Daily insights for city builders, delivered every morning at 6 AM ET. I’m Brandon Donnelly — a Toronto-based real estate developer and founder of Globizen. I’ve been writing here since 2013.

Port Lands flood protection project is one of the most important in Toronto

This morning I did a hard hat tour of the Port Lands area of Toronto. And once again, I was reminded that this is one of the most important projects taking place in the city right now.

When completed at the end of 2024, the $1.25 billion flood protection project is going to create over 60 acres of new greenspace and parkland, and unlock a significant amount of land for development. Already, it’s hard to imagine this part of the city not becoming a desirable new neighborhood and a magnet for recreation.

I was asked not to share any images from within the site (i.e. the non-public areas), so I’m only sharing the above photo taken from Cherry Street. But we did get a chance to stand on the bed of the new river valley that will eventually take flow from the Don River. And I have photos on my phone to prove it. That was almost certainly a once in a lifetime thing.

For the latest on construction progress, check out this video from Waterfront Toronto.

2 responses to “Port Lands flood protection project is one of the most important in Toronto”

  1. doug pollard Avatar
    doug pollard


    Thanks for that. It has been decades since the first discussions about developing the area (Olympic villages et al) and naturalizing the mouth of the Don. So good to see that it does not seem the visions have been compromised over all those years..possibly even more environmentally beneficial than first conceived

  2. Jason Paris Avatar

    If we ever meet at a party, I’m asking to see the photos!

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