Historically rooted in the mining industry, Sudbury downtown area saw retail vacancies emerge after the sector's decline, despite thriving during the boom of the mining industry. The city's mining history, initially driven by lumber and later catalyzed by the discovery of nickel-copper ore during railway construction, experienced ups and downs throughout the 20th century due to global conflicts including WWI, WWII, and the Cold War, given nickel's strategic importance in weapon manufacturing. Although some mining companies still operate, numerous closed mines have left brownfields and vacant spaces, particularly near the urban core.

The proposal aims to revitalize and integrate two key sites in Sudbury, representing the city's past and offering potential for future growth. The rail lands to the south and west of downtown, once significant for industrial development, have immense developmental opportunities to infill mid-density urban programs, while the low-lying area should be reconsidered as a functional wetland which serves as an ecological infrastructure.

This comprehensive development approach aims to catalyze a new urban future for Sudbury that prioritizes ecological sensitivity, environmental regeneration, and social productivity, altering the city's current development path and reinvigorate this mid-sized Northern Ontario global city.