Waterfront Toronto Greenlights Most of Sidewalk Labs' Quayside Master Plan

An evaluation committee made up of Waterfront Toronto staff has given a green light for the Sidewalk Labs master plan for Toronto to proceed to the next stages of planning.

1 minute read

February 21, 2020, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Toronto Waterfront

JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock

Donovan Vincent reports that a six-member evaluation committee tasked with assessing Sidewalk Labs' proposal for the Toronto waterfront neighborhood of Quayside.

"The technical evaluation by Waterfront Toronto staff, released Tuesday [February 18], says of the 160 'solutions' or innovations Google sister firm Sidewalk Labs has put forward in its master plan for the proposed 12-acre neighbourhood, a large majority — 144 innovations or 90 per cent — meet Waterfront Toronto’s objectives," explains Vincent.

"The list of innovations supported by Waterfront Toronto will be prioritized, and the number may be pared down by the agency and Sidewalk Labs to fit the 12-acre Quayside, Waterfront Toronto says."

The innovations winning approval from Waterfront Toronto include "a mass timber factory producing materials for the construction for wood buildings, robots that detect when trash bins are full, roofs covered in vegetation to reduce stormwater runoff, a patent pledge of Sidewalk Labs’ digital innovations that would support the growth of Canadian innovations, and the use of common standards for digital systems and technologies used at Quayside." The article also lists some of the 16 innovations that didn't pass muster.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020 in The Star

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight