Toronto Island Park Master Plan: Big Ideas

Toronto Island Park will be a place to:

Protect + Restore

• The Environment: through stewardship and management of sensitive environments and habitats
• The Community: to be safe, accessible and welcoming for all living beings
• The Self: to be a place of healing and respite, away from busy urban life and in touch with nature

Honour + Celebrate

• The land, water and sky, as well as all living beings that call Mnissing home: through Indigenous place-keeping, place-making and place-revealing
• The identity, character and legacy of the islands: through Indigenous, Settler, Immigrant, Refugee and Visitor perspectives
• Toronto’s diverse communities: through creating a space that is inclusive and celebratory of Indigenous communities, Black communities, People of Colour, LGBTQ2S+, women and gender non-conforming people, disabled people, children and youth, seniors, people experiencing poverty and all equity-deserving communities

Gather + Support

• Explore collaborative governance, partnerships and coordinated program opportunities
• Promote sharing, learning and teaching: through land-based practices, partnerships and programs
• Ensure equitable access: through accessible and affordable spaces, experiences and connections

The Toronto Island Park Master Plan must embody:

Respect

• By acknowledging the land as a living being
• By advocating for the rights of all living beings and systems first and as part of interconnected and interdependent systems and existence
• By honouring the practices and rights of past, present and future inhabitants

Diversity

• By prioritizing inclusion and celebration of differing worldviews, experiences, and abilities
• By ensuring equitable access to amenities, facilities, and services
• By protecting and restoring sensitive and unique environments and habitats

Balance

• By considering the needs of all parts of a system in the sharing and distribution of resources
• By prioritizing the needs of the natural environment over human use and comfort

Accountability

• By committing to transparent processes
• By developing sustainable investment in social, environmental and economic initiatives
• By cultivating lasting relationships with rights holders, stakeholders and communities

Toronto Island Park should:

• Honour and respect Indigenous communities and their rights on the islands and water
• Celebrate and protect the natural and cultural identity of the islands
• Prioritize, protect and advocate for the natural significance and value of the islands
• Leverage the dynamic nature of the islands and waterways to support adaptive and flexible use
• Demonstrate resilience, sustainability and regenerative landscape management
• Prioritize spaces that support equitable access, inclusion and flexible use
• Enhance the visitor experience for all seasons
• Reveal the unique character and spirit of the islands
• Provide diverse amenities and experiences to encourage exploration, sharing and discovery
• Develop evidence-based strategic investment to ensure long-term and continued support of improvements
• Support opportunities for diverse and sustainable businesses to thrive

Collection Authority Statement

Parks, Forestry and Recreation collects personal information under the legal authority of section 136 of the City of Toronto Act and the 2021 City of Toronto Capital Budget approved by City Council on December 16, 2020. Your name and email address will only be used to keep you informed about the progress of the Toronto Island Master Plan. Your demographic data is being collected in order to better evaluate who this process is reaching, and is in alignment the City’s Data for Equity Strategy. Questions about this collection can be directed to the Manager, Public Consultation, Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3C6, or by telephone at 416-338-3020.