We shape growing communities through creative urban thinking.
Bousfields is a client focused business that has followed the evolution of communities in Ontario since 1974. As policy, trends and society have changed, so too has the nature of our work.
We earned our reputation as urban planners. Today, we are a thriving interdisciplinary team of planners, urban designers and community engagement specialists. We have evolved through the diversity and complexity of our projects and the capabilities and experiences of the people who work here. We have grown through our in-depth understanding of policy process and industry best practices.
We continue to grow. Big or small, our projects range from residential to institutional and commercial. They span the Province of Ontario. The Toronto and Hamilton offices are home to cosmopolitan teams with varied backgrounds, experiences and strengths.
We celebrate our differences and learn from each other. We collaborate with team members of different disciplines, challenged every day by the diversity and impact of the work we do. This ensures that our clients receive the highest quality of service. Applications are approved. Visions are realized. Communities are informed. Projects move steadily forward with maximum efficiency, creativity, and a success rate that makes us all proud.
Our reputation as a company has grown alongside, and because of, our values.
Integrity
We value honesty, responsibility and humility. Collectively, we have the courage to provide clients and stakeholders with our independent professional opinion and take responsibility for our actions.
Respect
We recognize and respect the diverse communities, cultures, peoples and land. We treat others the way we would like to be treated, encouraging and respecting all opinions and perspectives.
Leadership
We mentor and inspire the next generation of professionals, encouraging curiosity, innovation and independent thinking. We are committed to the advancement of our professions, industry and communities.
Shared Knowledge
Our shared knowledge is deep rooted, insightful and continually evolves. We take pride in harnessing our collective knowledge, creativity and expertise to shape our communities.
Excellence
We foster and deliver high standards of critical thinking, analysis and design excellence.
We engage with the public and stakeholders with professionalism and inclusiveness.
We provide exceptional client service.
DEI Statement
Bousfields is on a journey to foster and nurture an authentic culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplace, in the projects we are a part of and the communities in which we work.
John Bousfield understood that integrity and honesty are company values.
He always told the truth the way that he saw the truth. He always treated people around him with respect. He was also incredibly humble about his accomplishments, even though I continue to say he’s the best planner that this country has ever produced. There was, and still is a respect for people both within the firm and outside of the firm. Really caring about the people within the firm, but also caring about our clients and our colleagues in municipal planning departments.
Peter Smith, Partner
Lindsay Dale-Harris is, in many respects, a pioneer in the planning profession.
As a partner involved in the formative years of Bousfields she has garnered enormous respect from her peers. She has made an indelible imprint on the Bousfields Inc. of today. She has been a shining example of the values that are held so highly by all employees at Bousfields. Lindsay has always been regarded by our clients as an extraordinary professional who has provided the highest level of service and advice. She has also been a valuable contributor to the planning profession through her mentorship of our own employees and through her involvement with the University of Toronto.
Our Planning Interns, Evan and George wrapped up their terms with us last week. Evan and George are enthusiastic team members who brought endless energy and a desire to learn and grow to their roles over the summer. Shout out to their mentors Brynne and Joie for mentoring our interns and helping them navigate their roles and blooming careers.
Best of luck to Evan and George as they continue their studies in the fall!
Swipe or read below for some key takeaways from each of them about their time at Bousfields:
Evan: “I’ve had an incredible and instructive summer at Bousfields. It was a revelation to me how much work goes on behind the scenes to bring each individual development to fruition. Seeing all the labour and coordination required, and getting to be a part of it, I feel that I’ve come to understand the role and value of planners much better. I will carry these experiences with me as I move forward, and I am especially grateful to my mentor, Brynne, whose attention and guidance were invaluable.”
George: “My time at Bousfields has been an absolute blast! I’m tremendously grateful for having worked with a wonderful team on such varied projects in both scale and complexity all across the province.
Applying research to projects with real, material impacts has been deeply rewarding, while solving problems in highly collaborative ways with some of the smartest people I’ve had the pleasure of working with will be indispensable to my studies and budding planning career.
Thank you to everyone at Bousfields, please keep in touch!”
☀️ 🌳 We gathered at Corktown Common for our Bousfields Family Summer Social, enjoying an afternoon of sunshine, great food, fun activities, and meaningful connections with colleagues and their families. We’re grateful for the incredible people who make Bousfields such a great place to work and for the opportunity to come together and celebrate our community!
We’re proud to share that earlier this summer, Toronto City Council adopted the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for 5 Fairview Mall Drive.
Located within the rapidly evolving Don Mills Major Transit Station Area, the redevelopment of 5 Fairview Mall Drive required balancing residential intensification with the retention of an important medical office use.
Our team helped shape the proposal into a comprehensive mixed-use redevelopment consisting of three towers ranging from 33 to 45 storeys, delivering 1,302 homes and approximately 9,000 m² of office and retail space. The plan also introduces new publicly accessible open space, enhanced pedestrian connections, landscaped amenity areas and a redesigned internal circulation system.
The result is a community that accommodates growth, continues the provision of important healthcare services, and contributes to the ongoing evolution of this important urban node.
We are thrilled to share that in July, Toronto City Council adopted the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments for Ronald McDonald House (RMH) Toronto expansion at 240 McCaul Street, marking an important milestone for a project that will strengthen support for families accessing pediatric health care in Toronto.
Bousfields worked closely with RMH Toronto, the consultant team and City staff to advance a proposal for linked 19-storey and 4-storey buildings containing 200 suites. Located near Toronto’s Hospital District, the development has been carefully integrated into its urban setting and will significantly expand the organization’s ability to support families who need to remain close to specialized medical care.
The approval supports RMH Toronto’s long-term presence on the site and represents represents an important investment in Toronto’s health care ecosystem and the vital social infrastructure that supports children and families from across Ontario and beyond.
🚇 Line 5 Transit Crawl: Exploring the Eglinton Crosstown Corridor
Bousfielders had a great time last week exploring the western portion of the Eglinton Crosstown (Line 5) corridor. The transit crawl took participants to several key stations along the corridor, highlighting local history, planning contexts, and Bousfields projects within a number of Protected Major Transit Station Areas (PMTSAs) along the Eglinton corridor.
The tour began at Mount Dennis Station, where attendees learned about the area’s transformation, including the redevelopment of the former Kodak lands and the evolving planning framework for the surrounding neighbourhood. The group then visited Oakwood Station where we explored the cultural heritage and significance of Little Jamaica and ongoing planning initiatives in the area. The evening concluded at Eglinton Station, with discussions focused on intensification, the public realm, privately owned publicly accessible spaces (POPS) and future growth within one of Toronto’s busiest urban centres.
Throughout the event, Bousfielders also took part in a Line 5-themed bingo activity, had our own ‘Kodak moment’ andsampled snacks from local businesses. It was a great opportunity to learn more about Toronto’s evolving transit network and the communities it serves, while exploring the connections between transit investment and our planning, urban design, and community engagement work. 🚆🌆
The @uli_toronto Summer Social brought together approximately 700 professionals from across the land development and real estate industry at TABLE Fare + Social in CIBC Square.
As an event sponsor, Bousfields was pleased to support an evening that created space for meaningful conversations across disciplines, organizations, and sectors. Events like these play an important role in strengthening relationships within our industry and providing opportunities to exchange ideas outside of day-to-day project work.
Thank you to ULI Toronto for organizing another well-attended event!
Photo credit: @shibbyphotography
Last week was a busy one for the Bousfields team! We helped advance over 30 files between Toronto and East York, North York, Scarborough, and Etobicoke York Community Councils.
These files represent a wide range of projects, each with its own complexities, timelines, and stakeholders. We’re appreciative of all the collaborative work that happens across disciplines to get each project to this important milestone in the process.
Thank you as well to City staff for their continued engagement and thoughtful review throughout the process. Advancing planning applications is never the work of a single party, and productive outcomes depend on contributions from many people along the way.
Stay tuned for more info about some of these projects in the coming weeks!
Sharing an update on 5500 Dundas Street West: City Council recently approved two mid-rise buildings (14 and 16 storeys), bringing new housing and a more active street edge to a site that is currently underused.
As described by Bousfields Senior Associate Ryan Doherty, “This site is between two tall building nodes and is of a considerable size and depth where you could achieve a really strong public realm and also provide significant transition to the abutting neighbourhood to the north.”
This site highlights how built form and public realm can be shaped to respond to both city-building objectives and the immediate context of surrounding neighbourhoods.
This summer, we’ve had the pleasure of supporting community initiatives, including Rustic Bakery’s 4th Annual Golf Tournament in support of @hrh_foundation and the GIFTs Foundation Golf Tournament.
We’re pleased to recognize Bousfielders who participated in the ULI Curtner Urban Leadership Program and the contributions they’re making across the industry. The program brings together a diverse mix of professionals engaged in shaping how our cities evolve.
Through open discussion and shared experience, the Curtner Program offers a forum for participants to exchange ideas, test new perspectives, and learn from one another.
Here are some takeaways from this year’s participants:
“The ULI Toronto Curtner Urban Leadership Program has been an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience. Over the past eight months, I had the privilege of connecting with an exceptional group of professionals, engaging in meaningful discussions, and learning from inspiring industry leaders. The program challenged me to think differently, broadened my perspective on leadership and city-building, and provided valuable insights that have contributed to my professional growth. I am thankful to the organizers, mentors, and fellow participants who made this journey so valuable, and I look forward to applying these lessons throughout my career.” Tina Dadgostar
“I had a great experience participating in this year’s ULI Toronto Curtner Urban Leadership Program. The program connects you with passionate, diverse peers across the industry and features inspiring leaders who facilitate meaningful and candid discussions. The program not only expanded my knowledge and provided me with valuable insights, it also allowed me to build strong, meaningful connections with fellow professionals in our industry.” Mona Al-Sharari
“As a Steering Committee Member and an alumnus of the ULI Curtner Program, I had the privilege to be involved in this program alongside passionate peers that supports the growth of emerging professionals in our industry. This role was incredibly rewarding and gave me a chance to contribute to meaningful conversations, expand my network and gain valuable perspectives on where the industry is headed.” Himanshu Katyal
We are thrilled to announce that Bousfields Partner Emma West is going to be inducted into the @cdnplanners (CIP) prestigious College of Fellows!
Fellowship is the highest honour the Institute can bestow upon a planner and this distinction recognizes excellence and identifies prominent role models that have professional attainment and influence on a national level.
Please join us in congratulating Emma on this incredible achievement!
Learn more about Emma below or visit the link in bio.
Happy Pride! 🌈
You may have noticed a small update in our Bousfields logo this month.
Here’s a closer look at the thinking behind our 2026 Pride logo—and the collaboration between our DEI Committee and Graphics Team that brought it to life.
Peter is one of the leading urban planning practitioners in the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, having graduated from the University of Waterloo in 1979 with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Urban and Regional Planning).
Over the ensuing four decades (and counting), Peter has developed a particular expertise in leading the planning approvals for some of the most complicated and highest profile developments in the Province and, in particular, in the Downtown Toronto area. As well, he has undertaken planning policy studies for the Province and municipalities throughout Ontario and has spoken at numerous conferences and events regarding the need for properly balanced and integrated policy initiatives.
He has been recognized as an experienced professional witness before the Ontario Land Tribunal and the Courts on numerous occasions and has developed a strong reputation for analytical thinking, professionalism and integrity. Peter is a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and is a Registered Professional Planner.
A partner since 2003, Antonio (Tony) joined Bousfields in 1991 soon after completing a graduate degree in Urban Planning at the University of Toronto. He is full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners. He has provided professional planning services in support of numerous large-scale redevelopment proposals in the Greater Toronto Area. His considerable experience has resulted in his participation as lead consultant and team captain on several high-profile development proposals. His range of experience includes high density residential and commercial proposals for many major clients.
