Toronto’s Equity-Based Green Streets Program

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Images source:

1-Toronto Transportation Services – University avenue, Toronto
2-Toronto Transportation Services – York Street Green Gutter

Green Streets Program Goals

Toronto is increasing the city’s climate resilience with an equity-based Green Streets Program.  Established in 2017, Toronto’s Green Streets Program integrates green infrastructure into the design of its streets, sidewalks, and boulevards to reduce air temperatures, enhance air quality, and manage stormwater in neighbourhoods across the city.

This green infrastructure is built into the City’s right-of-way which includes roads, curbs, and sidewalks; all of the publicly owned land that stretches from one property line to another.  By reimagining how these spaces are designed and managed, Toronto is replacing traditional infrastructure with features that reduce urban heat islands (UHIs), manage stormwater, and improve water quality.   

The City is giving priority to neighbourhoods that can benefit the most from green infrastructure in terms of stormwater management, air quality, social equity, tree canopy distribution, and climate resilience. 

Building Climate Resilience

With human-induced global warming, air temperatures and the risk of flooding are increasing in many Canadian cities.  Flooding is also becoming a greater concern in the city.  In July 2024, for example, a flash flood led to power outages and almost $1 billion in insured damages. 

Extreme heat events and flooding resulting from extreme weather and a dense urban environment motivated the City to plan how its rights-of-way could deliver environmental and social benefits.  Green streets integrate features such as bioswales, permeable pavement, rain gardens, and bioretention assets, that can capture and filter stormwater while also cooling surrounding air through evapotranspiration. 

Initiating a Green Streets Program

Toronto’s work on green streets began in 2013 after 60 mm of rain fell overnight and the Don River flooded some of the city’s major highways including the Don Valley Parkway. 

“ This large storm gave rise to a City Council directive to develop green infrastructure standards to help manage the city’s stormwater in the right-of-way,” explained Kristina Hausmanis, Senior Project Manager, Green Streets Program, City of Toronto.

From 2013 to 2017, City Planning and Toronto Water collaborated to develop Green Streets Technical Guidelines while also piloting green infrastructure projects.  Early work focused on large, underused right-of-way areas such as traffic islands.  These were converted into bioretention sites by removing excess asphalt and adding curb cuts to direct runoff on to the greenery.

 When a new General Manager, who had experience with Seattle’s Green Streets Program, joined Transportation Services, the Green Street vision was expanded. 

“ With the new General Manager on board, it was decided that the Transportation Division, which has responsibility for the city’s right-of-way, should play a bigger role in the implementation of green streets infrastructure, ” explained Hausmanis. “ To scale up the program, it was recognized that we needed a clear governance model and  defined asset ownership.” 

Multi-Sectoral Collaboration

The installation and maintenance of green streets infrastructure involves several divisions within the City so there is a need to work collaboratively across all divisions.  A governance model was established in 2017 that brought several divisions together including Transportation Services, Engineering and Construction Services, City Planning, Parks, Forestry, and Recreation, (now  Environment, Climate and Forestry), and Toronto Water.  

A Steering Committee was created, supported by a staff-level working group, to coordinate the development and implementation of green streets infrastructure across the city.  As the primary owner of the right-of-way assets, Transportation Services assumed leadership for the Green Streets Program. 

“ We, in Transportation Services, own and are responsible for the green infrastructure assets in the right-of-way, but other divisions are essential to the project’s success,” offered Hausmanis. “ For example, Toronto Water is responsible for flushing out catch basins going into green infrastructure and Urban Forestry takes care of street trees.” 

“ The City has also partnered with non-profit organizations.  For example, the City is collaborating with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) via their Sustainable Technology Evaluation Program (STEP) on the evaluation and monitoring of green infrastructure sites in the city,” explained Hausmanis. 

The City has also collaborated with non-profit organizations on its workforce development program, GreenForceTO, that was initiated in 2021.  Transportation Services partnered with two local Employment Social Enterprises, RAINscapeTO and Building Up, to hire and train individuals from      Neighbourhood Improvement Areas in the city and people experiencing barriers to employment, for the maintenance of green streets infrastructure.  Neighbourhood Improvement Areas are neighbourhoods that need support to improve the wellness of their residents based on economic opportunities, social development, health, community engagement, and physical characteristics of their communities.   

Prioritizing Neighbourhoods for Green Infrastructure

With over 5400 km of roadways, Toronto required a systematic approach to prioritize  locations for green infrastructure.

“ We are moving from a model that was based solely on opportunities to pilot green infrastructure to one that considers program benefits,” explained Anisha Patel, Project Manager, Green Streets Program, City of Toronto. “ We are looking for neighbourhoods that would benefit most from green infrastructure interventions by assessing both vulnerabilities and opportunities in neighbourhoods across the city.” 

This approach evaluates where green infrastructure can be most beneficial at reducing climate vulnerabilities, improving the quality of life for residents, and decreasing social inequities, while also considering the physical opportunities for installation.  

This selection process involves three stages: 

    • Geospatial Analysis: With the first stage, a model is used to prioritize projects based on the co-benefits that can be gained with green infrastructure. This model allocates a score for five green infrastructure co-benefits:
      • Stormwater Management which is based on data related to combined sewer overflow areas, storm sewers that flow into environmentally sensitive areas, impervious surfaces, and rainfall distribution; 
      • Air Quality which is based on data related to the density of senior or childcare facilities within areas with high levels of traffic-related air pollution; 
      • Tree Canopy Cover based on tree canopy distribution;
      • Social Wellness which is based on “Neighbourhood Improvement Areas” identified by the City; and 
      • Climate Resilience which is based on extreme heat vulnerability maps and areas identified as vulnerable to storm-related floods. 

Projects in the top percentile are then selected for the second stage.

  • Desktop Analysis:  In the second stage, the suitability of the site for green infrastructure implementation is evaluated using factors such as space available, soil conditions, site coordination conflicts, and public visibility.

  • Stakeholder Coordination:  The third stage draws upon the expertise of the Green Streets Working Group and others to identify the scope and budget needed for the project and to coordinate implementation.  

The City is in the process of developing key performance indicators and implementation processes to guide how green infrastructure will be installed and evaluated in these targeted neighbourhoods. 

Community Engagement

Community engagement plays an important role in Toronto’s Green Streets Program.  The City works directly with communities.  It offers choices to impacted residents to select the green infrastructure options that work best for them.

“ Some neighbourhoods have open ditches that can be transformed into bioswales,” said Hausmanis. “ When the City installs these bioswales, residents are provided with native and suitable plant options, which they are expected to maintain after installation.  However,  if residents prefer not to have a garden, they can opt for sod, which still provides the water quality benefits of green infrastructure.” 

Challenges and Lessons Learned

The Green Streets team has learned that project feasibility varies by location. 

“ Suburban areas such as Etobicoke and Scarborough provide more space for green infrastructure than Toronto’s urban core,” stated Hausmanis.

City staff have learned that education and outreach are important for public acceptance of green infrastructure.  

“ While attitudes are shifting towards natural gardens, many residents still prefer the look of manicured sod,” said Hausmanis. “ It is important that we educate residents about the benefits of green infrastructure.  We plan to develop educational materials such as infographics to help them understand the value of these features.”

There have also been challenges with utility contractors and construction activity damaging green infrastructure assets. 

“ The City has the Municipal Consent Requirements that outline requirements for working within the city right-of-way.  However, these requirements do not reference how developers or utility contractors are to work within or around green infrastructure assets,” explained Patel. “ We need to update these requirements to ensure that green infrastructure is protected when it is worked around”

Funding

The cost of green infrastructure is project dependent. The standard cost of reconstruction in the right-of-way is calculated and the Green Streets Program covers the additional cost of incorporating green infrastructure, which is typically about 30-40% more for linear green infrastructure.

“ We have not been able to estimate the cost savings created with green infrastructure yet,” noted Patel. “ The reduction in air temperature and stormwater management are incremental with each project, so it is hard to say how much harm and damage is being prevented with each project.  Over time and cumulatively, we expect that there will be considerable financial and health savings, but we don’t have the data to demonstrate that yet.”  

 

Green Streets Features

 Toronto’s green infrastructure features include the following: 

  • Continuous Soil Trenches and Stormwater Tree Trenches: Trenches placed beside walkways that collect stormwater into planters and direct it to trees.
  • Bioretention Assets: Garden-like structures including cells, planters, and curb extensions that collect and filter stormwater, allowing some of the water to support native plants.
  • Bioswales: Linear, vegetated channels that slow down, treat, and store stormwater temporarily.
  • Enhanced Grass Swales: A gently-sloped channel that reduces stormwater runoff and cleans stormwater as it flows.
  • Green Gutters: Shallow, vegetated planters installed along a street’s length to capture and filter runoff while separating transportation corridors (e.g., vehicle traffic, bikes, transit lanes).
  • Vegetated Filter Strips: Gently-sloped, vegetated areas that are installed adjacent to impervious surfaces to treat and reduce stormwater runoff.
  • Permeable Pavement: Paving materials that consist of small pores and allow rainwater to drain into an aggregate storage layer temporarily before being conveyed into native soil or other drainage systems. These materials include permeable interlocking concrete pavers, porous asphalt, and pervious concrete.
  • Infiltration Trenches: An underground trench made up of geotextile-lined excavations that temporarily holds and treats stormwater.
  • Rain Gardens: A shallow, sunken planting bed composed of highly permeable soil that collects rainwater, filters it through the soil and plants, and prevents standing water.

Greening Underserved Schools while Preventing Floods in Chicago

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Images source: Space to Grow Program – Grissom Elementary School

Space to Grow Program

Since 2013, the Space to Grow program in Chicago has transformed over 36 schoolyards, with 5 more currently under construction, serving more than 36,000 students, families, and community members in under-served neighbourhoods with greenery and green stormwater infrastructure. 

“When mandated recess was brought back to schools in Chicago in 2011, communities noted that the schoolyards where children played were neither safe, nor healthy. Many schoolyards had broken equipment and asphalt-dominant grounds, along with flooding issues in nearby neighbourhoods.”
CANUE | Greening Underserved Schools while Preventing Floods in ChicagoEmily Zhang Headshot
Emily Zhang
Space to Grow Project Manager at the Healthy Schools Campaign

The Space to Grow program was established that year when two non-profit organizations partnered with Chicago Public Schools and two public water agencies to transform schoolyards in under-resourced neighbourhoods into green oases that reduce flooding.

“The Space to Grow program prioritizes historically disinvested and underserved areas in Chicago,” explained Zhang. “These communities have been shaped by historic policies that systematically restricted public investment in communities of color.”

Multi-Sectoral Collaboration

The Space to Grow program operates through a collaboration between the non-profit organizations, the Healthy Schools Campaign and Openlands, along with three public agencies, the Chicago Public Schools, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and the Chicago Department of Water Management.

Each partner organization has its own goals. The two water agencies are working to  reduce the risk of floods and protect water quality in the city. Chicago Public Schools aims to provide safe and welcoming schoolyards for its students and their families. Openlands is dedicated to connecting people with nature and greening urban areas.  And the Healthy School Campaign seeks to address systemic barriers; to provide children in under-resourced neighbourhoods with safe and vibrant outdoor spaces that support health and well-being. 

“Through our aligned goals, we work together to redesign and revitalize outdoor school spaces. The non-profit organizations coordinate work between the partners, facilitate community engagement on all elements of the work, and provide technical assistance and educational programming to schools. The public agencies provide leadership, expertise,and funding for the design and construction of the schoolyards. Funding from the two water agencies is guided by each schoolyard’s potential to reduce stormwater runoff through green infrastructure,” Zhang explained.

Davis Before
June 19, 2018 Space to Grow, Nathan Davis Elementary School in Chicago, Davis Elementary is the first schoolyard transformation to be completed by the Space to Grow program in 2018 and the 10th overall, playground and schoolyard ribbon cutting ceremony,stormwater management, green infrastructure, native plantings, playground equipment and turf field, permeable surfaces, porous surfaces, public amenities and recreation, kids and children playing, President Mariyana T. Spyropoulos, Commissioners Debra Shore, Ken Dunkan, David Walsh, Kari K. Steele, Healthy Schools Campaign, Openlands, City of Chicago Department of Water Management, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas, Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago, Space to Grow, green infrastructure, SPACE TO GROW: GREENING CHICAGO SCHOOLYARDS Space to Grow is an innovative program led by Healthy Schools Campaign and Openlands to transform Chicago schoolyards into vibrant outdoor spaces that benefit students, community members and the environment. Schoolyard renovations prioritize physical activity, play, learning, exploration and community engagement. The green schoolyards also incorporate landscape features that capture a significant amount of rainfall, helping keep the city's water resources clean and resulting in less neighborhood flooding. Space to Grow uses a unique model that brings together capital funds and leadership from Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Department of Water Management, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Common elements of Space to Grow projects: turf fields for sports and play, play equipment for younger and older students, outdoor classroom areas, rain gardens with native plants, vegetable gardens, benches and seating throughout.

Images source: Space to Grow Program – Nathan S. Davis Elementary School

Green Infrastructure and Green Space 

Space to Grow uses green stormwater infrastructure, systems and features that incorporate or mimic nature-based solutions to capture stormwater on-site and reduce sewer system strain.  Chamber systems are installed below the surface to catch water on schoolyards.  Asphalt is replaced with permeable surfaces, native plants, rain gardens, and bioswales to absorb and filter stormwater.

These measures offer significant benefits for flood prevention.  At Grissom Elementary School, for example, it was estimated that the project would entirely eliminate runoff volume and remove nearly all pollutants from the water for over 99% of all storms. 

The infrastructure and landscaping design for each schoolyard is informed by the needs of the students and the surrounding community. 

”At our recent renovation at Brown Community Academy, the schoolyard design had to support students from pre-kindergarten to grade 8, so we wanted to ensure that there were spaces for different activities and sports, while also integrating a nearby rain garden to absorb water,” said Zhang. 

The community design process identified key priorities for the school, including creating opportunities for outdoor learning, nature play, and growing food. 

“We transformed a courtyard space into a nature play area and an outdoor classroom, and we added raised planters and edible garden beds,” said Zhang. 

“Partners at Loyola University and the University of California’s Nutrition Policy Institute have done studies around the use of renovated schoolyards and have seen an increase in the use of physical space across genders and all age groups and found that these schoolyards promote a more positive relationship between the schools and community,” explained Zhang.

Engaging the Community 

Space to Grow uses a participatory approach so the community is involved at every stage of their schoolyard’s transformation.  

“Once a school is selected, we begin with a planning process that includes meetings with school leaders, parents and caregivers and neighbours,” explained Zhang. “We also help form a Space to Grow Committee for each schoolyard that includes trusted messengers from the community who can communicate with various stakeholders.”

“Trusted community members are the best messengers,” said Zhang. “Committee members with strong local networks help ensure that the school community feels heard and stays informed.”

During the planning phase, students and community members share what they want from their schoolyards.  Landscape architects and engineers, who participate in these meetings, translate the community’s visions into schematic designs.  Ongoing workshops allow designers to get real-time feedback from community members before finalizing a design.

“The design team is involved in every conversation with community members,” explained Zhang. “This project is not just about us relaying information about the schoolyards to the community.  It is about co-creating spaces that reflect local needs while allowing communities to build climate resilience.”

Prioritizing Schools Based on Flood Exposure and Social Equity

The initial school selection process is based on three primary criteria:

  • High flood risk areas;
  • High need for playground or playground renovation; and
  • The Chicago Public Schools Equity Index. 

The city’s water department uses a geospatial approach to identify schools that are in locations with a high risk for basement flooding. The Chicago Public School Equity Index assesses school conditions, community conditions, and historical capital investment patterns to prioritize schools most in need of upgrades.

“Almost all the schoolyards that we have renovated are located on the south and west sides of Chicago,” noted Zhang. “Many of these communities have a legacy of redlining and disinvestment. When you overlay maps of historic redlining with tree canopy, heat vulnerability, and other health disparities, the patterns are striking. These are the communities that have been overlooked for too long and where intentional investment can make the greatest impact.” 

Redlining was a racist policy that prevented people of colour from obtaining mortgages based on neighbourhood value.  Although the practice has been illegal since 1968 in the United States, its legacy endures.  Residents living in redlined neighbourhoods today experience higher exposure to air, water, and noise pollution. Beyond redlining, other discriminatory housing policies and practices such as exclusionary zoning, inequitable code enforcement, and disinvestment continue to result in the lack of access to safe, healthy and affordable housing.

Once a school meets the initial eligibility criteria, it can apply to the Space to Grow program.  Final selection is based on flood risk, feasibility of schoolyard development, access to green spaces, socioeconomic factors, and school participation readiness for renovations. Three or four schools are selected each year.  It can cost between $1.5 – $4 million to transform a schoolyard.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

The Space to Grow program found that the maintenance and management of the transformed schoolyards was an initial challenge.  

Now, school caretakers are better trained on the maintenance needs once the renovations are completed.  Chicago Public Schools have also contracted firms with specialized training to steward the spaces.

Teachers receive professional development to orient them to the green spaces, to understand their benefits, and learn how they can use them in classes and after-school programming.  

“Through evaluation processes, school staff have reported increased job satisfaction because of transformed schoolyards,” said Zhang.  

The transformed schoolyards are also open to the community for use. The Space to Grow team has found that the schoolyards are generally treated with respect by the community.

“The best way to maintain these spaces over the long term is by involving the community in their development,” Zhang concluded. “When communities are empowered through community building, they feel ownership over their schoolyards and want to care for them.”

However, ongoing maintenance remains a challenge.  While community involvement fosters a sense of stewardship, school staff and partners have noted that clear roles, consistent resources, and dedicated funding streams are essential to keep the schoolyards vibrant and functional. Tasks like garden care, trash removal, and green stormwater infrastructure upkeep require coordination between the school district, individual schools, public agencies, and communities.  The Space to Grow partners continue to explore innovative models for shared maintenance – leveraging volunteer days, student engagement and interagency collaboration to sustain these vital green spaces over time.

Hamilton’s Equity-Based Heat Response Plan

KPerrotta -Spray Pool-Hamilton-July 2025

Heat in Hamilton

The City of Hamilton has developed an equity-based Community Heat Response Strategy to offer greater protection to those people in its community who are at greatest risk of harm from extreme heat.  

With human-fueled climate change, extreme heat is becoming a greater health concern for communities across Canada.  In Hamilton, which wraps around the western tip of Lake Ontario, the mean number of days over 30 degree C is on track to increase from 16.2 between 1976-2005 to 37.2 between 2021 and 2050.  (https://climateatlas.ca/)

Who is at greatest risk?

Everyone is at risk from heat-related illnesses and death from extreme heat, but some populations are at greater risk.  At-risk populations include older people, very young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions; outdoor workers, migrant workers, and those who live or work in urban heat islands without air conditioning; and those who live on low-income or are unhoused. 

Multi-Sectoral Collaboration  

Hamilton’s Community Heat Response Strategy is only one component of the city’s overall Climate Change Action Plan. This strategy is being led by Public Health Services, which is part of the Healthy and Safe Communities department within the City.  The strategy is being developed and implemented in collaboration with several other divisions and departments within the City including Housing Services, City Housing, Parks and Cemeteries, the City’s transit authority, Recreation, and the Hamilton Public Library. 

“One of the strengths of our strategy is that it has been developed with expertise and resources from so many departments. Opportunities that we may not have considered have been brought to the table by other departments along with the resources to implement them.”
Shelly Rogers
Project Manager, Air Quality and Climate Change with Public Health Services

The Community Heat Response Strategy includes 10 elements that are the responsibility of different departments within the City.  Several of those elements are common to Heat Alert and Response Systems (HARS) offered by public health agencies and/or municipalities across the country including: heat warnings, education, the provision of cool spaces for at-risk populations, and population surveillance for heat-related illnesses and calls for emergency services.

A few elements in Hamilton’s strategy go beyond those commonly included in HARS such as the expansion of the tree canopy and the installation of shade structures and misting stations in parks.  It also includes several innovative elements that are directed specifically at the health needs of at-risk populations:

  • Wellness Check-ins:

    Wellness check-ins are provided by the City’s paramedics for older adults and those with pre-existing health conditions who have enrolled for the Mobile Integrated Health Program.

  • Cool Kits:

    City staff and community organizations distribute Cool Kits to high-risk populations.  For housed people, Cool Kits include ice packs, reusable water bottles, cooling neckties, fridge magnets with health tips, thermometers, and information on the health impacts of extreme heat.  The Cool Kits for unhoused people include hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, reusable water bottles, and a list of cool spaces and locations to refill water bottles across the city.

  • Cooling Support: 

    In 2024, the City launched a pilot program to help low-income individuals with medical conditions that are aggravated by heat to stay cool at home.  Eligible residents could receive a one-time $350 subsidy per household to buy an energy-efficient air conditioner to cool one area of their homes.  

Originally, the program was only available to people receiving Social Assistance but the pilot has expanded eligibility to include anyone living below the Low Income Measure.  This program is budgeted to continue in 2025 with up to 50 eligible households being supported each year on a first-come, first-served basis.  This expanded support is in addition to the existing air conditioner program offered for Social Assistance recipients.

  • Adequate Temperature Bylaw: 

    At the request of City Council, City staff are developing an Adequate Temperature By-Law that may provide maximum temperatures for residential rental units within the city.

  • Transportation to Cool Spaces: 

    In 2024, 2000 bus tickets were allocated to at-risk populations to help them reach cool spaces during extreme heat events.  These tickets were distributed by City staff and community partners to unhoused and low-income populations in Cool Kits and through recreational centres across the city.

Community Engagement

The strategy has been informed and supported by a broad group of individuals and organizations from the community that represent or serve different at-risk populations within the city.  These community partners include groups such as ACORN that advocate on behalf of tenants, the Accessibility Committee for Persons with Disabilities, The Seniors Advisory Committee, Environment Hamilton, the YWCA, the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic, and the Hamilton and District Apartment Association.  

Community partners have been included in virtual meetings facilitated by Public Health Services along with staff from other departments.  This group of people, which is called the Extreme Heat Working Group, includes over 40 people.  These meetings have been used to provide updates from City staff, solicit advice from community members, and coordinate actions across City departments and community groups.  

“Community engagement has been crucial to the development and implementation of the strategy,” noted Rogers.  “Community members have offered fresh ideas and practical advice that is based on their lived experience or that of the people they serve.  The community groups have also brought resources and support to the table.  For example, they helped us distribute Cool Kits and health information to the at-risk populations that we are trying to reach.” 

Identified those at risk with geospatial tools 

Hamilton staff worked with the interactive mapping tool developed by Université Laval to identify the areas in the city that are home to high-risk populations.  They used socio-economic data related to factors such as age, income, and the type of dwelling, and environmental data such as surface temperature and vegetation in this mapping exercise.  The mapping tool identified Wards 2, 3, and 4, that border heavy industry on the south shore of Lake Ontario, as the neighbourhoods with the populations at greatest risk from extreme heat. (Figure from https://healthyplan.city/en)

“We have used the geospatial tool to: identify the neighbourhoods that should be prioritized for Cool Kits and educational resources; create maps that identify the location of cool spaces for at-risk populations; and evaluate our programs to see if they are reaching the neighbourhoods with the greatest need,” explained Rogers.

Challenges and Lessons Learned:

“The toughest part of this process has been scoping it,” said Rogers. “There is so much that can and should be done to protect high-risk populations from extreme heat. But we knew if the scope was too broad, it would be easy to lose focus. So we have tried to identify actions that could make a big difference in peoples’ lives within the next 5 years.”
“Working across city departments has been extremely valuable,” offered Rogers. “The process has helped us to cultivate relationships with staff in other departments and to understand what the other departments do and how we can support one another.”
“We have also learned so much from the community engagement process” Rogers noted. “Once we began the process, people from the community were asking to be involved. They have been excited to have a voice on something that is so important to them and their community.”

Funding: There was no external funding for this work.  All of the funding came from the operational budgets of various departments across the City as well as the Climate Change Reserve.