Official Plans of the city of Toronto

The Official City Plans of Toronto divided into five main chapters:

Making Decisions, Shaping the City, and Building a Successful City and Implementation

The Official City Plan, based on City Hall:

The Official Plan is about making the correct choices and shaping Toronto’s collective future. The Plan is about getting the fundamentals right and having a clear vision for the city grounded in durable principles that secure a prosperous future. Success is the key to a Toronto’s healthy future. Since Toronto is Canada’s largest city and Ontario’s capital, the prospects are of national and provincial importance. It is hard to see the connections and understand the consequences of choices to integrate environmental, social, and economic perspectives in decision making. There is no such thing as an isolated or purely local decision. Everyone makes choices every day about where to live, work, play, and shop, and over time. These consequences of the choices we make can affect quality of life that is why planning matters. This plan sets its sights on building a consensus around change by painting a picture of the city’s future.

This official plan relies on solid foundations that can stand the test of time. It builds on the vision of those who have helped the city to travel from its early roots as a settlement on the shores of Lake Ontario to a vibrant and modern city. It relies on principles of diversity, opportunity, beauty, connectivity, leadership and stewardship. The vision of the city’s plan is all about creating an attractive and safe environment for a city that evokes pride, passion, and a sense of belonging; a city where people of all ages and abilities can enjoy a good quality of life.

A city that has:

Thriving, complete communities
Affordable housing options that meet the needs throughout people’s lives;
Attractive, tree-lined streets with pedestrian-friendly shops and housing;
A comprehensive and high-quality affordable public transportation system that allows people to move around the city quickly and easily;
A strong and competitive economy with a vital downtown that creates and sustains well-paying, stable, safe, and fulfilling job opportunities for all Torontonians
A healthy natural environment, including clean air, soil, energy, and water;
Resilient infrastructure and socioeconomic systems to disruptions and climate change;
A linked network of natural features and ecological functions that promote biodiversity and contribute to civic life;
Public squares and green spaces of various sizes that bring people together;
A plethora of recreational options that promote health and wellness;
A ravine system that provides wilderness, recreation, beauty, and a historical link;
A stunning waterfront that is healthy, diverse, accessible, and beautiful;
Cultural facilities that highlight the best aspects of city life; and
Stunning architecture and excellent urban design that awe and inspire

Toronto Success Principles
The basics of a successful city building: Holistic and integrated thinking is a fundamental requirement for planning a modern city like Toronto. Integrated thinking means seeing, understanding, and accounting for all the connections as we go about our decision-making process. Sometimes it means thinking differently about solutions. It always means searching for outcomes that demonstrate integration, balance, and interdependence and that earn social, environmental, and economic rewards. A successful city is one with a competitive advantage over others locally, nationally, and internationally. It has a quality of life that will attract and retain people with skills, knowledge, ingenuity, and creativity. A successful city with an enviable quality of life is diverse, equitable, and inclusive; it astonishes with its human-made and natural beauty; it thrives on making connections, and it inspires great leadership and stewardship. Toronto has these attributes now. We will have to consolidate and build on these strengths as we grow. Success will come by seizing new opportunities based on these principles. A City of Diversity and Opportunity Toronto is an interesting and cohesive city that offers a dynamic mixture of opportunities for everyone to live, work, learn and play. As in nature, diversity is key to our social, cultural, and economic life. Diversity is our strength because it means vibrancy, opportunity, inclusiveness, and adaptability because it is a fundamental building block for success. To be successful, our future must also be diverse, inclusive, and equitable. Our future is one where:

Housing options are available in their communities for all people at all stages of their lives;
Ecological diversity is protected and enhanced for future generations;
Multiculturalism is valued, and cultural diversity is encouraged;
A wide range of jobs are available to people with varying levels of education and abilities, creating and sustaining well-paying, stable, safe, and fulfilling employment opportunities for all Torontonians;
People have equal access to a variety of leisure and recreational activities;
People with special needs are assisted in remaining in their communities;
Public transportation is widely available, and buses and streetcars are appealing modes of transportation;
Diverse job opportunities can adapt to changing economic trends. Toronto 1-4 Making Decisions and are ready to seize new business opportunities;
Well-being is measured by how well we provide for our children and the most disadvantaged among us;
No one pays more for housing than they can afford;
Educational opportunities are available to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and abilities;
Children and adolescents perceive their surroundings to be safe, stimulating, and inviting;
The elderly can live in peace and security;
People enjoy the freedom of conscience and religion, and opportunities to do so are encouraged;
Everyone has access to adequate amounts of safe, nutritious, culturally acceptable food; and
Equitable access to opportunities, resources, and services benefits communities.

A City of Beauty
All successful cities are stun with their human-made and natural beauty. People choose to live, and businesses choose to invest in beautiful cities. People also want to live in cities that understand their past and push their creative limits. Toronto’s future must be one where:

Nature is easily accessible throughout the city;
The city’s waterfront is a vital, healthy, and beautiful asset;
Active promotion of the arts and culture
Public art adorns streets and public spaces;
Heritage buildings and features preserved, archaeological resources safeguarded, and lost heritage remembered;
The city’s natural features are protected, enhanced, and restored;
Quality and excellence are hallmarks of public space and building design;
Sidewalks are lively and appealing public spaces;
Important public perspectives and focal points preserved; and
The city is well-kept, with clean and attractive green spaces such as community and rooftop gardens.

Sources: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/official-plan-guidelines/official-plan/chapters-1-5/
https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/8fd8-cp-official-plan-chapter-1.pdf

Official Plans of the city of Toronto

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