The Pocket SNAP

With a mostly un-renovated building stock, developed in 1910-1915, the neighbourhood offers significant potential to reduce GHGs from residential and institutional buildings.

There is a large demographic of environmentally focused homeowners, which presents an opportunity to try revolutionary approaches to achieve ambitious GHG reduction targets.

The neighbourhood soil permeability and depth to groundwater offer suitable conditions to manage stormwater on-site through LID approaches on public and privately-owned land.

Implementing LID in technically suitable areas across the city to infiltrate and retain rainwater supports Lake Ontario’s health and helps to prepare for the impacts of increased rainfall anticipated from climate change.

It is expected that the maximum daily rainfall in Toronto will be 166 millimeters in 2040, compared to 66 millimeters in 2009.

The neighbourhood has a low rate of green space per capita, compared to the rest of the city, and a medium-low urban forest cover.

The neighbourhood offers an opportunity to demonstrate innovative approaches to achieve open space, habitat, and urban forest goals within limited available space.

According to the City of Toronto’s ground surface temperature mapping, some areas of the neighbourhood are impacted by heat stress, which will be exacerbated with climate change.

According to Toronto’s Future Weather and Climate Driver study (SENES, 2011), Toronto temperatures are expected to rise by 5°C by the end of the century, leading to more variable extreme weather. It is anticipated that by 2040 the maximum daily temperature will be 44°C (compared to 37°C in 2009).

In 2040, the city will experience an estimated 66 days a year of temperatures above 30°C (compared to 20 days in 2009), and the number of extended heat waves in the year is expected to quadruple those experienced in 2009.

Improving habitat and the connectivity of greenspaces, managing stormwater sustainability, enhancing and developing green streets and paths that connect the community, augmenting park infrastructure, and increasing accessible greenspace that integrates human enjoyment and nature needs.

Support home and building retrofits, support renewal and district energy, develop accessible/communal EV charging, manage waste sustainably, develop opportunities for gardening, permaculture, food production, and sharing, and develop and encourage sustainable transportation options including bike lanes, walkability, and transit use.

Support community connections (neighbourly spirit, local artists shops and restaurants), equity and inclusion (of all ages and abilities, cultural and religious, Truth and Reconciliation), the spirit of sharing (local services, resources, expertise, spaces, food, etc.), and community events and gatherings (community-building events such as eco fairs, street sales, parades and neighbourhood-wide parties).

Maintain the “Pocket feel” (green and serene, an escape from the busy-ness of life), support The Pocket’s sense of community togetherness, maintain safe and quiet streets (no “through” streets), and enhance and celebrate Hastings Creek.

Implement more public art/murals, support local and Indigenous artists, and use local, public art to tell a story (history of The Pocket, natural features, Truth and Reconciliation).

Improvements to Phin Park and neighbourhood greenspaces to facilitate development of a contiguous and highly functional system of green infrastructure and a diverse and healthy ecosystem throughout the neighbourhood.

Initiatives that will also support the potential to use local greenspaces for urban agriculture and active transportation, as well as maximizing the social functionality of these spaces to accommodate community events and programming, local art installations, environmental education, and interpretive features to raise awareness of the community’s ecological and Indigenous history.

Key projects include Phin Park revitalization, TCHC grounds revival, celebration of Hastings Creek and implementation of a Tiny Forest.

Implementation Progress to Date

• Neighbourhood-Wide Green Infrastructure (GI) Plan: A draft plan has been completed which brings together short and medium-term GI opportunities identified by the community; high priority areas for Low Impact Development (LID) for stormwater management; a tree planting opportunity analysis in all land uses; and heat stress areas that could benefit with GI.
• Habitat and Biodiversity Enhancement in Phin Park: In the spring of 2023, the existing pollinator garden was enhanced and a shade garden was created.
• Enhancement of Urban Agriculture in Toronto Community Housing (TCHC): At the request of residents, in the spring of 2023 TRCA delivered three raised planter beds and bulk soil to 2 Phin Avenue to expand the community garden and improve accessibility. Edible shrubs were also planted along the fence line.
• Implementation of a Tiny Forest in Oakvale Greenspace: This signature project entails the development of a functioning “Tiny Forest” in a small area of 100 square meters in the Oakvale Green Space. The project follows an ecologically restorative planting method developed by Akira Miyawaki (the Miyawaki Method) to create forested areas in small under-utilized urban spaces. In addition to having ecological integrity, the forest will have an educational and research purpose. The project will be implemented in collaboration with numerous stakeholders, including Canadian Geographic, Green Communities Canada, the Pocket Community Association (PCA)’s Greening Committee, and the City’s Parks Department. Site prep work will take place in the summer of 2023 and the forest will be planted in the fall of 2023.
• Installation of Educational Signage: Five interpretive signs explaining the functioning and benefits of green infrastructure will be installed in five locations in Phin Park and Oakvale Greenspace. TRCA’s marketing team is currently designing the signs to be installed by City staff.
• Spring into Native Plants Program: TRCA delivered a Spring into Native Plants program over the March break of 2023. This is an interactive educational outdoor program about native plants and how to attract birds and butterflies to backyards or balcony/ container gardens.
• In addition, TRCA received funding from the City of Toronto’s Community Planting and Stewardship Grant to plant native trees and shrubs on private property (outside of the right of way). TRCA, in partnership with PCA, has been actively recruiting and educating homeowners for this initiative. In the spring of 2023, 50 trees and shrubs were distributed. A new list is being created for another delivery in the fall of 2023.

A multi-objective initiative with a primary emphasis on reducing GHG emissions from the building sector, while also supporting activities that address water efficiency, stormwater management, eco-landscaping, and urban agriculture.

Collaboration between property owners, tenants, not-for-profits, businesses and the City will be imperative to implement property-specific initiatives that will help support the neighbourhood sustainability objectives, while addressing owner and tenant priorities.

Key projects include the Pocket Change Home Retrofit Program and the Pocket Change Plus, both of which are long-term transformation initiatives focused on reducing the environmental footprint of the community through a suite of environmental actions for both residential and institutional stakeholders living and operating in the Pocket Neighbourhood.

Implementation Progress to Date

• Two case studies were developed on homes within the Pocket neighbourhood on the impact of Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs). Follow these links to see the results:
• Hybrid Heating in a Toronto Century Home
• Hybrid Heating in a Semi-Detached House
• Both case studies were featured in this Corporate Knights article
• A workshop on ASHPs was delivered to Pocket homeowners. WATCH NOW.
• A Pocket homeowner shared their experience with ASHPs. WATCH NOW.

Initiatives to support the “streets as places” philosophy which balances the functional capacity of streets and alleyways to provide safe and convenient, multi-modal transportation corridors, while maximizing the potential of these networks as valuable public spaces to be used for art and beautification, community interaction and cultural celebration, and environmental and sustainability solutions.

Key projects include the Laneway Project, EV Charging network and pedestrian, cycling and traffic improvements.

Implementation Progress to Date

• The City of Toronto’s Transportation Services Division has been working with TRCA and the community to explore potential timelines, resources, and technical needs to advance streetscape improvements recommended in the Action Plan, including resident informed pedestrian improvements, green streets, electric vehicle charging stations, public art, and the transformation of the E Jones / S Chatham Laneway.

Programming and activities that will enrich the lives of residents and improve quality of life by providing opportunities to engage in meaningful experiences that build connections, by creating memorable spaces that will lead to increased enjoyment, appreciation and pride in the community, and by offering engaging programming and events that bring residents together to learn new skills, to build environmental and cultural awareness, to build a community of sharing, and to celebrate local art and artists.

Key projects include public art, sharing economy and community programming.

• Refer to Action Area One for list of overlapping implementation projects that address Action Area Four and Action Area One simultaneously.
• Phin Park Community Planting Event and Pollinator Education: A community planting event was hosted by TRCA on June 25, 2023 with support from the PCA.
• Tiny Forest Community Planting Event: TRCA is planning a community planting event to implement the tiny forest project on September 30, 2023.
• Community Engagement and Volunteerism: TRCA worked closely with the PCA and resident leaders from 2 Phin Avenue to design the above listed GI initiatives. TRCA is also partnering with PCA, to promote volunteer opportunities in the community and for the ongoing maintenance of the projects, especially the Tiny Forest project.
• Achieving additional co-benefits: Programing has been designed not only to have an environmental and educational purpose, but also to encourage neighbour-to-neighbour relationships.