial Officer, and senior staff from Parks and Recreation, Transportation Services, the Major Projects team, City Planning, Development Review, and Economic Development and Culture, among others.


Through this collaboration, we developed a series of motions aimed at improving the direction of the Secondary Plan and ensuring the area’s growth is properly supported with the infrastructure and community services residents need. With the support of Councillor Matlow and other Committee members, I successfully advanced 14 motions to strengthen the plan and help guide more balanced and sustainable growth.


Here is the list of motions that you can also find by clicking here:


4. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to share the North York at the Centre: Final Options and Directions Report (November 2025) and the Community Services and Facilities Strategy (October 2025) with the Ontario Ministry of Health, including Ontario Health, the Ontario Ministry of Education, and the relevant school boards, as input to their capital planning processes to ensure that required health and education facilities are planned and delivered over time to support the area’s projected population growth, including consideration of adding one high school to support the Avondale neighbourhood and the creation of a health hub with co-located seniors and social services.

 

5. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, to explore alternative approaches for delivering community recreation services and facilities based on the uncertain timeline for the new Newtonbrook Community Recreation Centre, including options such as satellite locations, co-location with other facilities, improvements to existing facilities, phased construction, and any related capital and operating impacts, and to report to Executive Committee as part of the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan Implementation Strategy in 2027.

 

6. City Council request the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the Toronto District School Board, and other relevant divisions and agencies, to identify and evaluate opportunities to support the potential expansion, modernization, and long-term capacity needs of Mitchell Field Community Centre, including consideration of potential partnerships or co-location opportunities, including the opportunity to build shared facilities with McKee Public School, in recognition of its strategic location to serve both existing residents and future growth in North York Centre and the broader Willowdale community, and to report to Executive Committee as part of the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan Implementation Strategy in 2027.

 

7. City Council request the Executive Director, Social Development, and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to assess the feasibility of establishing a temporary location to incubate the operations of the planned Association of Community Centres Board of Management at 45-47 Sheppard Avenue East prior to the development of the permanent facility, and to report back to the Economic and Community Development Committee as part of the Association of Community Centres Facilities and Operations Plan in 2028.

 

8. City Council request the Board of Directors, CreateTO to direct the Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, in consultation with appropriate City Officials such as the Fire Chief and General Manager, Toronto Fire Services, Chief and General Manager, Toronto Paramedics Services, the Chief of Police, Toronto Police Service, and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to:

 

a. assess the need to replace or expand emergency services facilities, such as paramedic services stations, fire stations, and/or police stations within the North York Secondary Plan boundary, informed by anticipated growth outlined in the secondary plan; and

 

b. work with the appropriate City Official(s) to advance any necessary business cases, including associated funding requirements through the budget process, with consideration of stations within podiums of mixed-use buildings as a model of delivery.

 

9. City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to review and report back to the Economic and Community Development Committee on opportunities to apply the City’s cultural and economic strategies, including Culture Connects: An Action Plan for Culture in Toronto and Sidewalks to Skylines: A 10-Year Action Plan for Toronto’s Economy, within North York Centre to support current and future growth, including:


a. as part of the progress report for Cultural Connects: An Action Plan for Culture in Toronto (2025 – 2035) in 2027, on findings from the Cultural Infrastructure Study, details of opportunities to plan for and deliver a community-accessible performance and cultural space that is affordable, flexible, and multi-purpose, including meanwhile and adaptive re-use of vacant commercial space for use by artists and arts organizations;


b. in Phase 3 of the secondary plan, identify existing data on the economic impact of North York Centre as a work and culture hub, determine if further analysis is needed, and include economic development strategies to support the continued retention and viability of office space in North York Centre, along with expansion strategies as work patterns and office real estate markets evolve, recognizing its role as the largest concentration of office space beyond Downtown Toronto; andc. a review of the economic and cultural needs and opportunities in Centres outside Downtown and report back on the feasibility of a coordinated working group approach to support economic and cultural development across Centres outside of Downtown core, with a report back as part of the annual progress report of Culture Connects and Sidewalks to Skylines in 2027.

 

10. In recognition of the critical role played by Mel Lastman Square and Yonge Street as the heart of North York Centre, City Council request that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning work with the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management and General Manager, Transportation Services, to:


a. ensure the Infrastructure Implementation Strategy for North York Centre that will be prepared in Phase 3 reflects coordination requirements for Transform Yonge and potential future improvements to Mel Lastman Square; andb. undertake a Public Space Public Life Study of Mel Lastman Square to inform the future vision for the Square incorporating the findings of the forthcoming North York Centre Cultural Heritage Resource Assessment.c. based on the findings of Public Space Public Life Study of Mel Lastman Square, and utilizing a design-focussed procurement process, explore the feasibility of a design concept that creates a landmark that harmonizes a visionary Mel Lastman Square and Transform Yonge design to create a destination in Downtown North York that will spur economic and cultural development to support current density and future growth.

 

11. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, to investigate the feasibility of implementing Smart Traffic Signals at major signalized intersections within the North York Centre study area; and the feasibility of deploying Intelligent Intersections devices at key locations in the study area to assess current traffic and traffic-pattern changes associated with anticipated population growth. 

 

12. City Council request that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and Executive Director, Development Review consider the following as part of Phase 3 of the development of the North York Centre Secondary Plan, and that these matters be included as part of the Phase 3 consultations:

 

a. potential opportunities to reconfigure parkland priority areas around Bishop Park, Glendora Park/Wilket Trail and Hendon Park;

 

b. the potential for additional height and density in the area bounded by Bishop Avenue, Pemberton Avenue, Kenneth Avenue and Willowdale Avenue;

 

c. the potential for modifying the permitted land uses along Empress Avenue to support Mid-rise uses within 500 metres of the transit station and Low-Rise and Neighbourhoods outside of the 500 metre radius;

 

d. the potential to reinforce the established retail main street along Willowdale Avenue between Sheppard Avenue East and Empress Avenue by extending the Priority Retail Street along Willowdale Avenue from Sheppard Avenue East to Empress Avenue and removing any retail requirements along Willowdale Avenue north of Empress Avenue;

 

e. the potential of maintaining the Neighbourhoods designation along Willowdale Avenue between Finch Avenue East and Empress Avenue that are outside the PMTSA boundary; and,

 

f. potential opportunities to prioritize parkland expansion of Mitchell Field Park.

 

13. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Development Review, in consultation with the General Manager, Children’s Services, to review and consider how forthcoming North York Centre Secondary Plan policies and related implementation tools can be strengthened to secure new licensed child care centres within the North York Centre area through development approvals, community benefits, and public private partnerships, and to report back through the Implementation Strategy on potential funding and delivery mechanisms including exploring funding opportunities to support the future growth and expansion of child care, considering City priorities and available resources.

 

14. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Development Review, to assess wind impacts on the public realm as part of the Wind Study for North York Centre that will be completed in Phase 3, and explore possible policies and design strategies to mitigate wind impacts in the public realm as part of the updated North York Centre Secondary Plan and Urban Design Guidelines to be developed in Phase 3 and to inform the redesign of Mel Lastman Square and design of Transform Yonge.

 

15. City Council request that the General Manager, Toronto Water assess impacts of proposed increased density on basement flooding as part of the Servicing Analysis for North York Centre that will be completed in Phase 3, identify if potential development would have any impact on the results and recommendations identified through completed Basement Flooding Studies for the area, and to report back through the Implementation Strategy on potential funding and delivery mechanisms for any work required.

 

16. City Council request the Deputy City Managers, in consultation with Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and local councillors to explore how City services and infrastructure within Centres may be planned for and delivered in a way to ensure that they receive adequate and equitable City services and infrastructure to support existing density and future growth and transformation over time, including consideration of evolving service and infrastructure needs, with North York Centre specific opportunities to be considered through the Phase 3 Infrastructure Implementation Strategy.

 

17. City Council request that the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and Executive Director, Development Review in collaboration with the General Manager, Transportation Services, and in consultation with local school parent councils, identify future bikeways within the North York Centre Secondary Plan area as part of Phase 3 of the North York Centre Secondary Plan Update to enable safe and convenient cycling access for students travelling to local schools.


Intergovernmental Collaboration

In a first-of-its-kind initiative for Willowdale, I convened a joint meeting with the local Member of Parliament, MP Ehsassi and Member of Provincial Parliament, Minister Cho, to begin establishing a coordinated approach to planning for our neighbourhood. This meeting marked an important step toward aligning municipal, provincial, and federal priorities — particularly in areas such as schools, health care, housing, infrastructure, and transit. By bringing together all three levels of government early in the process, the goal is to move beyond siloed decision-making and toward more practical, integrated, and community-responsive planning for Willowdale’s future.


What’s Next?

The Final Options and Directions Report will proceed to the City Council on March 25–26.

Residents will have another opportunity to provide only written feedback when the Council agenda is published (approximately one week prior to the meeting). I will also continue to work closely with City staff on a few additional motions to further strengthen the implementation framework. 


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