Ookwemin Minising (formerly known as Villiers Island) will be home to a new neighbourhood with 15,000 residents as part of Waterfront Toronto – a massive, multi-decade regeneration scheme led by local and central government.
The former industrial site was is part of Toronto’s harbourside. It has been turned into an island by the excavation of a new outlet for the River Don as part of efforts to reduce flooding.
Allies and Morrison has worked with wider consultant team to review the density of the proposed neighbourhood and create early designs for its streetscapes and public realm.
New visualisations depict a proposed layout of the island, with dozens of residential towers surrounded by trees, green space and public parks.
A redevelopment framework for Ookwemin Minising won Toronto City Council approval in May, a decision which moves forward an updated official plan and zoning by-law amendments alongside a revised precinct plan for the emerging island community.
The consented framework would transform nearly 40has in the Lower Don Lands into a waterfront neighbourhood comprising 15 buildings, of which some would reach 46 storeys.
Last month, the project client issued a request for proposals from developers for the site’s first plot.
The team is headed by Australian multi-disciplinary giant GHD, alongside architectural lead Allies and Morrison and SLA, which are leading on urban realm and landscape design (see below for full project team).
Model of the planned Ookwemin Minising scheme
Source: Allies and Morrison
Alfredo Caraballo, partner at Allies and Morrison, told the AJ: ‘Ookwemin Minising is one of the most significant urban regeneration projects currently underway in Toronto and across Canada.
‘Our masterplan builds upon more than two decades of work spearheaded by Waterfront Toronto, CreateTO, and the City of Toronto. The pioneering work has seen the transformation of this piece of land through the impressive rerouting of the Don river and the creation of Biidaasige Park.’
The design team is planning pedestrian routes alongside ‘biodiversity corridors’, which will ‘provide optimal microclimates for outdoor comfort while simultaneously managing stormwater, linking and strengthening ecologies and connecting people with nature’.
The project’s approach to landscape and massing revolves around the concepts of ‘growing streets’ to create the public realm and ‘open blocks’ featuring a mix of building types.
Caraballo added: ‘Toronto faces housing delivery challenges similar to those in London, and a site of this scale has a responsibility to provide as many new homes as possible.
‘Our approach focuses on maximising diversity: many different types of spaces framed by many different types of buildings and homes.’
Ookwemin Minising means ‘the place of black cherry trees’ in Anishinaabemowin, a local indigenous language. The island was given the name by tribal elders, recalling how the area had black cherry trees before settlement and industrialisation.
Chris Glaisek, chief planning and design officer at public-sector client Waterfront Toronto, said last year: ‘Tri-government investment unlocked the potential of the Port Lands, allowing us to create a brand new island.
‘Now, renewed investment in waterfront revitalisation means this new island is ready to launch. By integrating design for streets and public realm with a review of built form on the island, this team can build on the planning done by the City of Toronto, Waterfront Toronto and CreateTO to deliver as much new housing as possible, while building a truly world-class neighbourhood.’
The first new residents are due to move in to the island in 2031.
Allies and Morrison is not the first British architect to be involved in the Waterfront Toronto regeneration plans. Alison Brook Architects and Adjaye Associates were appointed alongside Henning Larsen to deliver another neighbourhood, while WilkinsonEyre has won a competition for an S-shaped bridge in the area.
Design team
- GHD (prime consultant): engineering design services, planning services, environmental services and construction administration
- SLA (prime consultant): design lead for urban realm and landscape
- Allies and Morrison: architectural lead
- Trophic Design: co-designer with SLA for Indigenous landscape design and knowledge
- Transsolar: sustainability and low-carbon infrastructure systems
- Monumental Projects: public engagement and community outreach
- Level Playing Field: accessibility services
Aerial photo with Ookwemin Minising site outlined (2025)
Source: Waterfront Toronto
