An abandoned airport in Toronto, Canada, is on track to become a £22 billion city for an estimated 50,000 residents. Downsview Airport ceased operations in 2024, and the 370-acre site has been earmarked for a $30 billion redevelopment, equivalent to roughly £22 billion, to accommodate around 50,000 people.
Known as YZD, this massive project is expected to unfold over more than 30 years and will feature a mix of homes, shops, schools, and parks, making it one of the most ambitious undertakings in North American history.
The former 1.24-mile runway will be repurposed into a park that will link different neighborhoods, acting as the area’s “connective tissue.” The redevelopment plans for the Downsview West District portion of the former airport have been updated recently to create a large-scale “mixed-use community” around Downsview Park TTC and GO station.
The project, spearheaded by firms like Urban Strategies, Trophic Design, and ERA Architects, has been refined to enhance the district framework following feedback. YZD is touted as one of the largest urban transformation areas in North America, with the Downsview West area emerging as a pivotal district under Canada Lands’ leadership.
The proposal has evolved through ongoing consultations with various stakeholders and local communities, leading to a recent resubmission of applications for Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision to the City of Toronto in March 2026.
The development will be divided into three distinct sections: Station Quarter, Heart at the Crossroads, and the Mews neighborhood, with taller structures concentrated near transit hubs. The tallest towers are expected to reach a maximum height of 197 meters.
The plans also detail aspects like tower placement, the transition between taller and mid-rise buildings, and the materials to be used. The Downsview Airport site has a rich history of warplane production during World War II before being taken over by an aerospace company in the 1990s.
Derek Goring, CEO of Northcrest Developments overseeing the project, emphasized the importance of leveraging existing structures to bring character and uniqueness to the development. The latest proposals aim to deliver approximately 8,800 residential units, with 20% designated as affordable housing, alongside a mix of employment, retail, institutional, and community facilities. The Depot Mews “shared street” concept is also part of the forward-looking plans.
