September 2026
Over the next 12 to 18 months, the City of Toronto’s Avoca project team will work with GHD, a global engineering and design firm selected through the City’s RFP process, to prepare an integrated plan for the Vale of Avoca Ravine. The plan will address channel and slope erosion, park access routes and trails, and the ravine’s long-term ecological restoration needs.
The Midtown Ravines Group participates in the Vale of Avoca Working Group, alongside City divisions with responsibilities related to the ravine, including Parks & Recreation; Water Services; Climate, Environment and Forestry; and the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), as well as the City Councillors for Wards 11 and 12. The Working Group was set up by City council to advise the project team, with the goal of developing a plan that reflects the interdependence of the required work. Designs for stream repair and trail system improvements will be developed in conjunction with measures to ensure the creek, slopes, and pathways are sufficiently robust to withstand extreme stormwater flow scenarios.
Two linked projects—the Heath Crescent Slope Project and the the St Clair Staircase Project—are already underway to address erosion and construct new stairs near two access points at the north end of the Avoca ravine. As the integrated planning project advances, both location-specific projects will be incorporated into the broader ravine plan.
The planning phase of the Avoca project is expected to continue through mid- to late-2027. During this period, the City will provide formal opportunities for community input on guiding principles, key issues, and potential design approaches for the Vale of Avoca. The Midtown Ravines Group actively encourages public participation in the City’s consultation process. The first phase of consultation is expected in October; details on timing and location will be provided at the City’s Avoca Project website (see below).
While MRG will also share views and ideas gathered from community members and other stakeholders through its participation in the Avoca Working Group, it is important that everybody take advantage of the City-run public participation process to make their views and desires known directly.
Please bookmark the City’s new project website, Vale of Avoca Ravine Improvements, and sign up for updates from the City’s project team at the Get Involved tab.