Toward True Urban Downtowns in the Suburbs

Two major things distinguish Toronto from many of its municipal cousins south of the border: the urban core was never hollowed out, and its suburbs began embracing high-density apartment towers as early as the 1950s. In the last decade, a strong regional policy framework has controlled sprawl and required major transit investments to be connected to intensified land use, leading to “highly urban suburban” development patterns. This tour will explore suburban growth centers and corridors in places like Markham and Vaughan, showcasing the development patterns that have enabled Toronto to become North America’s fastest-growing metro area, within a footprint half the size of Chicago’s despite comparable population.