🏙️ Square Footage: Durham 2051 – The Blueprint We Need

Durham Region is often treated like Toronto’s sleepy suburb.

But it won’t be for long.

With a projected population of 1.3 million by 2051, Durham is one of the fastest-growing regions in Ontario. That puts it on pace with major cities like Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa—each of which already supports full rapid transit systems and major federal investment.

🛠️ The Problem?
The province’s housing target for Durham is just 84,000 new homes—barely enough to meet projected demand.

Durham isn’t just growing — it’s transforming.
The question is: will we plan for it?

🏗️ Where the Puck Is Going

We’ve said it before in this series: to meet the future, we need to skate where the puck is going.

Durham’s growth is inevitable. Its geography—positioned directly east of Toronto and now linked by toll-free access via the 407—makes it an attractive destination for both residents and employers. Housing remains relatively affordable, land is available, and the region is ready to scale.

Yet the province’s infrastructure vision hasn’t caught up.

Instead of planning for a future 1.3 million-person metropolis, current plans still treat Durham like a commuter zone.

We disagree.

🚆 Time for a Durham Central Station

GTA Weekly proposes the creation of a Durham Central Station — a true eastern counterpart to Union Station — that would anchor the region’s future growth.

This new hub would be:

• A high-speed rail (HSR) stop connecting Durham to Toronto, Ottawa, and beyond.

• A possible TTC subway extension terminus, connecting eastward from Scarborough.

• A hub for regional GO Train, LRT, and BRT networks.

Just look at what happened around Vaughan Metropolitan Centre after the TTC subway arrived. Imagine that success, replicated in the East.

📈 What the Numbers Say

• Current population: ~750,000

• 2051 projection: ~1.3 million

• New housing target: 84,000 units

• Likely housing need: Closer to 200,000+

• Transit upgrades proposed: Minimal

That’s not a gap — it’s a chasm. And it will cost us if left unaddressed.

🏗️ Final Word: The Real Union Station of the East

Durham Region has already seen major provincial investment:

• The Highway 407 extension to 115/35

• New 401/412 interchange upgrades

• Bus rapid transit expansions and GO rail improvements

But roads alone won’t shape the future.

With 1.3 million residents expected by 2051, Durham needs more than short-term fixes.
It needs a transit blueprint and a housing blueprint—one that matches the region’s scale and ambition.

A Durham Central Station, connecting high-speed rail to GO, TTC, and a future Durham rapid transit network, could anchor that vision and drive smart, sustainable growth across the East.

Because without vision, the people perish.
And Durham deserves vision.

📐 Square Footage is GTA Weekly’s weekly real estate editorial—tracking how design, density and development are shaping our neighbourhoods—and now, our province.