1. A PUBLIC REALM STRATEGY
FOR TORONTO’S
FINANCIAL DISTRICT
RAISING THE STANDARD

2. RAISING THE STANDARD B
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Executive Summary and Key Recommendations 1
2 About the Toronto Financial District BIA 2
3 The Core of Opportunity and Success 4
4 Public Realm Investment to Support Economic Growth 6
5 Principles 10
6 Process 11
7 Key Areas for Improvement 13
8 Distinct Characteristics of the Area 14
9 Operational Considerations of the Area 20
10 Public Realm Projects: 2013 – 2019 24
Leveraging Scheduled and Planned Activity 24
Project Development 24
Time-specifi c Projects 26
Additional Projects for Consideration 45
Area-wide Projects 53
11 Applying the Highest-quality City Standards 56
Sidewalks 56
Tree Standards 59
Lighting 61
Bicycle Parking 63
Street Furniture 63
Preferred Streetscape Furniture 63
A District Wide Approach to Safety and Security 63
Additional Elements 64
12 Public Works and Construction 66
13 Maintenance 67
14 Implementation 67
15 Acknowledgments 68
16 Works Cited 70
17 Photography Credits 72
18 APPENDICES 74
APPENDIX A – Project Development Check-List 74
APPENDIX B – Street Width 75
APPENDIX C – Summary of Streetscape Recommendations 78
and Project Implementations
APPENDIX D – Recommended Streetscape Details 84

3. RAISING THE STANDARD 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
As Canada’s premier economic centre, and a growing global fi nancial presence,
the Financial District is Toronto’s public face to the world. The area showcases
Canada’s most prominent offi ce towers and is home to world-class architecture
and design. A close look also uncovers a wide array of materials and states of
disrepair in an area that has never had a consistent planning approach.
A TOOL TO RAISE STANDARDS
This strategy summarizes the functional and aesthetic state of the public realm in the Financial
District and highlights best practices and areas for improvement.
The Toronto Financial District BIA aims to lead a collaborative effort to improve the standards
of the public realm. Once approved by its board, this strategy will be circulated to key organizations
involved in developing the area and will be presented to the City for endorsement.
INVESTING IN TORONTO’S FUTURE
The importance of Toronto’s Financial District worldwide and as an economic generator for the
city is readily apparent. The 15 square blocks of the Financial District make up less than 0.1% of
Toronto’s land. In this footprint, the city generates 6% of its property tax revenue and 15% of
its jobs. For the past two years, Toronto has been ranked the 7th most important fi nancial centre
in the world by the Financial Times’ The Banker magazine.
Investment in public realm and infrastructure improvements has been proven to generate returns
in the form of higher property values and tax revenues, reduced vacancy rates, increased employee
retention, improved transportation fl ow and a safer, healthier environment. A well-functioning and
active public realm fosters an increased perception of order and security.
Together we can improve the Financial District for the more than 200,000 employees and visitors
here each day and improve the way Toronto presents itself to the world.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
In December 2012, the Toronto Financial District BIA began a thorough analysis of the state of its
public realm. An asset inventory has been created to track the state of all public elements on the
street, from poles and trees to sidewalk conditions and newspaper boxes. Extensive consultations
have been made with City offi cials and staff, neighbouring BIAS, building management teams
and members of the public.
The asset inventory demonstrated that publicly owned and managed streets and spaces
are in poor condition. In contrast, adjacent private owners have heavily invested in high-quality
standards and fi nishes, making the public infrastructure look worse by comparison.
A COLLABORATIVE RETURN ON INVESTMENT
For a maximum return on public realm investments, it will be critical that a collaborative,
long-term planning approach be utilized by the City, property owners and other area stakeholders.
Capital works projects must be leveraged to improve operations and aesthetics of the area at the
same time. A disciplined application of the City’s highest standards must be applied to complement
the years of investment made by the private sector.
With the Toronto Financial District BIA as a coordinator for the area, the approach outlined
here will produce a public realm that addresses operational and environmental concerns, supports
employment growth and increases Toronto’s pride of place as a world-class fi nancial centre.
PUBLIC REALM
All physical space from building-face
to building-face, including
sidewalks, roads, laneways, parks
and open spaces. In the Financial
District, this includes the primarily
privately owned and maintained
PATH underground walkway.
KEY RECOMMENDATION 1
The City of Toronto must allocate
capital budgets to support bringing
the Financial District’s public realm
to the highest City standard as
outlined in this strategy.
KEY RECOMMENDATION 2
Capital improvements must also
address the unique operational
requirements of the Financial
District in an effort to support
future employment growth and
private investments.

4. RAISING THE STANDARD 2
ABOUT THE TORONTO FINANCIAL DISTRICT BIA
The Toronto Financial District Business Improvement Area (BIA)
represents Canada’s premier business centre, an area that includes
Union Station, the PATH underground walkway and Canada’s fi ve
major banks and most prominent fi rms.
With a mandate to promote economic development in the area,
the Toronto Financial District BIA’s initiatives include developing
and implementing a comprehensive public realm strategy for the
Financial District, undertaking annual public realm improvements,
showcasing the daily activity of our thriving businesses at
TorontoFinancialDistrict.com and @MyTOFD, advocating for
the needs of Financial District members and identifying
collaborative opportunities that ensure the Financial District
and PATH are well-maintained, integrated, connected
and accessible.

5. 1 ADELAIDE
STREET
EAST
RAISING THE STANDARD 3
NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE TORONTO
TORONTO-DOMINION
BANK TOWER
ADELAIDE STREET WEST
DESIGN
EXCHANGE
TD
WEST
TOWER
TD
NORTH TOWER
TD
SOUTH TOWER
THE BANK OF
NOVA SCOTIA
EXCHANGE
TOWER
BAY-ADELAIDE
CENTRE
DINEEN
BUILDING
INDX
CONDOS
100
ADELAIDE
STREET
WEST
THE HUDSON’S BAY
COMPANY
SIMPSON
TOWER
THE FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK HOTEL
TRUMP
INTERNATIONAL
HOTEL
FOUR SEASONS
CENTRE FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS
CLOUD
GARDENS
HILTON
HOTEL
SHERATON CENTRE
TORONTO HOTEL
SCOTIA
PLAZA
ROYAL BANK
BUILDING
FIRST CANADIAN PLACE
SHANGRI–LA
HOTEL
SUN LIFE CENTRE SUN LIFE CENTRE
STANDARD
LIFE CENTRE
ROYAL BANK
PLAZA
RICHMOND
ADELAIDE
CENTRE
BROOKFIELD PLACE
HOCKEY HALL
OF FAME
BAY-WELLINGTON
TOWER
TD CANADA
TRUST TOWER
1 KING
WEST
EMILY STREET
BAY STREET
YONGE STREET
WELLINGTON STREE T
PIPER STREET
FRONT STREET WEST
PEARL STREET
MELINDA ST
JORDAN ST
GRAND OPERA LANE
COMMERCE
COURT
EATON CENTRE
SHEPPARD STREET
SKYWALK
UNIVERSITY AVENUE
TEMPERANCE STREET
KING STREET WEST
TORONTO-DOMINION
CENTRE
ST. ANDREW STATION
QUEEN STATION
YORK STREET
VICTORY
BUILDING
18
YONGE
STREET
BAY-ADELAIDE
II
LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD
UNION STATION
GO BUS TERMINAL
RICHMOND STREET WEST
VICTORIA STREET
QUEEN STREET WEST
SIMCOE STREET
DOWNTOWN
YONGE BIA
QUEEN WEST BIA
TORONTO
ENTERTAINMENT
DISTRICT BIA
ST. LAWRENCE
MARKET
NEIGHBOROOD
BIA /
OLD TOWN
OSGOODE STATION
KING STATION
FIGURE 1
TORONTO FINANCIAL DISTRICT BIA BOUNDARIES
PATH
TTC SUBWAY
CITY PARK
CONSTRUCTION SITE
BIA BOUNDARIES
RAILWAY CORRIDOR
PATH EXPANSION
ABOUT THE TORONTO FINANCIAL DISTRICT BIA
N
100 METRES
scale is approximate