Northcrest Developments’ massive YZD project in Toronto has transitioned into the construction phase after years of planning.

YZD is the redevelopment of the former Downsview Airport lands. Montreal-base Pomerleau has been appointed as general contractor for the first phase, Toronto-based Northcrest announced.

Spanning 370 acres, the YZD redevelopment is billed as the largest urban redevelopment project in North America. The project will transform the former airport lands into a mixed-use community designed around transit-oriented neighbourhoods, housing, employment and public space in the geographical centre of the Greater Toronto Area.

“City-building opportunities like this don’t come around often,” said Beau Brooker, Northcrest’s vice-president of construction. “We’re laying the groundwork for something that will be here for generations. For us, this stage is about putting the right foundations in place. We are starting with the underground infrastructure that will support everything that follows, making decisions today that will still make sense 20 to 30 years from now. That kind of forward thinking is critical when you are building a project of this size.”

The initial enabling-works phase will prepare the site for future vertical construction and includes building a road dedicated to construction traffic that will connect the site to a nearby major roadway, helping reduce impacts on surrounding neighbourhoods. The work will also include the construction of stormwater ponds to manage runoff and mitigate flooding risks, along with general site preparation and clean-up.

Once complete, YZD is expected to deliver approximately 35,000 homes and 23,000 permanent jobs, along with more than 70 acres of parks and public spaces across connected neighbourhoods. The development is intended to strengthen housing supply while creating a major new employment hub within Toronto.

The site benefits from regional connectivity, with proximity to downtown Toronto, and North York, Ont., Vaughan, Ont., Brampton, Ont and Markham, Ont., as well as Toronto’s nearby Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto Pearson International Airport, three TTC subway stations and a GO station. The plan also includes a redesigned two-kilometre runway that will serve as the central spine of the community, transforming the site’s aviation heritage into a major public space.

Pomerleau will lead the enabling-works construction in the project’s first neighbourhood, working, dubbed the Hangar district, alongside Northcrest and development manager Hines to prepare the site for future phases.

“Toronto is a city that is transforming, and the planned YZD community on the former Downsview Airport lands provides a vision for what our city can be,” said Sean Smithson, Pomerleau’s regional vice-president.

The project is expected to unfold in phases over many years and is positioned by Northcrest as a major long-term investment in housing, infrastructure and employment. YZD will ultimately comprise a series of walkable neighbourhoods designed around transit, climate readiness and public space, with the goal of creating a new model for large-scale city building in Canada.

Pictured: Former Downsview Airport lands on which YZD will be developed.

Photo: Courtesy of Northcrest Developments