Transit Villages

The Growth Plan to Half a Million (Growth Plan) was approved in principle by City Council in April 2016, establishing a new approach to the growth and evolution of the City over the coming decades.  An important part of this Plan was the vision for rebalancing the future growth of the City through long-term targets of 50% infill and 50% greenfield development.

The Corridor Growth Portfolio was created as a major component of the Growth Plan to achieve the infill targets, while also leveraging and supporting the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.  As part of the vision for corridor growth, key locations were identified at commercial centres throughout the City that offer high potential for major shopping centre redevelopment, adjacent to significant planned BRT stations - prime areas for Transit Villages.  The Transit Village locations identified are Confederation Suburban Centre, The Centre Mall, and University Heights Suburban Centre.

Significant opportunities exist to create new, vibrant, and attractive activity hubs that incorporate a wide range of land uses at densities that are financially feasible, and that support the corridor growth objectives and use of the BRT system. 

In addition, the Canadian retail landscape is changing rapidly, influenced by several factors, key among them the rise of online shopping and consumer preferences shifting away from static shopping malls to more experience-based commercial. By introducing a wider range of uses, including residential, restaurants, food stores, and professional offices, mall owners are seeking to re-invigorate their holdings and broaden their customer base.