Waterfront Toronto has unveiled its preferred design concept for the Keating Channel Pedestrian Bridge.

The bridge, which is scheduled to open in mid-2028, will connect downtown Toronto to the new island (Ookwemin Minising) and park (Biidaasige Park) in the Port Lands.

The organization calls the bridge, “a culturally resonant landmark.”

“Its signature “S” shaped suspended arch bridge connected by an array of fanning cables evokes the sun’s path during solstices and equinoxes, creating a dynamic experience that changes with each step and season. This poetic form is shaped by Indigenous design principles and engagement with Indigenous communities.”

Design of the concept was led by Waterfront Toronto and its project team alongside key advisory bodies, including the Accessibility Advisory Committee, Community Advisory Committee, Design Review Panel and Indigenous communities.

Their insights led the project team to engage Cherubini Metal Works, a Canadian bridge fabricator, to refine the design.

The project team introduced three key refinements: resizing the deck width to four metres, removing the lookout points, and adjusting the bridge orientation to be perpendicular to the channel instead of crossing on an angle.

The changes shortened the total bridge length and reduced the amount of steel required by 25%, and simplified transportation and installation by allowing the bridge to be delivered in one piece by barge along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The bridge is being crafted with Algoma steel from Northern Ontario, fabricated by Cherubini in Nova Scotia, and shaped by Indigenous placekeeping traditions that reflect collaboration and care, ensuring the bridge is both technically sound and culturally resonant.

As design nears completion, the project team is finalizing construction strategies and coordinating with projects on the two landing sites—the new stretch of Water’s Edge Promenade at Quayside and Biidaasige Park North, the landing place for this bridge on Ookwemin Minising.

Work is already underway on the north landing to reinforce the dock wall that will support the future bridge connection. This spring, foundational work will begin on the south landing, while early bridge fabrication gets underway off-site at Cherubini Metal Works in Nova Scotia. Together, these coordinated efforts will help prepare the site for the bridge’s next phase of construction.