Downsview

About Downsview

Downsview is a north Toronto neighbourhood in the midst of a generational transformation. For decades, it was defined by the de Havilland aircraft factory and CFB Downsview, the military base that occupied a massive footprint between Sheppard and Wilson. The closure of the base and the ongoing redevelopment of Downsview Park are reshaping the area into something entirely new — a mixed-use community anchored by one of the largest urban parks in Canada. The park itself, managed by Canada Lands Company, already hosts sports fields, a hangar-turned-event-space, and the seasonal farmers' market. The residential streets surrounding the park reflect Downsview's working-class and immigrant heritage. Post-war bungalows and modest detached homes sit alongside low-rise apartment buildings that house a diverse population including significant Italian, Caribbean, and South Asian communities. Keele Street and Wilson Avenue serve as the primary commercial corridors, lined with family-run restaurants, barbershops, and grocery stores that cater to the area's multicultural population. With the Downsview Park station on the Yonge-University line and the future redevelopment promising thousands of new housing units, community amenities, and improved transit connections, the neighbourhood is poised for significant change. Long-time residents hope the transformation preserves the affordability and diversity that have defined Downsview for generations.