History of Neighbourhoods in Toronto - Post-industrial Toronto

Post-industrial Toronto

By the 1980s almost all the open areas within the limits of Metro Toronto had been developed, with most of the growth in brand new developments occurring in the belt around Toronto known as the 905. This same era saw the rapid deindustrialization of Toronto, as almost all the factories and warehouses that had once dominated the waterfront disappeared. This created wide expanses for new developments and new neighbourhoods. A number of new communities have developed and are developing in these post-industrial zones, the largest of them being CityPlace on the former railway lands. To the west and east other residential and cultural zones have appeared in areas such as Liberty Village and the Distillery District. Other stretches of the waterfront, such as the West Donlands, and the Portlands are still mostly empty, and awaiting redevelopment programmes.

With the disappearance of open spaces in the city of Toronto and the revitalization of the downtown there has been considerable condominium construction creating residential communities in areas that were once almost wholly commercial, such as the Financial District and Yorkville. The suburbs have also seen considerable densification. North York Centre has grown into a large cluster of condominiums and office buildings and a similar, though less dramatic process, is occurring at Scarborough City Centre. Since the completion of the Sheppard subway line in 2002, there has been a boom in condominium construction along the route.