YQNA – York Quay Neighbourhood Association

Noisy Construction for Ferries

by YQNA January 30, 2026

Construction hours and noise levels will increase until spring in the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal construction zone, the City says. Residents might be affected as dock walls and piles are installed to secure new structures behind the Westin Harbour Castle hotel. Construction hours will be extended from 6am to 7pm, seven days a week, with overnight work occasionally required during the last few weeks. The goal (as the designers explained to YQNA) is to replace the City’s aging diesel-powered fleet with emissions-free electric ferries connecting us to the Islands. The work is purposely scheduled during a time of lower ferry usage to minimize disruptions in the upcoming spring and summer months. You can imagine, the current ferry schedule is reduced due to ice and going only to Ward’s Island — details here.

Waterfront Seabus Pilot

This summer people can catch a Seabus east and west along the Toronto Harbour. Waterfront Toronto has released a report showing different routes that future Seabus vessels might take, one with three stops between Ontario Place and Ookwemin Minising, the other reaching points around the Islands and the Outer Harbour Marina. This summer’s pilot will run in time for FIFA, using smaller craft rather than the envisioned 50- to 75- passenger boats. Read more at BlogTO.

Open Competition for Grand Mural

Harbourfront Centre is seeking designs for a new mural that will celebrate our city in time for FIFA and the summer season. Slated for a 60’ x 17’ wall on Queens Quay, it will showcase a vibrant Toronto and capture a spirit of joy and play. Artists can submit their designs before March 20, and a third-party muralist team will create the final image. The winning artist will receive $10,000. More here.

January 30, 2026 0 comments

See our Meeting on YouTube

by YQNA January 18, 2026

At YQNA’s first meeting in 2026, police from 52 Division talked about personal safety and security — including fraud prevention, crime prevention and safety during large-scale events in our neighbourhood. Elected politicians looked at pressing issues like the massive Pinnacle development proposed for Queens Quay, the City’s role in the Airport Tripartite Agreement, and the Province trying to take over Exhibition Place. We also heard from Harbourfront Centre and the Waterfront BIA. See it on YouTube.

How to Recognize a Taxi Scam

Detective Constable John Maciek warned residents about taxi scams — how to recognize and respond to them. Remember, it’s safety first! See his list of “do’s and don’ts.” 52 Division followed up with further advice, this on using free communication apps.

January 18, 2026 0 comments

development Harbourfront Centre

Amsterdam Bridge Returns

by YQNA November 18, 2025

The Amsterdam Bridge, an iconic asset of Harbourfront Centre, is coming back to life! It has been in disrepair and closed to foot traffic since 2021. Thanks to the collected efforts of our City Councillor Ausma Malik, Bryan Bowen of CreateTO and vigorous support from YQNA and other civic associations, Malik’s proposal to restore the bridge was passed by Council. The work will start in March and should be completed in June, just in time for Harbourfront Centre’s summer season and FIFA crowds. Tom Davidson, executive assistant to Malik, unveiled the proposal at YQNA’s public meeting this month.

Old Star building here to stay

Futuristic view of what Pinnacle hoped to achieve.

Plans for the massive Pinnacle developments of a thicket of high-rise towers at the bottom of Yonge Street are still in flux. The latest change is Pinnacle’s decision to keep the old Toronto Star building, turning it into a luxury hotel instead of demolishing it to build a new tower or two. Environmentally, that is a welcome idea.

This large Pinnacle site has grown in height and density from the original plans and recently published images of developments that look quite out of sync with the rest of the Waterfront. The many changes may reflect the unstable real estate market. Eventually, YQNA looks forward to seeing the final plans and the social infrastructure they include.

Harbourfront’s Winterfest

Harbourfront Centre is celebrating the season with the return of its popular Winterfest Toronto festival starting Friday, Nov. 28. Enjoy the bigger outdoor skating rink, tree lighting, DJ Skate Nights, live music, carollers, social dance nights, a holiday train for kids, a traditional pantomime and a late-night cabaret — all leading up to the City of Toronto’s New Year’s Eve fireworks over the harbour. See more here.

November 18, 2025 0 comments

development Island Airport MP

Welcome Chi Nguyen!

by YQNA November 5, 2025

MP Chi Nguyen chats with YQNA Co-Chair Ed Hore in her first meeting with the planning committee.

Our new MP Chi Nguyen met recently with YQNA’s planning committee to learn about our top priorities — including federal funding of Waterfront East Transit, vital support for Harbourfront Centre’s new budget, crumbling dock walls in the harbour, and rumours that the Island Airport will again seek jets in violation of the Tripartite Agreement. Nguyen was receptive and engaging throughout. The Spadina—Harbourfront MP will be guest speaker at our Nov. 12 public meeting on Zoom. Meeting details are coming to your inbox!

Air Canada Fills Slots

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport announced with much fanfare that Air Canada will open new daily routes to New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington over the coming year. First, the long-awaited U.S. customs pre-clearance needs to be established. It remains to be seen if this airport can turn around financially. Ports Toronto reports that it suffered a 24% downturn in aircraft movements from 2024 to 2025 and passenger traffic is down 40% from 2019. Canadians are cutting US travel 30% overall. Meanwhile, the plans for extending the runways with RESA for safety are being completed.

Reaching for the Sky

The SkyTower at One Yonge Street is 106 storeys tall and still under construction. Now Pinnacle, the developer, is expanding with more condos than originally planned for our already densely populated Waterfront. The neighbourhood they hope to create around the former Toronto Star building looks out of sync with the rest of the skyline, with two towers at 106 storeys and others over 80 storeys. They are planning 2,300 condos, only 109 affordable units and a hotel. YQNA will ask to see the new plans that City Planning received and view them along with the East Waterfront Community Association (EWCA). They will certainly be different from Waterfront Toronto’s vision of that land many years ago.

YQNA Seeks Building Reps

Are you interested in helping YQNA to expand? Residents can pitch in as building representatives who post meeting notices and occasionally inform the building’s board about Waterfront news. YQNA has 10 reps already and is looking for more. If you’re interested, see the list of buildings below and email us at “info at yqna.ca.” Really it’s not much effort, and has a positive effect on the community. Current openings: 10 York St., 33 Bay St., 16 & 18 Harbour St., 12 & 16 Yonge St., Waterclub Condos (208 & 218 Queens Quay W. and 8 York St.), 228-230 Queens Quay W., 251 Queens Quay W., 410 Queens Quay W.

‘A Romance of Ferries’

Waterfront for All will host a Zoom meeting this month featuring guest speaker Ron Jenkins. Called “A Romance of Ferries: 200 Years of Getting People to the Islands,” his talk will focus on “Toronto’s fascinating story of ferries, past, present, and future, the romance of excursions across the harbour, and yes, also some frustrations, failures and small triumphs.” The date: Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7pm. Click to RSVP.

November 5, 2025 0 comments

meeting Waterfront Toronto

See Our Recent Meeting on YouTube

by YQNA September 13, 2025

Guest speaker Joe Cressy presents the latest on Waterfront Toronto revitalization.

Our September public meeting featured Joe Cressy, now Chief Strategy and Public Affairs Officer at Waterfront Toronto, presenting the Waterfront revitalization that will change this city forever. It’s two decades underway — with several more to come — and is funded by three levels of government. This massive job now continues in the Port Lands. Other speakers included MPP Chris Glover, reps from the offices of Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik and MP Chi Nguyen, the Toronto Police and Marine Police Unit, Harbourfront Centre Chief Operations Officer Massimo DeMaria, and Waterfront BIA Executive Director Tim Kocur. A big thanks to the Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown hotel for generously giving YQNA this space on September 10, 2025. It was well attended by the community, hosted by YQNA Co-Chair Ed Hore and filmed by volunteer Didi Wu. See it on YouTube.

Water/Fall Festival

Over two action-packed weekends, Waterfront BIA is hosting its first-ever “Water/Fall Festival” with interactive art, food and artisanal markets, live music and more. Highlights include “A Lake Story” with 100+ canoes moving across the Waterfront, and some of Canada’s biggest musical talents performing at the Music Garden. Get ready for Sept 27-28 and Oct 3-5. See more here.

Delights at Harbourfront Centre

Harbourfront Centre’s fall season is underway with some of the biggest “Water/Fall” events, like “Gatsby Redux” — an evening of 1920s glamour and dancing on Sept. 27 and 28 — and the “Copper Canopy,” an outdoor art installation that reimagines a forest canopy with an intricate layer of copper leaves. Mainstays like KidSpark, the Farmers Market and Craft & Design classes are ongoing. More here.

YQNA Social

YQNA hosted a lively social this summer at the Amsterdam Brewhouse, where about 50 people — members, friends and neighbours — showed up to mingle and learn more about YQNA and each other. A big thanks to the Amsterdam, and our YQNA organizers Lalita Krishna and Lynne Munroe!

More Going On

You are invited to take part in other great local events — including the Toronto Police “Unity in Community” Simultaneous Prayer Walk Sept 18 at 2pm, and Repair Cafe at the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre, Sat. Sep. 20, noon – 4pm.

September 13, 2025 0 comments