Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (“TRCA”) is soliciting Proposals from interested parties for professional landscape design, engineering and public consultation services to lead the visioning, planning and management (the “Scope of Work”) of an Individual Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Scarborough Bluffs West Project (the “Project”) – as described in this RFP.

Overview

TRCA, with support from the City of Toronto, is undertaking preliminary background studies in support of the upcoming planning process. It is anticipated that the Project will be formally initiated in Q2 2023 and will advance a vision for preservation and enhancement of approximately 4.5 km of iconic shoreline fronting some of Lake Ontario’s most dramatic and sensitive landscapes. The Project, located between Bluffer’s Park to the east, and the RC Harris Water Treatment Plant (WTP)/Silver Birch Beach (eastern beaches) interface to the west, will consider opportunities to improve how people access, move through and experience the waterfront. It will explore opportunities to:

• protect properties, existing and planned infrastructure within and adjacent to the study area from natural hazards including erosion and impacts from increasingly more frequent extreme weather events
• create connected naturalized systems along the Lake Ontario shoreline which respects and protects the significant natural and cultural features of the Bluffs,
• enhance terrestrial and aquatic habitat, foster shoreline resilience, and
• develop access points and connections including the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail that provide for a safe and enjoyable waterfront experience for the public amidst technically complex and challenging site conditions.
  • Strategic and inclusive economic development;

Through the study process, connections between existing open spaces and destinations will be explored to strengthen the Project’s interface with surrounding neighbourhoods and create a more visually and physically connected landscape in support of the policies for Toronto's Green Space System and Waterfront (2.3.2) as articulated through the City of Toronto Official Plan (March 2022 Office Consolidation).

Revitalization of this segment of the Scarborough waterfront has been a public policy objective for over 30 years as articulated in the 1992 recommendations of the Royal Commission of the Future of Toronto’s Waterfront.  Revitalization is also part of a broader vision for waterfront transformation. As outlined in the July 19, 2022, City of Toronto report (EX34.10) entitled Update on the Next Phase of the Waterfront Revitalization 

“In the context of a changing city and the progress of revitalization and flood protection on the waterfront, new areas are opening up to become the next candidates for transformation. It is therefore the right time to consider what the next phase looks like and how it will be funded. 

With that in mind, in 2021, Council directed staff to reflect on the history of revitalization and renew the waterfront vision for the next generation. City staff have initiated a broad process of public consultation, stakeholder engagement and Indigenous engagement that will continue through 2022 and beyond. The first step has been to articulate four interconnected priorities that focus on the societal challenges that matter most today and to outline shared public objectives that should guide investments and project planning, design and implementation along the waterfront. The four priorities are:

• Truth, justice and reconciliation, including through Indigenous engagement;
• Equity, inclusion and access, including through housing; and,
• Climate resilience and sustainability.

These priorities will inform the continued transformation of Toronto's Designated Waterfront Area and assist in better coordinating investments across the Western and Eastern Waterfronts, from Etobicoke to Scarborough.”

By establishing a strong vision for this segment of the eastern waterfront and defining a clear landscape framework that addresses these priorities, the Project will explore opportunities to balance public use and recreation, placemaking features, shoreline protection, aquatic and terrestrial habitat restoration, and natural heritage enhancement.  The Project will study how to sensitively introduce public access to the shoreline and provide for connected active transportation linkages, while honouring the rich natural and cultural history, enhancing the ecological richness of the landscape, framing views of the dramatic landforms, and creating a unique public realm experience for all Torontonians.  The Project will tie into the larger vision for transformation of Toronto’s waterfront, achieving consistency and coordination with other initiatives, and demonstrating the value proposition of investing in resilient and transformational public infrastructure.