Brampton has officially broken ground on the long-awaited Riverwalk revitalization project, launching the first phase of construction with major downtown flood-protection work designed to safeguard the city from future extreme storm events.
Work began Friday on the Downtown Brampton Flood Protection Project, a cornerstone of the more than $200-million Riverwalk initiative that has been nearly a decade in the making. The initial phase focuses on deepening and widening the Etobicoke Creek channel to dramatically improve the area’s capacity to withstand severe flooding.
According to the city, once complete, the upgraded flood-protection system will exceed Ontario’s Regulatory Flood Standards and be capable of withstanding storm events delivering roughly 285 millimetres of rainfall within 48 hours—a threshold comparable to, or greater than, the historic Hurricane Hazel.
Construction in this first phase will continue into spring 2028. Phase two—running through 2030 and beyond—will transform the Etobicoke Creek corridor with new parks, trails, public spaces, housing and business areas, reshaping the downtown core into a vibrant mixed-use district.
Brampton’s history underscores the urgency of the project. In March 1948, catastrophic flooding submerged the downtown under nearly two metres of water, prompting the construction of the Etobicoke Creek diversion. The Riverwalk project aims to go even further, modernizing the city’s flood-control infrastructure while unlocking long-term economic and urban development opportunities.
City officials say the revitalization is expected to support housing for more than 17,000 new residents, generate up to 23,800 jobs, and open 3.6 million square feet of new residential, commercial and retail development space.
Several complementary downtown improvements are also underway, including the Ken Whillans Square and Garden Square redevelopments. These projects will introduce new public amenities, such as a massive LED display for Garden Square and the “Shimmer Stage”—an innovative combination of performance area, digital screen, art installation and shade canopy planned for Whillans Square.
The Riverwalk project was originally estimated at $200 million when first announced in 2017. This year’s municipal budget allocated an additional $15 million to advance construction.
As shovels hit the ground, the city says Riverwalk represents not just flood mitigation but a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign Brampton’s downtown for a safer, greener and more dynamic future.