Federal government investing $9 million for Toronto bridge
The federal government is funding the design and construction of a pedestrian bridge linking Toronto’s mainland to Villiers Island, to support a new waterfront community in the area. Parliamentary Secretary Julie Dabrusin announced the $9 million investment, alongside project partners, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, and Waterfront Toronto Board Chair Jack Winberg, as well as Ogimaa-Kwe (Chief) Claire Sault, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
The partners chose architecture firm WilkinsonEyre’s concept design, called Equinox Bridge, through a design competition. A multi-disciplinary team is behind the design, including WilkinsonEyre from the UK (design architect), Zeidler Architecture Inc. (local architect), Arup (engineer), Two Row Architect (Indigenous consultant), and PLANT Architect Inc. (landscape architect).
The new bridge will connect Villiers Island to Quayside on Toronto’s mainland. The “new communities on Toronto’s waterfront will accommodate thousands of homes, new businesses, and residents,” Dabrusin said. “The Keating Channel pedestrian bridge will link residents with their communities, integrate nature and wildlife into our surroundings, and honour the relationship of Indigenous peoples with our city and history. Projects like this support an affordable, inclusive and sustainable future for everyone.”
The government said engagement and collaboration with area residents, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous communities are an important part of the project. The government said that by acknowledging and celebrating the Indigenous history and presence in Toronto, the bridge speaks to inclusivity and reconciliation.
The project is part of the National Active Transportation Strategy, the country’s first coast-to-coast-to-coast strategic approach for promoting active transportation and its benefits. The strategy’s aim is to make data-driven and evidence-based investments to build new and expanded active transportation networks, while supporting equitable, healthy, active, and sustainable travel options.