Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) works toward enhancing our region’s natural environment while protecting our land, water and communities from the impacts of flooding, erosion and increasingly extreme weather. One key component in this process is the design and implementation of remedial erosion control/protection and slope stabilization works to protect human life and property. TRCA’s Erosion Risk Management Program (ERMP) monitors the condition of all TRCA-owned waterfront erosion protection structures on an annual basis, allowing for priority ranking. This helps determine whether detailed study, maintenance or remedial works, or further monitoring are recommended. Various factors that may be vulnerable to climate change implications, such as depth and crest height of a structure, known wave climate in the area, etc., are considered.
Several structures in Bluffer’s Park, monitored since 2006, were identified through the ERMP as failing following high lake level events in 2017 and 2019, and a severe wind storm weather event in 2018. These structures protect Bluffer’s Park, which is an artificial landform built in the 1970s at the base of the Scarborough Bluffs, located within the City of Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario. The park is owned by TRCA and managed by the City, with TRCA maintaining these structures that protect the park and nearby bluffs.
The extreme weather and lake events prompted initiation of the planning process to develop designs, acquire permits and approvals, and complete major maintenance. Climate change and opportunities for aquatic habitat enhancement were key components of the design. TRCA’s objective was to restore and enhance the original erosion protection capability of these structures, thereby protecting Bluffer’s Park from wave energy and continued erosion. Improvements, to increase resiliency and address climate change impacts, included increasing the structure crest height, using larger material, incorporating splash pads behind structures to account for wave overtopping during extreme events, as well as moving trails and public viewing areas to safe distances. Major Maintenance on four (4) structures within the Park was completed between 2018 and 2022. Construction is currently ongoing on a headland structure, scheduled to be complete in 2024, with planning and design underway for another adjacent series of structures. TRCA has undertaken this work to improve resiliency and address climate change factors, and will continue to plan and implement similar projects along the Toronto waterfront within the same framework.
