If you live in Whitby, you have probably heard some version of “they want to build towers at the GO station.” Some of what is circulating is accurate, some is out of date, and some is simply not decided yet. This article sets out what Infrastructure Ontario has actually proposed for the Whitby GO Station lands, what stage it is at, who is leading the process, what residents have raised, and what it could practically mean for the surrounding area if it goes ahead.
We have kept four things clearly separated: what is confirmed, what is proposed, what is still unknown, and what is our interpretation as a local real estate team. Everything in the first three groups comes from Infrastructure Ontario’s own project materials or from the Town of Whitby.
What is being proposed
Infrastructure Ontario, the provincial agency that delivers the Government of Ontario’s Transit-Oriented Communities program, has released a development concept for the commuter parking lands at Whitby GO Station.
Confirmed (from Infrastructure Ontario’s July 2026 open house materials and June 2026 planning report):
- Site: 200 Victoria Street West, the existing Whitby GO commuter parking lot, roughly 2.32 hectares between Highway 412, Victoria Street West and Brock Street, right beside the station and the Lakeshore East GO line.
- Buildings: six mixed-use residential towers on three blocks, 33 to 45 storeys on six-storey podiums, with the tallest towers closest to the station and Victoria Street.
- Homes: approximately 2,353 residential units. The proposed mix is about 10 per cent studios, 50 per cent one-bedroom, 30 per cent two-bedroom and 10 per cent three-bedroom, so roughly 40 per cent of homes would have two or three bedrooms.
- Retail and community space: about 1,844 square metres of street-level retail and commercial space, plus community spaces.
- Parking: the existing 777 GO commuter spaces would be replaced underground, with additional below-grade parking for residents and the commercial uses, plus bicycle parking.
- Public space: a central public park of about 0.23 hectares, a landscaped “green spine,” a pedestrian plaza, a new public road linking Byron Street to the South Service Road, a multi-use path along the South Service Road, and a pedestrian bridge into the station.
- Phasing: three phases that could proceed in any order. The first two buildings would sit along Victoria Street, and the surface commuter lot would be replaced by underground parking incrementally rather than all at once.
One note on the numbers: Infrastructure Ontario’s project webpage says “approximately 2,355 homes,” while its open house deck and planning report use 2,353. That is rounding, not a change to the proposal.
Proposed, not final. Infrastructure Ontario describes all of the above as a “conceptual design, subject to further refinement.” The concept is what was consulted on this summer. It is not a construction plan.
What a Transit-Oriented Community actually is
“Transit-Oriented Community,” or TOC, is the Province’s name for a program run by Infrastructure Ontario to build dense, mixed-use development on or next to major transit stations, including GO stations on the Lakeshore East line. In Infrastructure Ontario’s words, the program is meant to “build vibrant, mixed-use communities that will bring more housing (including affordable housing options), jobs, retail, public amenities and entertainment within a short distance of transit stations.” The stated goals are more transit ridership and less congestion, more housing and jobs, and helping offset the cost of transit by developing land the Province already controls around stations.
Two features make a TOC different from a typical condominium application in Whitby:
- The Province leads it. The site is the station’s own commuter parking lot, and the proposal comes from Infrastructure Ontario rather than a private developer applying to the Town. As Mayor Elizabeth Roy has put it, “the province is responsible for the planning and consultation for this project, not the Town of Whitby.”
- It sits inside a planning framework built for this kind of site. The Whitby GO lands are designated for mixed use in Whitby’s Official Plan, sit within a Protected Major Transit Station Area, and fall in the Port Whitby Secondary Plan’s high-rise mixed-use area, all of which already anticipate significant intensification around the station. That is why the proposal is not a surprise in planning terms, even if its scale is.
Where the proposal fits with Whitby’s own plans
Confirmed (from the planning report prepared for Infrastructure Ontario): the Port Whitby Secondary Plan currently sets a maximum height of 40 storeys. The concept asks for 45 storeys on its tallest towers, which the proponent’s own report describes as a height exception that will need to be addressed. Recent Official Plan amendments affecting the area have been adopted by Council and are awaiting provincial approval.
Our reading: Whitby has been planning for high-density growth around its GO station for years. The debate now is less about whether the station lands should intensify and more about how much, how tall, and with what supporting infrastructure.
What stage the proposal is actually at
Confirmed:
- Infrastructure Ontario submitted its concept on June 29, 2026, briefed Whitby councillors and the Mayor in July, and held a first Local Advisory Committee meeting on July 21.
- Public consultation ran from July 21 to August 21, 2026: a virtual open house on July 21, an in-person open house on July 28, and an online survey that closed August 21.
- Infrastructure Ontario’s published timeline shows July to December 2026 for refining the concept and reporting on public engagement, followed by a “TOC resubmission” in December 2026.
Not approved. There is no approved site plan, no zoning in place for these heights, no construction date and no named builder. The proposal is a concept that has been consulted on once and is now being revised.
Unknown (as of early September 2026):
- Which approval pathway the Province intends to use, and what the December “resubmission” leads to. Infrastructure Ontario’s public materials do not spell this out.
- Whether and how the concept will change in response to the summer feedback.
- Any affordable-housing commitment for this site. The program references “affordable housing options” in general terms, but no share, definition or mechanism has been published for Whitby.
- Who would build it, on what timeline, and how commuter parking and station access would be managed during construction.
- Whether there will be a statutory public meeting under the Planning Act, which the Town has requested (see below).
Who is leading the process
- Infrastructure Ontario, on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure, is the proponent and runs the consultation. Project documents and questions go through EngageIO@infrastructureontario.ca.
- Metrolinx operates Whitby GO Station and the commuter parking the concept would replace with 777 underground spaces.
- The Town of Whitby is a commenting body on this proposal, not the proponent. Infrastructure Ontario says it meets regularly with Town staff and shares planning and technical materials for feedback.
- The Region of Durham has a role through the Regional Official Plan and regional infrastructure, and the Mayor has named it as one of the four parties she expects to resolve concerns together.
What residents have raised
According to the Town of Whitby’s August 25, 2026 statement, the concerns residents raised most often through the survey and open houses were the proposed height and density, potential impacts on traffic volume, effects on commuter parking, and impacts on future GO station operations.
Mayor Roy said in August that she “share[s] many of the concerns residents have raised,” and that while she supports more housing, “successful growth means building complete communities where people have access to the services and infrastructure they need to thrive.” She has tied the proposal to the need for healthcare, schools and supporting infrastructure, including advancing the planned new hospital for Whitby.
What happens next
The Town has asked the Province for three things: that the proposal follow the standard Planning Act process (technical review, municipal input and a statutory public meeting where residents can speak on the record); meaningful local participation in project planning and appropriate consideration of local planning policies; and a balanced outcome that “advances provincial objectives while protecting community interests.” The Mayor has met with MPPs Lorne Coe and Todd McCarthy to relay resident feedback and has committed to sharing updates as new information becomes available.
On Infrastructure Ontario’s side, the next published milestone is the revised concept in December 2026. Until then, the most reliable places to watch are Infrastructure Ontario’s Whitby GO TOC project page and the Town of Whitby newsroom.
What it could practically mean for the surrounding area
This section is TMG’s interpretation. It is not a prediction about prices in either direction, and we would be cautious of anyone offering one this early. Nothing is approved, the concept will change, and even an approved project of this size would be built in phases over many years. What follows are practical considerations, drawn from the proposal itself, for people who own, are considering buying, or invest in south and downtown Whitby.
For homeowners nearby. The realistic near-term picture is a long planning period followed, if approved, by multi-year construction around a working GO station. The things worth following are the ones the concept already flags: how the 777 commuter spaces are replaced during construction, the new Byron-to-South Service Road connection and related road widenings, and the final heights after the December revision. Shadow, wind and traffic studies exist in the technical package and can be requested from Infrastructure Ontario; if you live close to the site, those summaries are a better use of time than social-media commentary.
For buyers considering Whitby. A TOC of this scale would, over time, add a large stock of condominium-style homes next to all-day, two-way GO service, with most of the proposed units being studios and one-bedrooms. Whitby’s existing housing stock is heavily low-rise and freehold, so this would broaden what “Whitby” includes rather than replace it. If station-adjacent living is the appeal, the timeline is long; if your priority is an established freehold neighbourhood, the relevant questions are about traffic and access during construction, not the towers themselves. Either way, it is a reason to understand a neighbourhood at street level before choosing it; our earlier comparisons of Ajax and Whitby and of Durham’s four lakeshore communities are a useful starting point.
For investors. There is nothing investable here yet: no builder, no approvals, no pricing and no timeline beyond December 2026. What the proposal does tell you is where the Province and the Town both intend Whitby’s highest-density growth to go. That is useful context for thinking about Port Whitby and downtown, but it is context, not a signal.
For the community as a whole. The proposal includes real public elements: a central park, a pedestrian plaza, a new public street, a multi-use path and a bridge into the station. Whether those are delivered, and in what phase, is one of the more practical things residents can push on through the process the Town has asked for.
The short version
- Infrastructure Ontario has proposed six towers of 33 to 45 storeys, about 2,353 homes, ground-floor retail, a public park and underground replacement of the GO commuter parking at 200 Victoria Street West.
- It is a concept, consulted on in July and August 2026 and now being revised, with a resubmission expected in December 2026. It has not been approved.
- The Province leads the process, not the Town. The Town has asked for a standard Planning Act process including a statutory public meeting.
- Residents’ main concerns are height and density, traffic, commuter parking and station operations.
- Whether you own nearby, are choosing a neighbourhood or are looking at Whitby as an investor, the practical takeaway is the same: follow the December revision rather than acting on today’s headlines.
Have a question about your neighbourhood?
If you own in south or downtown Whitby, or you are weighing Whitby against other Durham communities, and want to talk through what this could mean for your situation, reach out any time for a no-pressure conversation. Email julie@themarticorenagroup.com, call (416) 526-3786, or visit https://themarticorenagroup.ca. You can also browse more of our Local & Community insights.
Julie Marticorena is a REALTOR® with The Marticorena Group, LPT Brokerage, serving Durham Region and the GTA.
Sources
- Infrastructure Ontario, “Whitby GO – Transit-Oriented Community” project page: https://www.infrastructureontario.ca/en/what-we-do/projectssearch/whitby-go-transit-oriented-community/
- Infrastructure Ontario, Whitby GO TOC Virtual Open House presentation (July 21, 2026): https://www.infrastructureontario.ca/4a20f3/contentassets/5622a2a8ff284fcb99386e30e4c20b46/2026-07-21-whitby-toc—virtual-open-house-deck—aoda.pdf
- Urban Strategies Inc. for Infrastructure Ontario, “Planning Rationale & Urban Design Analysis,” Whitby GO TOC (June 2026): https://www.infrastructureontario.ca/49fc83/contentassets/5622a2a8ff284fcb99386e30e4c20b46/whitby-toc-planning-rationale-aoda.pdf
- Town of Whitby, “Whitby Mayor Urges Residents to Share Feedback with Infrastructure Ontario on Proposed Transit-Oriented Community at Whitby GO Station” (August 13, 2026): https://www.whitby.ca/news/posts/whitby-mayor-urges-residents-to-share-feedback-with-infrastructure-ontario-on-proposed-transit-oriented-community-at-whitby-go-station/
- Town of Whitby, “Whitby mayor thanks residents for sharing feedback on proposed Transit-Oriented Community” (August 25, 2026): https://www.whitby.ca/news/posts/whitby-mayor-thanks-residents-for-sharing-feedback-on-proposed-transit-oriented-community/
This article is general information about a public planning proposal as of September 2026 and is not a prediction of future market conditions or individual advice. Project details may change; please consult the sources above for the current status.
Featured image: Whitby GO Station, August 22 2026 (02) by Dillan Payne, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. The image has been cropped and resized from the original; this adapted version is likewise available under CC BY-SA 4.0. It shows the existing Whitby GO Station building as photographed in August 2026, not the proposed development.
