YONGE TOMORROW

Reimagining a Street, Reigniting a City: Uniting visionaries and citizens alike to transform Yonge Street from a historic corridor into Toronto’s next great people-first destination.

the business challenge

Reimagining Yonge Street, one of Canada’s most storied and symbolic thoroughfares, demanded more than design — it required courage.

Like hosting a world’s fair, the challenge was to inspire Torontonians, decision-makers, and diverse stakeholders to think differently and act boldly about the street’s future.
 

The mission: shift mindsets from preservation to transformation and galvanize a coalition ready to imagine a more vibrant, people-first Yonge Street.

the solution

True transformation requires both vision and collaboration.

We built an unprecedented coalition spanning civic, cultural, and global leadership — a living example of how placemaking thrives when everyone feels ownership.


From international thought leaders like Janette Sadik-Khan and Richard Florida, to city builders Judy & Wil Matthews and Tony Gagliano, to members of the global diplomatic community, the effort united voices across generations and geographies.

Even local youth joined in — writing letters to the Mayor and Council, proving the movement’s reach and emotional resonance.


Through discovery sessions, forums, and strategic storytelling, we helped shift the narrative from “why change?” to “why not now?”

the resultS

After a decade of dialogue and debate, Toronto City Council voted 21–5 to greenlight the transformation of Yonge Street — a landmark decision that sets in motion the creation of a reimagined, people-centric destination by 2025.

The initiative is now celebrated as a civic moonshot, demonstrating how inclusive engagement and courageous vision can turn urban legacy into living legacy.

our role

Lead, Stakeholder & Engagement Strategy

 Spearheaded non-traditional, “blind spot” stakeholder outreach locally and internationally.
 Produced and hosted discovery sessions, activated coalition networks, and supported communication and social storytelling efforts.
 Served as a connector and catalyst — uniting public, private, and civic forces to bring one of Toronto’s most ambitious placemaking transformations to life.