Environmental Responsibility

Photo of greenery outside of YZD building

OUR COMMITMENT

Sustainability is being built into daily operations and long-term planning, from energy and materials to pollinator health, water systems, and green infrastructure. These early actions lay the groundwork for one of Canada’s most ambitious low-carbon districts.

Environmental Responsibility in Practice

Caring for the land shows up in how we power buildings, move people, reuse materials, and shape the landscape. Our environmental commitments live in the details of daily operations and the choices that make this place greener every year.

Reduction in electricity use from baseline levels

40%

Tonnes of material salvaged and repurposed across the site

21.5

Square feet of new native landscaped areas on former Tarmac

Workshops and events delivered to strengthen public sustainability literacy

Leading Through Research and Knowledge Sharing

Strong sustainability work grows through collaboration. Our partnerships with universities, researchers, and industry organizations help test new approaches to low-carbon construction, land use, and complete communities. These efforts support better planning and advance knowledge across the city.

Through partnerships with the University of Toronto, OCAD University, the University of Guelph, and more, YZD is supporting post-secondary course work and major research projects, driving environmental and social impact.

Our team contributes to energy and environmental advisory groups, including the City of Toronto’s Climate Advisory Group and committees hosted by the Toronto Region Board of Trade and the Ontario Home Builders Association.

Northcrest has funded more than $80,000 in research projects focused on embodied carbon, city-nature impacts, deconstruction and reuse, and greener event practices.

Designing for a Low-Carbon Future

The choices made in these early years set the foundation for a city that supports healthier ecosystems and lower carbon impacts. Planning work completed to date establishes the structure of parks, corridors, and reuse strategies that will guide how the community takes shape.

More than 70 acres of parks and open spaces are planned across the site, connected by two kilometres of pedestrian priority corridor and three kilometres of dedicated cycling route along the Green Spine.

Download the 2025 Progress Report