SLA And GHD On Their "Nature-Forward" Plans For Villiers Island Revamp

Danish design studio SLA and engineering firm GHD have won a major contract from Waterfront Toronto to plan the infrastructure and streetscape design for what was formerly known as Villiers Island, now renamed Ookwemin Minising. The project covers about 48 acres of developable land and is part of one of Toronto’s most ambitious flood-protection and river restoration projects to date, with the first residents expected to move in by 2031.

Under the banner of “Niwiijiganaa Gikendaasowin” (We Braid Knowledge), SLA leads urban realm and landscape design while GHD serves as prime consultant. Their work will connect infrastructure design with ecology and cultural memory, particularly honouring the legacy of the Don River and Indigenous histories tied to the island.

A key goal is to craft what they call “Growing Streets” — streetscapes that act like living ecosystems. These streets will include native vegetation, rainwater features, biodiversity corridors and public space elements designed to sequester carbon, manage stormwater and offer a softer, greener urban realm. The firms hope to re-introduce nature into everyday city life, drawing inspiration from cities like Copenhagen, Oslo and London.

Indigenous placekeeping features prominently in the design. An Indigenous advisory firm, Trophic Design, will contribute traditional knowledge throughout the project. The island’s new name, Ookwemin Minising (“place of the black cherry trees”), was chosen last November by an Indigenous Advisory Circle, along with the park name Biidaasige Park (“sunlight shining towards us”).

Beyond parks and paths, the institutions emphasize technical systems designed to work with nature—not against it. They plan to install intelligent rainwater management systems and resilient utilities that respond to shifting demand, rather than relying on unproven future technology. This nature-forward approach is central to tackling flooding, heat and social disconnection in the new community.

Taken together, the vision laid out by SLA and GHD aims to create a neighbourhood where streets, parks, public infrastructure and cultural remembrance form a cohesive, living whole. With over 15,000 future residents in mind, the goal is to build a resilient, ecologically rich and culturally responsive waterfront district—a new kind of Toronto island community grounded in place, history and nature.