Project
A feasibility study for the Element Centre, a proposed mixed-use innovation hub in Jane-Finch and northwest Toronto, with BEA as the coordinating organization. The study asked a direct question: what would it take to build a state-of-the-art hub that equips underrepresented entrepreneurs, professionals, and youth to navigate the innovation economy? To answer it, we worked with Untitled Planning, who led the research and crafted the report, combining a literature review, policy analysis, 6 international case studies, interviews with 23 stakeholders, and a community survey of 190 residents. A companion pre-design study by AKA/FLDWRK laid out preliminary architectural considerations for the space.
The Result
The study confirmed both the need and the opportunity: innovation infrastructure in Toronto is concentrated downtown while the northwest, sitting at the heart of the Toronto-Waterloo Innovation Corridor, remains underserved. It delivered a practical roadmap, including 10 community-inspired hub personas to guide programming, governance and revenue models, and a set of staged recommendations: establish BEA as an independent organization, run a pilot to deepen community ties, and build organizational capacity before development begins. Those recommendations are now in motion. BEA incorporated as an independent non-profit in April 2026, and the pilot approach is taking shape through the BEA Innovation Studio at York Lanes.
“Jane-Finch and northwestern Toronto’s residents are rich in talent, expertise, and ambition.”
The Element Centre Feasibility Study, March 2024