Last week, we chatted with Jason Lester of Dundee Kilmer about the Canary District and his vision for the Don Lands. He got us even more excited about the master-planned community, and shared so much information that we couldn’t fit it all into one article. So now, we’d like to focus a little more on the sustainability aspect of this ambitious project.

The first thing we noticed is that the area will be more walkable than any other in Toronto’s downtown. The pedestrian paths are strategically laid out for people to navigate the entire community by foot or bicycle. The only development that kind of comes close to this style of community is the Distillery District, and Dundee is responsible for that, too!

“We are shooting for LEED Gold, no doubt about it,” said Lester when asked about LEED certification plans for the project. “In order to qualify for LEED Gold, you need to score between 60 and 75 points. We are targeting somewhere in the middle to ensure there are no issues in achieving it.”

In order to earn its target points, the builder is adding green roofs, an abundance of bicycle storage, a car-share program, electric recharging stations for alternative-fuel vehicles, and much more.

“We are also using the most advanced water-saving techniques available to us. Our expectation is that we should save up to 40% of the amount of water used, versus similar buildings,” he said.

Not only will they produce a finished product that is sustainable, they are also using eco-conscious construction methods. Their team is currently researching different schools and not-for-profit organizations to which they can donate any reusable materials. According to Lester, they are planning on diverting up to 75% of the waste away from landfills. This is a very responsible move on their part, and will make Dundee Kilmer stand out as a developer with a bright vision for the city’s future.

“The other unique thing that we are doing here, which is not a requirement, is that we are aiming for Tier 2 on the Toronto Green Standards Act,” Lester said. “Green Standards are something that every developer has to hit, but we are going to the next level. Not many, if any, developers hit that.”

So if you weren’t excited about The Canary District before, you should be now! As we stated in an earlier post, construction has begun, and you should see things really rolling in the next six months.

We would like to thank Jason Lester again for talking with us about this amazing development.

Stay tuned to the HomesandCondosBlog, for we will be tracking the construction of this one for the next few years!