Five new footbridges connecting our waterfront are in Toronto’s near future.
Right now, our waterfront is broken by port slips, forcing one to walk back up to Queens Quay.
Where are they?
With new footbridges proposed for Spadina, Peter, Rees, Simcoe and the Police Basin, we are enhancing our waterfront with these striking new connectors that can keep our stroll along the waterfront congruent.
So where exactly are they going and how will this transform our water’s edge?
With each having their unique characteristics, let’s start by looking at the Spadina slip.
Spadina Slip
To bridge Spadina Slip over to HTO Park West, the footbridge will measure 61.5m, the longest of the group. This arched footbridge design will allow for clear passage relating to our harbour cleaning boats and other small vessels that regularly pass through.
Peter Slip
Heading East toward Peter Slip, located between Spadina and Rees Street, we need to bridge a gap of 60.9 metres. Similar to Spadina, this footbridge will be an arched design to allow for smaller marine vessels safe access and also connect pedestrians to the other side where it will meet HTO Beach: a long, sandy beach in the middle of our downtown core sprinkled with yellow sun umbrellas and Muskoka chairs.
Rees Slip
Which brings us to Rees Slip. A busy port on the water where its unique footbridge will also act as a lift bridge and play host to this busy waterfront life with floating tiki bars and this active marina home to paddle sports, sailing and boat rentals all under the watchful eye of our beautiful CN Tower in the heart of our downtown.
The Police Basin Slip
Next up is our Police Basin Slip, home to Toronto’s marine unit and emergency response vessels. The shortest of the footbridges, it will measure 10.75 metres. Because of these unique services, a dramatic arched footbridge has been designed to accommodate police boats that need to exit quickly in an emergency without waiting for a lift bridge to rise.
Simcoe Slip
From the Police Basin, our waterfront takes us past the Amsterdam Brewhouse and a sprawling boardwalk and cycling path, a favourite spot along Lake Ontario which brings us to our last footbridge of the series: The Simcoe Slip. It runs parallel with the impressive Spadina Wavedeck. Scenic boat cruises, Harbourfront Centre and the new Queens Harbour restaurant with its 23,000 sq ft dining space under Canada’s largest retractable roof are just some features of the Spadina slip.
Like the wavedecks, the footbridges will also be constructed using yellow glulam cedar and ipe wood.
Pretty exciting! So when is this all happening?
The design stage is 60% complete as of September 2025. When can we see the final completion of this waterfront project?
It’s expected to take 2 years, finishing in 2027.
