Alphabet Inc.’s plan to create a “city of the future” on Toronto’s waterfront has cleared a major hurdle, though it will be much smaller than once envisioned.
Sidewalk Labs LLC, Alphabet’s urban innovation unit and sister to Google, won approval to move forward with the project on Thursday after acquiescing to several contentious issues. Those included sticking to its original 12-acre plan rather than a 190-acre project it proposed in June. Waterfront Toronto, the public corporation in charge of the development, will take the lead on all data and privacy matters and Sidewalk has agreed to push ahead without financing from the city for transit.
