Executive retention in Toronto now starts with a map, not a mandate. The daily reality of hybrid routines rises and falls with Union Station arrivals, PATH convenience, and the quality of the towers that frame a leader’s week. That is why our Toronto recruiters begin every retention plan with a simple question: where will the moments that matter actually happen?
The commute is part of the contract
Union Station is the hinge of downtown life. GO Transit reports more than 200,000 travellers a day and highlights direct links into concourses that feed right into the office core, including access to the PATH system and extensive platforms and track capacity that keep trains moving during peak periods. These details sound operational, yet they shape whether an executive feels friction or flow on anchor days. A leader who can step off a train, cross a concourse, and arrive at an elevator without touching a sidewalk in winter will tolerate more in-office time. “We treat commute quality like cash in Toronto,” said Lamarche. “If the path from train to desk is clean, warm and predictable, you buy back two hours of a leader’s week and they notice.” GO’s Union Station page is explicit about scale and connectivity, while Metrolinx’s 2024–25 Business Plan shows ridership climbing and off-peak patterns rising, a sign that flexible schedules are here to stay.
PATH connectivity turns weather into a non-issue
The PATH network removes a classic retention pain point. The City confirms more than 30 kilometres of connected retail and corridors, with over 200,000 business-day commuters using it and direct links to six subway stations and Union Station. In practice, this is not trivia. It determines where an executive can host a client lunch, reach a doctor’s appointment, or grab a quiet spot to prep before a board session. “PATH access changes who volunteers for Tuesday and Wednesday,” commented Lamarche. “If an EVP can move between meetings without a jacket or taxi, that becomes an easy day in the office rather than a chore.” The City’s page on PATH lists the network’s scale and the buildings and services tied into it, which is why we score office options by the quality of their PATH frontage, wayfinding, and indoor route to Union.
Class A amenities and end-of-trip details keep people coming back
Space quality now carries outsize weight. CBRE’s 2025 Canada Outlook shows a vacancy gap between top tier “trophy” and older assets, and notes that 57 percent of relocating occupiers prioritize improved amenities and services when they move. That puts fitness, food, daylight, bike rooms, and showers right on the retention scorecard. You can see the pattern in building pages across the core. At CIBC SQUARE, Hines describes an amenity stack that includes extensive bicycle parking and a park that spans the rail corridor. Oxford’s EY Tower at the Richmond-Adelaide Centre lists bike facilities, showers, a fitness centre, daycare, and conference space. Cadillac Fairview’s 16 York page calls out an “End of Trip” facility, childcare, and direct transit access. These are not nice to have features. They are the reason a VP will accept two in-office strategy days when school pickups and evening workouts still need to fit. “Amenities extend the useful day,” Lamarche said. “If a tower gives an executive a workout, a healthy lunch, a quiet call room, and a ten minute indoor walk to Union, you increase their in-office hit rate without pushing.” See CBRE’s Canada Real Estate Market Outlook 2025 for the amenity and vacancy data, Hines on CIBC SQUARE, Oxford’s EY Tower amenities, and Cadillac Fairview’s 16 York for specific examples.
Hybrid norms reward buildings that work harder
Hybrid attendance patterns are stabilizing, which means retention now depends on quality rather than quantity of office time. CBRE’s global workplace series shows most large occupiers using hybrid models and shifting focus to effectiveness over density. In Toronto, transit data backs the idea that flexible travel is the new normal. The TTC’s 2024 year in review tallied roughly 421 million rides with growth expected in 2025, while Metrolinx forecasts continuing gains across GO and UP Express. Taken together, the market is not chasing five days in the office. It is optimizing two or three days that justify the trip. That makes concourse experience, elevator speed, air quality, and on-site services central to retention, not peripheral. You can review the broader hybrid and utilization trends in CBRE’s 2024–2025 Workplace & Occupancy Insights and the TTC’s 2024 progress report.
Practical retention levers that match downtown reality
- Anchor days that align with GO service patterns and team locations near Union, supported by meeting schedules that cluster in a single PATH-connected zone.
- Workspace choice in Class A buildings with proven end-of-trip facilities, wellness options, and reliable indoor routes to transit.
- Commute stipends that can be used for PRESTO, bike service, or locker fees, paired with guaranteed late afternoon video slots to remove last mile stress.
- On-site rituals that people value, such as quarterly client forums or mentoring lunches, located in towers with quality food halls and bookable rooms.
- Personalized flexibility for senior leaders who manage teams across the region, which might include early trains and quiet floors before 9 a.m.
How we advise boards and CEOs to act now
Start with the routes your executives travel most and the buildings they touch. Map a typical Tuesday from platform to desk to client meeting to pickup. If the chain includes street crossings in bad weather, slow elevators, or a lack of private rooms for calls, expect resistance. If the chain is indoor, intuitive, and healthy, you will see steadier attendance and fewer regrets after a long day. Bring facilities teams, HR, and line leaders into one conversation so you can trade a little rent for a lot of predictability. The numbers support it. Trophy and Class A space continues to outperform in vacancy and tenant interest, and the city’s core assets are doubling down on amenities that shorten the distance between the train and the task. “Retention has a floor plan now,” commented Lamarche. “Once leaders experience a good anchor day, they will repeat it. Your job is to make that day easy to repeat.”
What leaders can prioritize next
Pick a PATH-first office footprint, invest in amenities that extend the day, and design hybrid rituals that make in-person time meaningful. Verify the distance from your boardroom to Union Station and score it like a KPI. Check whether your preferred towers offer real end-of-trip support or just a bike rack and a sign. Use ridership and utilization data to choose days and hours that feel civil rather than crowded. Most of all, keep the executive experience front and centre, since their behavior sets the tone for everyone else. If their day is efficient, safe, and well supported, they will show up and they will bring teams with them. That is how downtown Toronto holds on to its leaders in a hybrid era.