• Stouffville has completed the Edward Street reconstruction project on time and under budget.
  • Work included a full road rebuild, new underground infrastructure, street lighting, utility burial, sidewalks, and a multi-use path.
  • The project extended Edward Street to connect Main Street and Millard Street, providing a long-awaited throughway.
  • Upgrades are expected to support residents and businesses during Downtown Revitalization, as well as future intensification in the area.
  • The corridor sits within the provincially designated Stouffville GO Major Transit Station Area.
  • Stouffville’s new Official Plan envisions mixed-use and medium-density residential development along the east side of Edward.

 

Stouffville is celebrating the formal completion of its Edward Street reconstruction project, a significant investment that revitalized the deteriorating roadway, delivered a long-anticipated throughway linking Main Street to Millard Street, and sets the stage for future development around the Stouffville GO station.

Originally a $6.3 million line item, the contract awarded to North Rock Group Ltd. was finished on schedule and under budget. The work included a full rebuild of Edward Street, which had previously dead-ended at York Region District School Board property before reaching Millard.

Along with extending the road, crews replaced and upsized underground water, sanitary, and storm sewer infrastructure, installed new street lighting, buried a portion of utility lines, added landscaping improvements, and planted new trees. A widened sidewalk now runs along the west side, while a three-metre multi-use path was built on the east side. Pedestrian crossovers were also added, including one giving pedestrians priority at the entrance to the Stouffville Ball Diamonds and Track.

Town officials called the project “a major milestone in the Town’s infrastructure enhancement initiative,” highlighting its role in strengthening both mobility and the overall appearance of the corridor.

The work followed recommendations from an Environmental Assessment completed in 2021 and was delivered ahead of Stouffville’s upcoming Downtown Revitalization project. With Main Street set for significant reconstruction, the Town says Edward’s extension will serve as a critical alternate access route, helping to maintain business activity and community connections in the downtown core.

Completion of the project also foreshadows major changes faced by the adjacent historic district, as lands surrounding the Stouffville GO station are expected to see considerable intensification in the years ahead.

Given the area’s close proximity to high level transit, Provincial policy has designated most of the east side of Edward Street a Major Transit Station Area (MTSA). Superseding the Town’s own planning policies, the Stouffville GO MTSA area is required to accommodate at least 150 residents and jobs per hectare.

While not yet approved by Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Stouffville’s new Official Plan looks to meet those density requirements along Edward through two land-use designations: Core Area – Mixed Use and Urban Medium Density Residential. A map of the area can be found on page five of the Official Plan schedules.

Core Area – Mixed Use lands, covering the southern portion of Edward’s east side up to Schell Street (excluding The Junction), will allow for mid-rise residential and mixed use development generally ranging from two to 10 storeys in height. North of Schell Street, Urban Medium Density Residential lands envision low- and mid-rise residential buildings such as townhouses and apartment buildings with a maximum height of 9 storeys.

“The purpose of the Core Area is to serve as a focal point for promoting a mix of uses, along with community services through appropriate redevelopment and expansion,” the new Official Plan explains. “This includes evolving as a notable commercial district, where there is a strong residential community, fully integrated with entertainment and cultural facilities, offices, and restaurants that compliment and support a host of smaller scale retail and personal service commercial uses.”

While Schell Lumber continues to operate and no development proposals have been put forward, Edward Street’s infrastructure upgrades and added transportation linkages will play a key role in supporting that future growth.