Transit-oriented development

In the midst of a housing crisis, Canada needs to increase production and expand available options in order to make housing accessible and affordable to everyone and in communities of all sizes. How can transit-oriented development (TOD) be catalyzed to meet ambitious housing goals while contributing to the creation of equitable, vibrant, complete communities? School of Cities has produced several reports, case studies, maps, and data visualizations that look at various angles of transit-oriented development.

Most recently, we worked with the Infrastructure Institute to publish five case studies from across Canada for the Canadian Urban Institute’s TOD on Main toolkit. We also worked with U of T faculty members from across disciplines to produce six reports on various aspects of TOD, including displacement, embodied greenhouse gases, emission reduction, equity, affordability, and fiscal impacts. This research – along with earlier work on downtown recovery, displacement, transit and more – provides insights into all aspects of TOD and tools to help decision‑makers leverage transit‑driven growth to advance housing goals, support vibrant and complete communities, and challenge the displacement trends often driven by TOD.

TOD on Main reports See more

How opening new transit stations affects low-income residents, with research into patterns of residential displacement and exclusion

Research quantifying how planning decisions shape embodied GHG emissions from proposed development in five Canadian case study scenarios

Explores whether directing growth to transit-rich areas meaningfully reduces vehicle travel and emissions

Research into how TOD affects two key metrics: transportation equity and sustainable mode shift

Explores whether TOD areas promote affordability through increased building unit construction

Examines whether TOD generates net revenues or costs for municipal governments

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TOD on Main case studies See more

Mobility

The School of Cities and the Infrastructure Institute have produced a series of five case studies to identify different kinds of transit-oriented development (TOD) across Canada and to explore the opportunities and trade-offs involved in creating thriving communities near transit

Mobility

How can we preserve the best features of established neighbourhoods while increasing density around transit?

Mobility

How can we build complete, family-friendly communities while managing flood risk?

Mobility

How can we build infill in a mature community with strategic infrastructure investments to support high-capacity transit ridership?

Mobility

How can we transform industrial land into a vibrant community that attracts – and keeps – jobs and talent?

Mobility

How can strategic development, civic infrastructure investment, and inclusive planning transform a suburban terminal into a vibrant transit-oriented community?

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