Planning for Prosperity identified three major regional employment "megazones." These are large, economically significant employment areas that represent major sources of auto travel and traffic congestion, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The megazones were not recognized in nor addressed by the Growth Plan. Because they extend across municipal boundaries, planning for them has been fragmented at best. Planning for Prosperity stressed the need to integrate land use planning, transportation planning, and economic development strategies in planning for employment. This integrated approach is not common in the GGH.
Given the importance of these megazones to the regional, provincial, and national economies, and their potential role in achieving key Growth Plan objectives, Neptis commissioned additional research on these areas to support integrated planning and policy development. This policy brief profiles the Airport megazone. Companion policy briefs will profile the other two megazones: Tor-York East and Tor-York West.
This brief is intended to inform future planning by providing more detailed data and information on the local employment geograph, types of employment in the megazone, the potential of the area in terms of accommodating additional development and densification, supporting transit investments, and building upon economic assets and key characteristics of travel to the megazone.