UrbanToronto

30-Storey Rental Tower Proposed in Downtown Barrie

Anthony Teles — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:12:14 -0400

A 30-storey rental tower has been proposed at 73–79 Toronto Street in Downtown Barrie, joining a growing collection of tall-building plans for the densifying area. Designed by Hirman Architects for 1001014757 Ontario Inc, the project is set within the Queen’s Park District and Barrie’s Urban Growth Centre, and ranks among the tallest developments planned for this part of the city.

Looking southeast to 73-79 Toronto Street, designed by Hirman Architects Inc for 1001014757 Ontario Inc

The assembly comprises 73, 75, and 79 Toronto Street, on its east side just north of Dunlop Street West. It is currently developed with three low-rise house-form buildings, including a triplex at 75 Toronto, along with rear-yard parking. The site is at the meeting point of two distinct contexts: the shops, restaurants, transit facilities, and high-rises of the Dunlop corridor to the south, and the predominantly low-rise Queen’s Park neighbourhood to the north, east, and west.

Looking northeast to the current site, image retrieved from Google Maps

The three existing houses reflect successive periods in the neighbourhood’s development: the one-and-a-half-storey building at 79 Toronto dates to the late 19th century, the two-storey house at 75 Toronto to the early 20th century, and the one-and-a-half-storey house at 73 Toronto to the mid-20th century. Despite their age, none is listed on the City of Barrie Heritage Register or designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

Looking northeast to 73-79 Toronto Street, designed by Hirman Architects Inc for 1001014757 Ontario Inc

The proposal would replace the three houses with a 101.9m-tall building rising from a six-storey podium. Its 20,568m² of Gross Floor Area would include 19,987m² of residential space and 581m² of commercial space at grade, resulting in a Floor Space Index of 8.42 times coverage of the 2,444m² site. All 322 units are planned as market-rate rentals, with a mix of 46 studios, 184 one-bedrooms, 69 two-bedrooms, and 23 units with three or more bedrooms. Three elevators would serve the 322 apartments, a ratio of approximately one elevator for every 107 units, indicating high-speed motors would be needed for prompt response times when all elevators are operational.

Site plan, designed by Hirman Architects Inc for 1001014757 Ontario Inc

Residents would have access to approximately 897m² of indoor and 926m² of outdoor amenity space on the first and seventh floors. Landscaping would be concentrated along Toronto Street and around the site perimeter. Five levels of above-grade parking would be enclosed within the six-storey podium, providing 236 shared resident and visitor spaces, while 68 bicycle spaces are also proposed.

Ground floor plan, designed by Hirman Architects Inc for 1001014757 Ontario Inc

Twelve Barrie Transit routes have stops within 500m, including services connecting to downtown, Allandale Transit Terminal, Georgian College, and Barrie South GO. The nearest stops are between 300m and 450m away, or roughly a six-to-nine-minute walk. For cyclists, the Waterfront Multi-use Trail is approximately 500m away on Lakeshore Drive, while planned improvements include a boulevard cycling facility along Toronto Street, along with nearby bike lanes, signed routes, and cycle tracks on Toronto, Park, High, Bradford, and Ross streets.

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to City of Barrie

The proposal joins a widening cluster of intensification across Downtown Barrie. To the north, the Victoria Village Manor expansion and 136 Bayfield Street are each planned at 12 storeys, while southwest of the site, 34–50 Bradford Street calls for 25- and 29-storey towers. Taller projects include the two 33-storey Debut Waterfront Residences towers under construction to the southeast, along with the proposed 27-storey Grand Opera Tower and 32-storey development at 47–53 Collier Street to the east. Northeast of the site, the 20-storey Residences on Owen and 21-storey Sophia McDonald Residences are under construction, while two more 33-storey towers are proposed at 50 Worsley Street.

Looking northeast to the podium, designed by Hirman Architects Inc for 1001014757 Ontario Inc

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

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UrbanToronto's research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe—from proposal through to completion. Other services include Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.

Toronto Western Hospital Patient Care Tower Growing on Bathurst

Anthony Teles — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 15:06:37 -0400

Toronto Western Hospital's new Patient Care Tower is growing taller on Bathurst Street just north of Dundas, with cladding now appearing on the lower floors. Designed by DIALOG for University Health Network, the 15-storey addition will expand the hospital with 82 patient beds, a new intensive care unit, and a state-of-the-art Medical Device Reprocessing Department, alongside publicly accessible landscaping and community space.

Construction has been underway since June, 2024. In the September, 2025 shot below, construction is seen at grade, with two cranes having been installed at the beginning of that year in January. Rebar mats surround the base of the north crane at right, while a red concrete boom pump stands before the south crane near the centre. A concrete bucket, formwork components, and other materials are staged across the site, as extensive scaffold and shoring assemblies rise along the west side in preparation for the first floor.

Looking south across the at-grade construction site, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor GenerationLee

From across Bathurst Street in late December, 2025, the reinforced-concrete frame rose two storeys above grade. Translucent tarp wraps the second level, while exposed concrete columns and projecting reinforcing bars to the right of the south crane mark preparations for the third-floor slab. Below, rows of red shoring posts and scaffold support the forming work across the ground floor, with UHN-branded hoarding defining the Bathurst Street edge.

Looking east from Bathurst Street as the concrete frame reaches two storeys, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor YongeBloor

Looking southwest across Nassau Street in April, 2026, the structure stood four storeys above grade, with its substantial shear-wall core defining the north end of the rising frame. Rectangular openings punctuate the core’s north elevation, while projecting rebar signals its next vertical lift. At ground level, large cylindrical concrete columns, wrapped in dark protective material, support the slab overhead, as timber edge forms and slab formwork trace the perimeter of the future fifth floor.

Looking southwest from Nassau Street at the north-end concrete core, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor CLT

This month, from Bathurst and Nassau streets, the first sections of the building envelope — installed beginning in June — now wrap the second and third floors. Along Bathurst, two rows of punched windows are set within pale metal panels, with the palette gradually deepening through shades of cream, peach, and terracotta as the elevation approaches Nassau. The Nassau frontage introduces taller curtain-wall glazing strips framed by salmon and terracotta-toned panels. Subtly projecting vertical fins add depth across the facade, while white weatherproofing remains exposed on part of the north elevation and scaffolding, shoring posts and cantilevered work platforms crowd the unfinished concrete floors above.

Looking southeast from Bathurst and Nassau as colourful cladding takes shape, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ProjectEnd

In this view, envelope installation is advancing south of the construction hoist at the northeast corner, beside the exposed concrete core, the east elevation showing two rows of predominantly white metal curtain wall cladding, interspersed with pale peach accent panels. Above, shoring poles and projecting slab-formwork tables mark continued work on the upper floor plates.

Looking southwest at new cladding along the tower’s east elevation, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ProjectEnd

In a distant view from College Street, the approximately eight-storey concrete frame rises above Bathurst Street. The north elevation along Nassau now displays a livelier section of the envelope, where slender vertical bands of coloured cladding alternate with narrow glazed openings. At the roofline, wall formwork extends the north-end concrete core, while timber decking, shoring, and perimeter forms prepare the next floor plate for its concrete pour.

Looking south from College Street at the colourful cladding on the north elevation, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor AlbertC

Upon completion, the15-storey Patient Care Tower will reach a final height of 84.14m.

Looking southwest to the Patient Care Tower, designed by DIALOG for the University Health Network

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A Look Inside Cherry House at Canary Landing: A New Chapter for Rental Living in Toronto’s East End

UrbanToronto Sponsor — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:15:21 -0400

The continued evolution of Toronto’s Canary District has reached an important milestone with the opening of Cherry House, the third phase of Canary Landing, a purpose-built rental community steps from the historic Distillery District.

Developed by Dream, Kilmer Group, and Tricon Living (DKT), Cherry House represents the latest chapter in the growth of Canary Landing — a 12-acre mixed-use community that has transformed a formerly underutilized brownfield site into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood shaped by dedicated rental housing, public space, retail, and hospitality-inspired community amenities.

Cherry House adds 855 rental apartments across three mid-rise buildings, bringing Canary Landing to more than 1,600 residences alongside the established Maple House and Birch House communities, also developed by DKT. Together, the three phases have helped establish Canary Landing as a major rental community in Toronto's east end.

Cherry House at Canary Landing, designed by COBE Architects and architects—Alliance, image by Riley Snelling

Why More Renters Are Choosing the Canary District

The Canary District offers a combination of features increasingly sought by urban renters: proximity to downtown employment hubs, access to major parks and trails, strong transit connectivity, and a growing mix of retail and community amenities.

Residents are steps from Corktown Common, the Distillery District, Toronto's waterfront, and the Don River trail network.

The neighbourhood offers a highly connected urban lifestyle, reflected in the community's strong walkability, cycling, and transit accessibility. Cherry House has a 95 Walk Score, 100 Bike Score, and 94 Transit Score. Future Ontario Line stations at Distillery District and East Harbour will further strengthen connections across Toronto.

Architecture Shaped by Community

Designed by internationally acclaimed Danish architect COBE in collaboration with architects—Alliance, Cherry House brings a distinctive architectural presence to Cherry Street and Front Street East.

The three mid-rise buildings respond to the industrial character of the neighbourhood through layered façades, varied materials and carefully articulated massing. Rather than reading as a single large development, the buildings have been designed to create a more human-scaled streetscape, with visual interest at both the pedestrian and skyline levels.

Cherry House, Front Street access to courtyard, image by Riley Snelling

At the heart of Cherry House, a landscaped central courtyard creates a green focal point for residents and introduces a sense of openness within the community. Landscape architecture by PUBLIC WORK extends greenery throughout the site while strengthening connections to surrounding pedestrian routes.

Cherry House, suite interior, image by Riley Snelling

Meeting the Growing Demand for Family-Sized Rentals

More Torontonians are choosing rental living for longer stages of life, driving demand for larger homes that can accommodate families, hybrid work arrangements, and changing household needs.

Cherry House was designed with that reality in mind. More than 55 per cent of suites are designed as two-, three-, and four-bedrooms, including flexible layouts with dens and townhomes. The community provides options for families, professionals working from home, and renters seeking additional space while remaining close to downtown.

Kitchens feature stainless steel appliances, Caesarstone countertops and Italian-made Trevisana cabinetry, and built-in kitchen islands with wine fridges. Residences include in-suite laundry, closets with organizers and smart-home features such as Google Nest thermostats and keyless entry.

The homes balance functionality with design excellence, contemporary finishes, and access to an extensive collection of indoor and outdoor spaces that extend life beyond the suite.

Resort-Inspired Amenities Elevate Everyday Living

Elastic Architects, an award-winning global design firm, and Toronto-based Two Fold Interiors, known for its residential, commercial, and hospitality-focused work, designed more than 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenity space at Cherry House.

Cherry House, Club Apex fitness centre, image by Riley Snelling

Reflecting Tricon Living's hospitality-inspired approach to rental housing, Cherry House offers amenities designed to support wellness, productivity, recreation, and connection throughout the day.

Residents have access to Tricon Living’s signature amenities, including Club Apex, a two-level state-of-the-art fitness facility with dedicated strength, cardio and studio spaces. The Node provides co-working lounges, private rooms, and flexible spaces designed for today's hybrid work environment.

The Cove offers a suite of wellness and recreation amenities, including a sauna, steam room, and rooftop pool with expansive views across the city.

Cherry House, The Cove rooftop pool, image by Riley Snelling

Additional amenities include demonstration kitchens, dining and lounge areas, outdoor terraces with barbeques and al-fresco dining, music and games rooms, children’s play spaces, and guest suites, creating opportunities for residents to work, recharge, and host communal gatherings with friends, family, and neighbours.

Cherry House, on Cherry Street, image by Riley Snelling

Cherry House also introduces approximately 30,000 square feet of retail space, adding new services, cafes, dining and daily essentials within Canary Landing. Current retailers include Shoppers Drug Mart and Mandy’s.

Together with additional planned restaurants, cafés, and neighbourhood services, the retail program advances Canary Landing's vision of a complete community where daily needs can be met within walking distance of home.

Cherry House, Lobby, image by Riley Snelling

Cherry House began welcoming residents in January 2025 and continues to grow as new homes, retail spaces and shared areas come to life. As the latest chapter in the evolution of Canary Landing, the community brings together design-forward rental housing, hospitality-inspired amenities, and the convenience of a complete urban neighbourhood.

Now leasing one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences, including a substantial collection of family-sized homes, Cherry House offers a new option for renters seeking larger homes, hospitality-inspired amenities, and a highly connected downtown location in the Canary District.

News Roundup for July 29, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Allan Gardens could get a major greenhouse expansion if the city puts in $10M, says councillor; Salsa on St. Clair festival loses key sponsor after deadly shooting; Toronto motion requests province hand over former Ontario Science Centre; and other news.

Allan Gardens could get a major greenhouse expansion if the city puts in $10M: councillor (CBC)

Salsa on St. Clair festival loses key sponsor after deadly shooting (The Star)

Toronto motion requests province hand over former Ontario Science Centre (Global News)

Ontario to press ahead with island airport plan, minister says (The Globe and Mail)

Mississauga, Toronto councils considering motions addressing data centre applications (CityNews)

Ontario rethinking support for high-speed rail after feds reject Billy Bishop expansion: source (CBC)

Sheltering Circle

Craig White — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

The Drum at Biidaasige Park — designed by Tawaw Architecture Collective — is both a shade structure for the picnic area next to it in the east end of the park, and a ceremonial space for Indigenous events such as storytelling, elders meets, drum circles and more, and in fact the 13-sided structure itself — representing the lunar calendar — forms a sheltering circle.

The Drum is a shade structure and ceremonial event space at Biidaasige Park, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor xmyth_

This image comes to us courtesy of UrbanToronto Forum contributor xmyth_. Want to see your work featured as a Daily Photo? You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.

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Forma’s Glistening Cladding Reaches Higher Across Toronto’s Skyline

Anthony Teles — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:18:45 -0400

Forma’s 73-storey East Tower continues to climb above King Street West, its sculpted stainless steel cladding bringing a unique presence to the Entertainment District from a growing number of vantage points. Designed by the late Toronto-born Frank Gehry and Gehry Partners, with Adamson Associates Architects as Architect of Record, the tower is being developed by Great Gulf, Dream Unlimited, and Westdale Properties. UrbanToronto last provided an exterior update on the project in March, 2026 and attended a construction tour in June.

Looking southeast from Ed Mirvish Way in early July, 2026, rippling stainless steel panels on the north elevation at left contrast with the flat curtain wall wrapping the west elevation. Both systems reach approximately the 20th floor, while cladding on the west elevation’s projecting volume extends several storeys higher and glazing progresses across the lower levels. Framed by the CN Tower, Forma is establishing a distinctive skyline presence.

Looking southeast from Ed Mirvish Way to Forma’s north and west elevations, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Natika33

Looking up the south elevation, the cladding can be read as a cascading “waterfall,” with individually formed panels folding around the glazing in alternating ridges, troughs, and faceted projections. Gehry originally planned for the flat glass sections to feature varying levels of reflectivity to create a pixelated pattern that could be seen as a waterfall, but even if that was not to be implemented, the motif can be applied here.

Looking up the south elevation at Forma’s cascading stainless steel cladding and exposed concrete structure, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor skycandy

Approximately 1,700 panels in 8 randomly repeating patterns catch sunlight at different angles, producing shifting highlights and shadows. At the installation front, newly placed units appear beside a compact spider crane used to lift panels from within the floor plate, while exposed slabs rise toward the work decks and perimeter screens of the rail-climbing formwork.

A section of Forma's exterior is guided into place, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor skycandy

Seen obliquely, the facade becomes an abstract topography of brushed stainless steel, with folded edges and regularly spaced fasteners visible across the prefabricated units. Eight folding patterns, adjusted for varying floor heights, conceal the sub-framing while defining narrow bands of recessed vision glazing.

Looking obliquely up the south elevation at Forma’s folded stainless steel panels and recessed glazing, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor skycandy

Looking northwest from David Pecaut Square, the tower has reached the upper 30 storeys. Its canted panels flash in the sunlight, contrasting with the smoother unitized curtain wall reflecting the sky across the east elevation. Above, exposed slab edges and perimeter columns reveal the reinforced-concrete frame beneath the climbing formwork and tower crane, while dark-glazed lower levels meet King Street beside the Royal Alexandra Theatre.

Looking northwest from David Pecaut Square to cladding progress on Forma’s south and east elevations, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor skycandy

Looking northeast from a drone, Forma has reached the point where its floor-plate shifts, and extra formwork is required to accomplish this, slowing the building's rise down considerably of late. With the Rail Climbing System surrounding the active floor-plates now staggered as the shift occurs between the 38th and 39th floors, projecting work decks allow the new exterior wall edges to be set. Once the full shift has been accomplished, the RCS sections should come together again.

A shift in Forma's floor-plate between the 38th and 39th floor requires extra formwork, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor kotsy

After each slab and vertical pour gains sufficient strength, the rail climbing system advances upwards, allowing crews to reset the forms. A cycle of roughly one floor per week should be achievable again once the shift has been completed.

Looking southeast to Forma, designed by Gehry Partners for Great Gulf, Dream Unlimited, and Westdale Properties

Upon completion, the East Tower will rise 262.8m and contain 864 residential units, while the planned 84-storey West Tower would reach a ‘supertall’ height of 308m.

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Seven Towers Up to 49 Storeys Proposed at Sheppard and Victoria Park

Anthony Teles — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:30:00 -0400

A major redevelopment has been proposed for North York's Pleasant View neighbourhood, replacing the Victoria Square Shopping Plaza with seven towers from 25 to 49 storeys tall. Designed by Turner Fleischer for Jarel Investments, Nuyork Investments, and Nuberg and Dale Construction, the plan is among the tallest proposals in the immediate area.

Looking north to 2450 Sheppard Avenue East, designed by Turner Fleischer for Jarel Investments Ltd, Nuyork Investments Ltd, and Nuberg and Dale Construction Ltd

Addressed to 2450 and 2452 Sheppard Avenue East, the roughly 3.2-hectare site occupies its northwest corner with Victoria Park Avenue, with additional frontage on Hazelnut Crescent. The single-storey Victoria Square Shopping Plaza occupies the generally flat property, while surface parking and loading areas cover most of the remaining land. The surrounding area marks a transition between Pleasant View’s low-rise residential streets to the north and west, and a mixed-use corridor of commercial properties, apartment buildings, and redevelopment sites along Sheppard and Victoria Park.

An axonometric view looking northwest to the current site, image from submission to City of Toronto

WND Associates has submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developers. The plan organizes five buildings around a new public street. Seven towers would rise 25 to 49 storeys, spanning 89.7m to 160.95m, while six-, 10-, and 14-storey elements would range from 29.7m to 54.4m. One- to six-storey bases would anchor the towers. The staggered tower arrangement would provide internal separation distances of 25m to 32.7m. Floor-plates would be capped at 800m², apart from one slimmer tower at 645m².

Site plan, designed by Turner Fleischer for Jarel Investments Ltd, Nuyork Investments Ltd, and Nuberg and Dale Construction Ltd

Fronting Sheppard, mixed-use Building A would pair 25- and 40-storey towers containing 698 units and approximately 805m² of retail, served by eight elevators. Residential Building B would combine six- and 32-storey volumes with 502 units and seven elevators. Building C would place 537 units and roughly 418m² of retail in a 49-storey tower served by five elevators, equal to one per 107 units.

Looking north from Sheppard Avenue East to 2450 Sheppard Avenue East, designed by Turner Fleischer for Jarel Investments Ltd, Nuyork Investments Ltd, and Nuberg and Dale Construction Ltd

Along Victoria Park, Building D would be the largest, combining 43-, 45-, and 49-storey towers with 1,596 units, approximately 2,162m² of retail, and 15 elevators. Building E would complete the northern edge with 10- and 14-storey residential volumes containing 302 units and four elevators. High-speed motors will be required for the elevators in the taller towers to provide prompt response times.

Looking west to 2450 Sheppard Avenue East, designed by Turner Fleischer for Jarel Investments Ltd, Nuyork Investments Ltd, and Nuberg and Dale Construction Ltd

Together, the buildings would contain 3,635 condominium units, comprising 1,624 one-bedrooms (44.6%), 870 one-bedroom-plus-dens (24%), 763 two-bedrooms (21%), and 378 three-bedrooms (10.4%). The proposal has 241,360m² of Gross Floor Area, including 237,945m² of residential space and 3,385m² of retail. Residents would share approximately 9,992m² of indoor and 4,577m² of outdoor amenity space.

Ground floor plan, designed by Turner Fleischer for Jarel Investments Ltd, Nuyork Investments Ltd, and Nuberg and Dale Construction Ltd

The Floor Space Index would be 7.50 times coverage of the 3.2 hectare lot. At its northwest corner, a 2,643m² public park would front Hazelnut Crescent, with a potential pedestrian route linking it to Hickorynut Parkette.

Looking southeast from the park, image from submission to City of Toronto

Buildout would be divided into six phases: Buildings D, C, and A would begin while the plaza remains open; its demolition in Phase 4 would allow Building D and the public street to be completed, followed by Building B and the park in Phase 5 and Building E in Phase 6.

Phasing plan, designed by Turner Fleischer for Jarel Investments Ltd, Nuyork Investments Ltd, and Nuberg and Dale Construction Ltd

Buildings A, B, and E would have two underground garage levels, while C and D would have three. There would be 1,199 vehicle spaces, including 1,017 for residents and 182 for visitors. In addition, 2,750 bicycle spaces would be provided, comprising 2,481 long-term and 269 short-term spaces.

Surface transit is concentrated along both arterial frontages, with both TTC and YRT routes. Don Mills Station on Sheppard Line 4 is approximately 1.8km west of the site, an estimated 11-minute transit trip or seven-minute bicycle ride. Metrolinx is also studying options for extending Line 4 east to connect with Line 2; each concept identifies a potential station at Sheppard and Victoria Park. Existing cycling infrastructure is limited to separated lanes on Huntingwood Drive about 600m north, while the proposal would introduce bidirectional separated cycle tracks along its new public street.

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to City of Toronto

The proposal joins a group of proposals around Sheppard and Victoria Park. To the east, applications at 2933 and 2993 Sheppard Avenue East call for 18- and 22-storey buildings, while 2912–2926 Sheppard is proposed at 46 storeys. South of the site, plans for 2450 Victoria Park include four towers of 12 to 29 storeys, alongside the nine-building LSQ community, with heights ranging from seven to 43 storeys. To the west, the four-building Parkside Square community has two more phases to complete; its 11-storey third phase is planned, and its 43-storey fourth phase is under construction. Also to the west, a 50-storey tower is proposed at 155 Consumers Road.

Looking northwest from Victoria Park Avenue to 2450 Sheppard Avenue East, designed by Turner Fleischer for Jarel Investments Ltd, Nuyork Investments Ltd, and Nuberg and Dale Construction Ltd

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What Chief Planners Know About Ontario’s Housing Challenge

UrbanToronto Sponsor — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:02:00 -0400

Every community across Ontario is feeling the effects of the housing crisis; for municipal chief planners, it’s a reality of their day-to-day work. Chief planners are expected to accelerate housing, manage growth, protect livability, and translate decisions made by several levels of government into development that can work on the ground. Too often, planners are cast as barriers to solving the housing crisis.

StrategyCorp sought to gather and centre their professional perspectives on addressing the crisis with its inaugural Ontario Municipal Chief Planner Survey, drawing on confidential interviews with 19 senior municipal planning officials to understand the pressures, priorities, and practical realities shaping their work.

The clearest message from chief planners is that Ontario’s challenge is increasingly about converting approvals into construction. Municipalities are approving a large number of homes, often within or ahead of statutory timelines, but many projects still do not break ground. Chief planners pointed to borrowing and construction costs, labour shortages, legislative uncertainty, and land speculation.

Frequent legislative changes add another layer of uncertainty. Each new reform requires municipalities to reinterpret rules, revise plans and processes, and retrain staff. Developers, lenders, and councils may also hesitate because the framework could change again. Planners support reforms that reduce the number of studies, duplications, and weak appeals, but they want enough stability to implement changes properly and preserve safeguards related to design, servicing, and livability.

Infrastructure is often the harder limit on growth. Water, wastewater, stormwater, transportation, and electricity systems determine whether approved housing can proceed. In some communities, major upgrades are beyond local fiscal capacity, while competitive, short-term funding programs make long-range capital planning difficult. Chief planners called for predictable multi-year funding, better coordination of utility and transportation approvals, and earlier consideration of electricity capacity.

Development charges sit at the centre of the infrastructure debate. Planners described them as imperfect but indispensable: they help pay for the watermains, wastewater plants, roads, and community infrastructure required by growth. They did not dismiss the cost of development charges, but argued that land, construction, and borrowing costs are usually more decisive for project viability. Reducing charges without a dependable replacement can leave municipalities with less ability to service new housing, ultimately worsening the crisis.

The survey also captures a profession reconsidering its role. Planners feel increasingly portrayed as obstacles, even as they work under pressure from governments, communities, and applicants. Some acknowledged that municipal planning can become overly procedural and risk-averse. At the same time, they argued that professional judgment remains essential. Their role is not simply to process applications, but to integrate policy, design, economics, infrastructure, and public interests into communities that function well. The better planners can merge these elements, the more effectively they can address the housing crisis.

That work is made harder by strained intergovernmental relationships. Municipalities are expected to deliver provincial and federal housing ambitions, often without aligned timelines, funding, authority, or data. Responsibilities are frequently downloaded to municipalities without the capacity or resources needed to carry them out. Chief planners called for clearer roles, one-window coordination, formula-based funding, and predictable multi-year plans that connect housing targets to infrastructure and fiscal commitments.

Municipal planning departments are also changing their own practices. The survey documents delegated approvals, Community Planning Permit Systems, pre-approved designs, zoning for gentle density, reduced parking requirements, e-permitting, public dashboards, pipeline tracking, and targeted uses of artificial intelligence. Some municipalities are acquiring and servicing land themselves, then tying its sale to construction deadlines. While these efforts are making processes faster and clearer, planners stressed that streamlining alone cannot overcome weak financing or missing infrastructure.

Strong mayor powers have had a much smaller effect than what may have been intended when they were implemented. Chief planners said they have generally been used sparingly and rarely for housing, with most mayors favouring collaboration with councils and staff. The powers may help advance an urgent project in limited circumstances, but planners warned that decisions made without integrated review can create problems with servicing, sequencing, and long-term costs.

StrategyCorp’s first Chief Planner Survey communicates professional planners’ desired role as partners in housing delivery, not simply administrators of approvals. They are asking for stable rules, secure infrastructure funding, stronger coordination, and room to exercise professional judgment. With these elements in place, planning practice becomes an effective vehicle for addressing the housing crisis and implementing strategies to avoid future crises.

Read the full Ontario Municipal Chief Planner Survey on our website.

News Roundup for July 28, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

With a funding cliff ahead, Toronto Community Housing commits to improving its repair process; Doug Ford should ‘return the city’s land’ taken over for Billy Bishop expansion, says Toronto council motion; that condo storage locker you were sold might be illegal; and other news.

With a funding cliff ahead, Toronto Community Housing commits to improving its repair process (CBC)

Doug Ford should ‘return the city’s land’ taken over for Billy Bishop expansion, says Toronto council motion (The Star)

That condo storage locker you were sold? It might be illegal (CBC)

Toronto mayor wants island land returned after Ottawa blocks airport expansion (The Globe and Mail)

Climate anxiety is surging during a Toronto summer of extreme heat and smoke. How it’s impacting young Canadians (The Star)

Basketball Tree

Craig White — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Orange Functional is the name of Alexandre Arrechea's basketball tree, an art installation that doubles as a play feature, it's part of the Lassonde Art Trail at Biidaasige Park in Toronto's Port Lands. Situated at one of the Commissioners Street entrances to the park — the first chunk of the park that opened to acclaim last summer — the many-hooped orange steel and netted object makes for both an eye-catching element, and a challenge to basketball players to get the ball in ever-higher hoops.

Orange Functional is one of the art installations at Biidaasige Park, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor skycandy

This image comes to us courtesy of UrbanToronto Forum contributor skycandy. Want to see your work featured as a Daily Photo? You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.

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Michael Garron Hospital: Following Demolition, New Entrance, Gardens Taking Shape

Anthony Teles — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:48:06 -0400

Demolition of Michael Garron Hospital’s former A, B, C, and F Wings is complete, clearing the Coxwell Avenue frontage for reconstruction as the campus’s new address point. UrbanToronto’s last update was in September, 2025, when excavators were dismantling the mid-century wings beside the retained D Wing and the brand new, eight-storey Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre. Current work will deliver a reconfigured main entrance, vehicle drop-off loop, planted forecourt, upgraded pedestrian routes, and new campus connections. The renewal is designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, B+H Architects, and CannonDesign for Infrastructure Ontario.

By September, 2025, selective demolition has stripped the southwest wing’s end elevation, exposing its structural steel frame, floor slabs, masonry infill, and gutted rooms. Suspended ceilings, ductwork, conduit, partitions, and finishes remain visible across the open bays, with broken brick, concrete, and interior debris spread across the foreground and slab edges.

Looking northeast to the gutted southwest wing, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor christiesplits

In October, demolition opened the northwest wing’s east end. Window units have been removed from much of the adjoining elevation. At grade, one tracked excavator sorts fractured masonry and structural debris into stockpiles as a high-reach machine fitted with a pulverizer dismantles the facade.

Looking west to high-reaching demolition of the northwest wing, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor TwinHuey

Later that month, much of the southwest wing was reduced to a fractured concrete-and-steel shell. A high-reach excavator works against the remaining vertical bays, with crushed masonry, concrete, and salvaged steel accumulating along Coxwell Avenue. The partly intact west elevation retains rounded corner windows, brick cladding, and vertical precast detailing. A second tracked excavator works across the cleared footprint in front of the Patient Care Centre.

Looking northeast to the partially dismantled southwest wing and cleared entrance site, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor TwinHuey

By November, the former wings were largely reduced to grade, leaving a narrow central section standing amid extensive debris. Stockpiles trace the removed footprints along Coxwell Avenue. Excavators and support vehicles occupy the southern area planned for the permanent entrance garden and reconstructed arrival zone. Temporary trailers, service vehicles, and staging areas mark the northern portion intended for an interim lawn and garden.

A drone view looking southeast across the campus as demolition of the legacy wings nears completion, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor TwinHuey

This month, work has shifted to D Wing’s rehabilitation and construction of the new entrance grounds. The retained wing now shows repaired brick masonry, renewed window assemblies, and openings temporarily infilled with timber panels. An articulated boom lift reaches the sixth floor, where a worker is completing exterior work near the roofline and remaining structural steel. At grade, poured-concrete walkways, low brick seat walls and planters, benches, picnic tables, planting beds, and new vegetation are taking shape.

Looking east to the renovated D Wing and new entrance landscaping, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor flonicky

To its south, a route has been graded through the cleared footprint, with stone stockpiled ahead of final paving. Curved concrete edges define planting beds and circulation zones, including a partly planted bed with exposed irrigation lines on the right. Crews are installing hardscape, site furnishings, and outdoor features near the glazed entrance, and workers using an articulated boom lift continue construction of the entrance canopy.

Looking east across construction of the permanent main entrance garden, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor flonicky

The completed Coxwell frontage will include new planting, upgraded lighting, widened walkways, and direct links to the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre, centred on a forecourt designed by Ferris and Associates Inc. Farther north, the interim lawn and garden will occupy land that could accommodate a future hospital wing.

Looking east to the Michael Garron Hospital Renewal, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, B+H Architects, and CannonDesign for Infrastructure Ontario

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Yonge Line 1 North Extension: Preparing to go Underground

Nolan Xuereb — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:48:54 -0400

This past week, another major step was taken in the the expansion of Toronto's rapid transit system as excavation of the tunnel launch shaft for the Yonge North Subway Extension was completed. Located just south of Langstaff Road East in Markham's Thornhill area, the shaft will allow for the insertion of tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to excavate over 6 kilometres of twin tunnels, eventually linking up with Line 1's longstanding northern terminus at Finch station in Toronto.

The cutting face of one of two tunnel boring machines that will excavate the the YNSE extension to Richmond Hill, July 23, 2026, image courtesy of Infrastructure Ontario

First proposed in 2007, the Yonge North Subway Extension (YNSE) spent nearly two decades stalled in planning and political debate. A primary roadblock to once more extending Toronto’s first subway line was the sheer volume of ridership it already handles. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, southbound Line 1 trains heading downtown during the morning rush hour routinely reached maximum capacity before even arriving at Eglinton station. This chronic overcrowding left transit executives at Metrolinx and the TTC deeply hesitant to hook up more stations and inject thousands of additional commuters into an already strained network.

A map displaying the route of the under construction Yonge North Subway Extension, image courtesy of Metrolinx

Officials had long speculated that the opening of such an extension would be infeasible unless the long-awaited 'Downtown Relief Line' opened first to relieve pressure on Yonge Line 1 south of Bloor-Yonge station. After decades of false starts by the TTC, the Province of Ontario revived the Relief Line—rebranding it as Ontario Line 3—while simultaneously dedicating $5.6 billion to the YNSE. Three years later, in 2023, with work well underway on the Ontario Line, preliminary construction officially commenced on the YNSE project at Finch station - the current northern terminus of Yonge Line 1.

The Province of Ontario's Rapid Transit plan for the GTA, 2019, image courtesy of the Ministry of Transportation

Just under a year ago, major construction began on the extension's surface-to-underground portal ramp, a massive earthworks project designed to launch twin TBMs on their way deep underground. Situated southeast of the Yonge Street and Highway 407 interchange, the excavation site will transition the subway from an at-grade alignment within a rail corridor shared with CN Rail and GO Transit, to a tunnel.

One of the two tunnel boring machines that will excavate the the YNSE extension to Richmond Hill, July 23, 2026, image courtesy of Infrastructure Ontario

As it continues south, where the alignment will travel directly beneath the Royal Orchard neighbourhood, Metrolinx adjusted the design following community protest, to dig significantly deeper. To minimize noise, vibrations, and structural impacts on the single-family homes and school above, the TBMs will carve out a path at a typical depth of 22 to 29 metres below the surface.

A diagram and cross section of the YNSE's alignment between the East Don River and High Tech station, image courtesy of Metrolinx

In the months since the start of work on the portal, rapid progress has been made on the large, acre-plus excavation site adjacent to the active rail corridor. In the photo below from June 2026, shoring, and materials removal can be seen nearing completion.

Looking towards the nearly complete YNSE tunnel portal in June 2026 from a passing Richmond Hill line GO train, image courtesy of UrbanToronto forum contributor yrt+viva=1system

In addition to the progress on the tunnel portal, at the intersection of Yonge and Steeles, preparatory work is advancing as a number of expropriated properties await demolition. On the southwest corner, the once-bustling Hudson's Bay Company location at Centerpoint Mall sits vacant and cordoned off, ready for imminent clearing to make way for the new subway.

Looking west from Yonge Street towards the former Hudson's Bay Company's location at Centerpoint Mall, soon to be demolished for subway works, June 21, 2026, image courtesy of UrbanToronto forum contributor Edward Skira

Opposite to this, a strip plaza on the southeast corner of Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue has already been levelled, with hoarding up along the flow of traffic on Yonge Street.

Looking towards the southeast corner of the intersection of Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue, where a former plaza has already been demolished for station construction, June 21, 2026, image courtesy of UrbanToronto forum contributor Edward Skira

The levelling of this now-shuttered department store is necessary to allow for the temporary rerouting of Yonge Street during the construction of the future Steeles station under the current roadway. During this phase of work, Yonge Street will swing as far west as the current building face of Centerpoint Mall before jogging back east to meet Steeles Avenue at an angle.

This rerouting is set to start before the end of this year and remain in place through 2028—with no clear timeline having been provided by Metrolinx for when the roadworks will wrap up, or when the project as a whole will be completed.

A notice displaying the temporary rerouting of Yonge Street to facilitate the construction of Steeles station, image courtesy of Metrolinx

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on the Yonge North Subway Extension. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum threads or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

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Church Site at Weston GO/UPX Revised With 48- and 54-Storey Rental Towers

Anthony Teles — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:05:05 -0400

Castlepoint Numa has resubmitted plans to the City of Toronto for their Weston Park development, replacing its approved 46- and 50-storey design with 48 and 54 storey towers. Despite six added storeys, the new plans have a lower unit count, while the project shifts from condominium to rental tenure with 20% of the homes intended as affordable units. The redesign also introduces a revised conservation strategy involving partial retention and relocation of Weston Park Baptist Church. Studio JCI replaces Giannone Petricone Associates as architects, while associate architects SvN continue their involvement under the name WW+P following the companies' merger. The site is west of Weston GO and UP Express station, near other Castlepoint Numa proposals at 1798–1812 and 1828–1844 Weston Road.

Looking northwest to the Weston Park Development, Toronto, designed by Studio JCI and WW+P for Castlepoint Numa

The site spans 1865, 1871, 1879, and 1885 Weston Road at its southeast corner with Lawrence Avenue West. It contains a surface parking lot leased to Metrolinx, the circa-1947 Weston Park Baptist Church, and a wedge-shaped former Bank of Nova Scotia branch completed around 1962. Low-rise storefronts, irregular commercial parcels, and apartment buildings line the surrounding stretch of Weston Road.

Looking northeast to the current site, image retrieved from Google Maps

Castlepoint Numa first advanced Weston Park in 2021 as a 28- and 38-storey mixed-use proposal. Later Zoning and Site Plan submissions led to City Council approval in December, 2023 of the Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments, as well as the heritage permit, for 46- and 50-storey towers containing 1,032 units. Urban Strategies has submitted the new Site Plan Approval application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer.

Looking east to the previous design by SvN and Giannone Petricone Associates for Castlepoint Numa

The revised plan places two rental towers above an enlarged shared podium, with the taller western tower rising over the retained former bank and the eastern tower beside the relocated church. The western tower would reach 54 storeys and 174m, up from 50 storeys and 172.13m, retaining a 750m² floor-plate. The eastern tower would rise 48 storeys and 157m, compared with 46 storeys and 156.23m, with its floor-plate growing from 750m² to about 800m². The podium would increase from about 18m in height to 21.6m and extend across a larger footprint. Tower separation would vary, falling below 25m in places, with staggered walls, offset massing, and revised orientations reducing direct facing conditions.

Site plan, designed by Studio JCI and WW+P for Castlepoint Numa

Gross Floor Area rises from 66,747m² to 70,995m², including 66,570m² of residential space, up from 61,778m². Community space increases from 3,622m² to 3,877m², and retail falls from 1,347m² to 548m². The Floor Space Index rises from 15.01 to 15.96 times coverage of the 4,447m² site. Amenities would total 2,393m² indoors and 1,268m² outdoors, up from 1,254m² and 1,179m².

Looking south to the Weston Park Development, Toronto, designed by Studio JCI and WW+P for Castlepoint Numa

The residential program decreases from 1,032 condominium-oriented units to 908 rentals, with 20% intended as affordable housing through collaboration with Build Canada Homes and CMHC. The previous mix of 80 studios, 694 one-bedrooms, 155 two-bedrooms, and 103 three-bedrooms would be replaced by 450 one-bedrooms, 363 two-bedrooms, and 95 three-bedrooms. Four elevators are planned in each tower, meaning high speed motors will be required to provide prompt response times, even in the shorter east tower with 426 suites, (equaling one elevator for every 107 suites). In the taller west tower with 482 suites, a ratio of one elevator per 141 homes means that wait times are likely to be lengthy even when all elevators are operating.

Looking northeast to the podium, designed by Studio JCI and WW+P for Castlepoint Numa

Community uses would occupy the first underground level and the first three above-grade levels, including a 350- to 400-person worship and performance hall, full-sized gymnasium, flexible rooms, and church programming. The relocated church would form part of a new three-storey building on the east side of the site. ERA Architects’ revised conservation strategy would retain the principal facade, with parts of the original roof, trusses, and later additions removed. The former bank’s street-facing facades would remain in place and be incorporated into the west podium. Retail would front Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West.

Ground floor plan, designed by Studio JCI and WW+P for Castlepoint Numa

The plan retains two underground levels, with most parking moved into screened podium floors wrapped by residential and amenity uses. The 177 vehicle spaces would comprise 132 residential and 45 visitor spots, down from 222. Bicycle parking fell slightly from 1,043 to 1,037 spaces, including 827 long-term and 210 short-term spaces, ten of them publicly accessible. The expanded podium would add about 9,910m² of above-grade parking and related areas that the applicant seeks to exclude from GFA. Changes to the podium, floorplates, tower separation, and floor-area calculations will require minor variances through the Committee of Adjustment.

Weston GO and UP Express station sits immediately east of the site. Publicly access is planned via a pedestrian mews that follows a Toronto Water easement between Weston Road and the station lands. TTC buses serve Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West.

A map of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to City of Toronto

Weston Park is part of a growing cluster of high-rise proposals around the station. Northwest of the site, South Station is proposed at 42 storeys and 1956 Weston Road at 39 and 45 storeys. To the southeast are the 36-storey 1798–1812 Weston Road, 38-storey Hickory Tree Towers, 39-storey 16 Wilby Crescent, and 45-storey proposals at 1828–1844 Weston Road and 1821 Weston Road.

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News Roundup for July 27, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

A look at the condo crash’s silver lining, with Toronto developers seeing profit in building for seniors; the Lower Don Trail is reopening after years of delays — but it's not quite finished yet; laneway homes are a way for affordable housing and multi-generational living; and other news.

Condo crash’s silver lining: these Toronto developers see profit in building for seniors (The Star)

The Lower Don Trail is reopening after years of delays — but it's not quite finished yet (CBC)

Laneway homes a way for affordable housing, multi-generational living (The Star)

Stretch of Toronto could be temporarily co-named 'BTS Boulevard' (CBC)

Gordie Howe bridge to open to cars today after months of cross-border controversy (CityNews)

Barely one-third of Toronto’s FIFA FanFest premium tickets sold, early data shows (Global News)

The Billy Bishop airport fight 2.0: How Doug Ford’s jets vision rapidly soared — then crashed (The Star)

Canadian Koinobori

Craig White — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka's colourful piece, against the wind, with the wind indicates the direction of the wind passing through Biidaasige Park in Toronto's Port Lands. One of several new installations on the Lassonde Art Trail, the streamers represent several of the species of fish returning to the naturalized habitats carved into the former industrial landscape around the new mouth of the Don River where it meets Toronto Harbour. Dominating the background is the park's Atlas Crane, a reminder of the land's previous industrial uses.

New public art and the Atlas Crane are features of the Biidaasige Park extension, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor skycandy

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Biidaasige Park Grows with 10-Acre Waterfront Expansion in Toronto's Port Lands

Anthony Teles — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:27:29 -0400

Toronto’s eastern waterfront continued its transformation today as officials celebrated the 10-acre western expansion of Biidaasige Park ahead of its public opening on Saturday, July 25. The addition expands what is already the city’s largest new park in a generation. The announcement followed a procession from the sacred fire circle to the lectern, led by the Spring Creek Dancers and Ojibwe singers, with traditional dance performances marking the park’s Indigenous foundations.

Opening dance performance with the Toronto skyline behind, image by Anthony Teles

Ahead of the opening, UrbanToronto spoke with David O’Hara, Manager of Park Design with the City of Toronto’s Parks and Recreation division. He said the new phase shifts the park from the linear riverfront landscape opened last year toward a more active civic destination along the Inner Harbour.

“I think the portion of the park that we’re going to open up this coming weekend is going to be a more active part of the park,” said O’Hara. “It has active components like an event lawn, a more formal water’s edge promenade and, of course, the extension of the art trail. I also think it’s part of the park that will become part of Toronto’s iconic waterfront skyline, both from the park looking at the skyline and from elsewhere looking back on the park and the Port Lands.”

The ceremony brought together Indigenous leaders and representatives from all three levels of government. Speakers included Chief Margaret Sault of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, federal Environment, Climate Change and Nature Minister Julie Dabrusin, Mayor Olivia Chow, Spadina–Harbourfront MP Chi Nguyen, Ontario Acting Minister of Infrastructure Todd McCarthy, Waterfront Toronto President and CEO George Zegarac, Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto–Danforth), and Lassonde Art Trail Foundation Executive Director Chloe Catan. Waterfront Toronto Board Chair Kevin Sullivan served as emcee, with Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, agency representatives, members of the original Task Force to Bring Back the Don, and members of the public in attendance.

Procession to the Biidaasige Park opening conference, image by Anthony Teles

“Last summer we came together to open Biidaasige Park... Today that park is getting even bigger and more exciting,” said Sullivan. “These 10 new acres of parkland are bringing Canoe Cove, a new 3,000-person event lawn, and an expanded Water’s Edge Promenade.”

The new section brings Biidaasige Park to approximately 60 acres, with another five acres planned. Its main features include Canoe Cove, a pebble landing and paddling course for non-motorized watercraft, more than 250 metres of Water’s Edge Promenade, and an elevated promontory overlooking Lake Ontario, the Inner Harbour, and the downtown skyline. The landscape retains the Atlas Crane and elements of Marine Terminal 35, while the Lassonde Art Trail has gained seven installations by Ryan Gander, Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka, Lisa Hirmer, Virginia Overton, and Hank Willis Thomas.

“The land that we are on today was contaminated land,” said Dabrusin. “Now we are in a place where we have a beautiful park, new wetlands, and places for people to explore.”

Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature and Member of Parliament for Toronto–Danforth, speaks at the conference, image by Anthony Teles

The park is an outcome of the $1.4 billion Port Lands Flood Protection project, funded by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments. Work has created a new mouth for the Don River, protected approximately 174 hectares from flooding, established wetlands, fish habitat, and naturalized shorelines, and unlocked land for future development. Across the broader site, approximately 5,000 trees and more than one million plants have been introduced.

“The primary purpose of naturalizing the mouth of the river, and all the grading that went into it, was flood protection, so flood protection has been foundational,” said O’Hara. “Then there’s a layer of natural environment and habitat creation. Migratory corridors and the Don Greenway are really important aspects of the park system, and then it’s layering in trails in a sensitive way.” Dabrusin captured the scale of the work more directly: “We literally came together—the federal government, the province, the city, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. We moved the mouth of a river.”

Looking across the public lawn in the new section of Biidaasige Park, image by Michael Fernandes

Indigenous placekeeping appears throughout the park through its Anishinaabemowin name, ceremonial spaces, Indigenous plantings, marker trees, interpretive signage, Teaching Signifier Sturgeon Stones, and the Fire Holder by Solomon King. O’Hara said Indigenous participation shaped both the physical park and its future programming, sharing: “The Indigenous engagement — I would call it more than engagement — has been very hands-on. There are plantings, marker trees, educational opportunities like the Sturgeon Stones, and Fire Holder. Then there is the programming itself. We are creating a place for education, interpretation, and programming activation.”

Chief Sault connected those interventions to the Mississaugas of the Credit’s continuing relationship with the site: “This park represents more than a new public space. It represents an opportunity to reconnect people with the land, the water, and the stories that have existed here for many, many generations... For our people, the land is not simply something we use; it’s a relation. It’s the plants, the river, the waters, the animals. We’re all connected, and we have a responsibility to care for them.”

Chief Margaret Sault of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation addresses the crowd, image by Anthony Teles

Speakers repeatedly contrasted the new park with the former industrial landscape. Chow recalled the community-led effort to restore the Don River and the return of wildlife to land once defined by contamination and infrastructure.

“Forty years ago this land was industrial. It was fenced off, forgotten, polluted,” said Chow. “Slowly, the river came back to life. The salmon returned, the bald eagles came back. Families started picnicking where there had only been concrete and waste.”

Mayor Olivia Chow speaking to the audience, image by Anthony Teles

The park will form the public heart of the future Ookwemin Minising community, where approximately 21,000 residents and 2,900 jobs are planned over the next 25 years. Waterfront Toronto has begun the process of selecting a development partner for the island’s first 700 homes, with future rapid transit intended to support growth across the eastern waterfront.

“If we stood here in this very same spot just a few years ago, we would have been surrounded by industrial land, at risk of flooding, and with no housing potential,” said McCarthy. “But today, a new community is taking shape.”

Nguyen focused on the park’s role in the small moments of daily life. “Those moments may seem ordinary, but they’re what makes a city feel like home,” she said. “Long after today’s ceremony is over, this park will be filled with first picnics, first bike rides, first family traditions, and quiet moments that people will remember for years to come.”

The Atlas Crane rises above a reflecting pool at Biidaasige Park, image by Michael Fernandes

The City is already adjusting operations based on the popularity of the first phase. O’Hara said demand from paddlers, cyclists, anglers, tours, and school groups was strong, leading to plans for more shade, clearer wayfinding, interpretive signage, and stronger visitor-management measures.

“Shade is definitely one [lesson learned],” said O’Hara. “We will be installing additional umbrellas and shade structures in key areas of the park. Maintenance is another. Like any park, there are always things that we’re having to pivot and adjust as we move forward.” He added that strong interest in organized tours and school groups may require a more formal approach to visits, while further wayfinding and Indigenous-informed interpretive signage will be installed.

O’Hara concluded: “I think Biidaasige Park has the potential to do to Toronto almost what Millennium Park did to Chicago. This is going to be a really important space for the city overall, as an anchor for Ookwemin Minising and, frankly, the Port Lands overall. For others across the city, the Port Lands is a new frontier, and I think this starts to put that on the map a little bit more.” He also pointed to the park’s ecological significance, Indigenous programming, and role in connecting the Martin Goodman Trail with the Lower Don Trail.

The western extension of Biidaasige Park opens to the public on Saturday, July 25, so head to the Port Lands to explore this exciting new public space on the waterfront. We will keep you updated as development in and around Ookwemin Minising continues to progress, but in the meantime, you can tell us what you think by checking out the associated Forum thread or by leaving a comment in the space below on this page.

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Toronto’s Development-Infrastructure Gap: 'Transit First' on Queens Quay East

Guest Columnist, Thomas Bamonte — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:30:22 -0400

In many ways, Queens Quay West epitomizes Toronto’s urban renaissance in the late 20th century. Having usurped Montreal’s status as Canada’s largest city, and entered a period of significant population growth, the revitalization of it into what is now the Harbourfront neighbourhood was a major signifier of a new chapter in the city’s history. As it was transformed from a largely industrial area into a vibrant district complete with a streetcar line, walking & cycling promenades and numerous new residential communities, attention next turned to the eastern section of the city’s waterfront. Yet while Queens Quay East continues to be a burgeoning community that showcases some of the most distinct landmarks of Toronto’s development boom, the presence of the Gardiner Express way and the Union Station Rail Corridor serve to make it feel relatively isolated, a feeling that is exacerbated by the conspicuous lack of a streetcar line similar to its western counterpart. The absence of a streetcar and its effects on the neighbourhood are indicative of an issue that has become symbolic of how Toronto’s growth has occurred in a way that has left the city’s infrastructure struggling to keep up.

Queens Quay East at the Jarvis Slip, image by Thomas Bamonte

The saga of the streetcar line along Queens Quay East stretches back over twenty years. When redevelopment of the area was first proposed, it was planned that a new streetcar line east from Union Station would serve as the catalyst for development and create a walkable, transit-oriented community. Yet as condo buildings and George Brown’s new campus continued to pop up along Queens Quay, the project (known as the Waterfront East LRT) languished due to a lack of funding. As a result, residents (and real estate developers) who were for years promised a streetcar in dedicated lanes have had to make do with a series of bus routes - a level of transit coverage that is woefully inadequate for the level of development that has and is planned to occur in the corridor. While the necessity of providing better transit service to the redeveloped Port Lands has led to the Waterfront East LRT finally being funded, the years-long lack of urgency in doing the same for Queens Quay has laid bare the issue with not coordinating new developments with provision for necessary infrastructure.

Public realm along Queens Quay East in Quayside, image via Waterfront Toronto

As Toronto’s housing market recovers from its current slump and the wheels of development begin to turn once again, it is imperative that the creation of dense, new communities is accompanied by the transit infrastructure needed to adequately serve them. While the Waterfront East LRT will do much to connect Ookwemin Minising to the rest of the city, examples abound of other locations where investment in better transit in anticipation of upcoming development would do wonders. For instance, if the East Harbour neighbourhood is to reach the scale that has been proposed, then the planned Broadview streetcar extension should be considered an essential part of the project. In West Toronto, the St Clair streetcar’s long-proposed western extension — or even just a more frequent bus connection — will ideally come to fruition before the increasing number of new condos west of the Stockyards strains the existing, infrequent service.

Construction in Toronto's Port Lands, image by Thomas Bamonte

Perhaps the best model for this sort of “transit-first” development is the Golden Mile area along Eglinton Avenue East in Scarborough. Currently occupied by a number of big box stores and other low-density uses, in the future it is set to be the site of large masterplanned developments, all of which are being designed as transit-oriented communities along Line 5. While the merits of whether this particular transit route should have been an LRT, light metro or heavy rail can be endlessly debated, what is clear is that Line 5 is set to anchor one of Toronto’s highest potential growth corridors. Thus, if all goes according to plan, it will showcase the ways that a transit line built in advance of new development can serve as the catalyst for the transformation of neighbourhoods - in essence, doing in Scarborough what was promised for Queens Quay East.

Aerial view looking northeast to Golden Mile Shopping Centre Redevelopment, designed by Giannone Petricone Associates for Choice Properties REIT and The Daniels Corporation

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Thomas Bamonte is an urban planner with extensive experience in the real estate industry. He is based in Toronto and blogs at https://theurbanistfoodie.substack.com/

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UrbanToronto's research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe—from proposal through to completion. Other services include Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.

Biidaasige Park Extension Offers Art, Recreation, and Spectacular Views

Julian Mirabelli — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:40:07 -0400

In the summer of 2025, the first 49-acre section of Biidaasige Park opened to the public to much fanfare. Thousands of visitors have since made their way to the banks of the newly rerouted Don River and to Ookwemin Minising, the new island carved out of the former industrial site in Toronto's Port Lands. Now, a year later, the next phase of the park is opening to the public on July 25, adding an additional 10 acres of parkland directly on the shores of Lake Ontario. Stretching west of Cherry Street from the iconic yellow bridge to the lake, the expanded park includes a lookout point with skyline views, a canoe launch area, new public art, a fire pit, and a sloping 3000-person event lawn.

Aerial view looking west, image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto.

Even with the skies filled with a smoky wildfire haze when we toured the park, the quality of design and the integration of nature was evident, with many ducks, geese, and cranes already lounging along the waterfront. The design was led by Michael van Valkenburgh Associates (MMVA), who also designed the first phase of the park. Today's media tour should produce bluer photos — living up to the meaning of the Biidaasige Park's Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwemowin name, "sunlight shining toward us" — and hopefully your visit will too!

Looking west across Canoe Cove, image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto.

Entering off of Cherry Street, one passes by a small rocky plaza before arriving at the picnic area, filled with tables and eventually shade sails where visitors can sit and enjoy a snack. Adjacent the picnic area is a fenced-off grassy mound that will be home to a future pavilion, which is planned to contain a cafe, program spaces, and restrooms. Unfortunately, there is no timeline for construction of the pavilion as funding is not yet in place, but in the meantime, temporary washrooms have been provided near the Cherry Street entrance, and the City is exploring the idea of installing temporary food stalls.

Picnic area with future pavilion to be situated to the left, image by Julian Mirabelli.

Continuing along the path, one passes the east side of the canoe launch, with a rocky path descending to the water, along which is the first of seven new art pieces along the Lassonde Art Trail West, an extension of the existing trail from the eastern portion of the park. Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka's colourful piece, against the wind, with the wind, flutters in the breeze, alluding to the many fish species that have returned to the Don following its revitalization.

'against the wind, with the wind', 2026, by Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka, image by Julian Mirabelli.

The route through the park then meanders up a promontory to a lookout point with a 360-degree view. Facing west, the downtown skyline rises above the shores of Lake Ontario, opposite the Toronto Islands. Looking east, a view over Biidaasige Park and the Port Lands shows the extent of work that has been done in this area. And looking up, one can watch the planes flying overhead to and from Billy Bishop Airport. The promontory was built up using excavated earth from when the new riverbed was carved out of the brownfield lands, as well as from where the dock walls were taken down and the earth sloped back to a natural shoreline.

Along the path of the promontory, large limestone blocks form the retaining walls of the hill. The limestone was quarried in southern Ontario, and displays the natural colours and formations of the rock. Deeper limestone has a more reddish hue, while limestone closer to the surface is more grey, a colour that is common in many of the historical buildings around the city. MMVA decided to convey this geological history by forming a gradient in the promontory walls, where the base is formed of the deeper, redder stones, which transitions to a lighter grey, and finally a deeper grey of the surface stones used along the top courses of the wall.

The limstone gradient visible on the promontory walls, image by Julian Mirabelli.

This limestone is also used throughout the park for seating, with large rocks scattered about in naturally-formed shapes. These are surface stones from the quarries, or the top layer of rock exposed to the elements, and are not carved or cut to specific shapes, giving them their all-natural look.

Looking northwest toward the promontory, image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto.

The promontory also features scramble paths of large stones for the more adventurous visitors who wish to take the shorter but more challenging route to the top. The scrambles fit with the theme of the park, reconnecting the city with nature, and also follow the limestone colour pattern seen in the promontory walls.

One of the scramble paths up the side of the promontory, image by Julian Mirabelli.

To the north of the promontory is the event lawn, a sloping expanse of grass oriented toward the downtown skyline that has the capacity to host as many as 3000 people. An area at the base of the lawn has the infrastructure for hosting events with the skyline as a backdrop. The rest of the time, the slope is perfect for sunbathers and for watching the boats criss-cross the harbour.

Looking north over the event lawn, image by Julian Mirabelli.

Descending the promontory, one reaches the shores of Lake Ontario on the western edge of the park, along which is a promenade that offers more views of the city with a sprinkling of colourful artwork.

Esplanade along the waterfront, image by Julian Mirabelli.'Savario and Daisy (Navel)', 2018, by Hank Willis Thomas, image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto.

On the east side of the promenade is a series of columns which provide lighting, but are also a nod to Marine Terminal 35 (MT35), the expansive warehouse that once occupied this site. The light posts are located where the columns of MT35 used to be, providing a visual connection to the area's industrial heritage. Following the columns, one finds a rough white line that slashes across the winding paths and soil beds through the park; these are the original foundations of MT35, preserved as a marker of where this building once stood.

Aerial view looking northeast, image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto.

Heading back toward the east, one passes by the future location of a Kent Monkman art installation, scheduled to be delivered in September, and arrives at the western side of the canoe launch. A series of small islands dot the tiny harbour where visitors can paddle their way amongst the reeds on their way into the Don River or out to the lake.

Aerial view looking north, image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto.

A fire pit is situated opposite the islands, protected from prevailing winds by the promontory wall. The unique fire pit is designed by Solomon King, and features footprints imprinted into the stones, which gives a nod to the Indigenous history of this land.

Fire pit with promontory wall in background, image by Julian Mirabelli.

Continuing west along the trail, one arrives at the most striking element of the park - the Atlas crane. Installed in 1961, the Atlas crane was used for hoisting heavy cargo on and off the ships that came and went from the Port Lands. It is one of the last remaining cranes of its kind on the Great Lakes, and was meticulously restored to become a defining feature of the park. Below the crane is a plaza where visitors can mingle, and which should also be home to canoe and kayak rentals at some point in the near future.

View of the Atlas crane, image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto.The Atlas crane hoisting an old streetcar onto a freighter destined for Cairo in 1966, image courtesy of Ports Toronto.

The tour of the park extension ends below the yellow Cherry Street bridge, where a water taxi terminal now provides service between Biidaasige Park, Yonge Slip, and Portland Slip. Opening in June of this year, the east-west taxi service has already served roughly 5000 commuters, boosted by easy access to the FIFA World Cup events at Exhibition Place and the Bentway. The trail from the western portion of the park and the taxi dock passes below the bridge to connect with the eastern side of Biidaasige Park, completing the loop along the south edge of Ookwemin Minising.

Ookwemin Minising water taxi station, image by Julian Mirabelli.

More parkland is slated to come along the north edge of Ookwemin Minising facing the Keating Channel, which is estimated to be complete in 2029. Once development begins on the neighbourhood planned for the island, a pedestrian bridge will be built to extend the lakefront promenade on the west side of Biidaasige Park over the Keating Channel to connect to the Quayside lands, effectively extending the harbourfront trail directly into Ookwemin Minising.

Aerial view looking northwest with Atlas crane in the foreground, image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto.

The western extension of Biidaasige Park officially opens on July 25, so head to the Port Lands to explore this exciting new public space on the waterfront. We will keep you updated as development in and around Ookwemin Minising continues to progress, but in the meantime, you can tell us what you think by checking out the associated Forum thread or by leaving a comment in the space below on this page.

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News Roundup for July 24, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Alto high-speed rail company considering Kingston stop despite concerns; a look at weekend events in the city, including Ossfest, Gardiner/DVP closures, GO service adjustments; crews complete launch shaft for planned Toronto subway extension; and other news.

Alto high-speed rail company considering Kingston stop despite concerns (Global News)

Weekend need-to-know: Ossfest among events in Toronto; Gardiner/DVP closures, GO service adjustments (CityNews)

Crews complete launch shaft for planned Toronto subway extension (Global News)

This Toronto neighbourhood is one of 10 top trendiest places in Canada to stay this summer (The Star)

‘Stupidest’ Finch West station ramp underscores need for better transit accessibility design: advocates (CityNews)

More than a billion dollars has been spent on fixing the Don River. What would jets at Billy Bishop do to the city’s reborn green oasis? (The Star)

Up Yonge

Craig White — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

As the sun sets on another week, (and we can be glad the air is clearer), Toronto's buildings still glow, and especially is streets, none more so in our colelctive imagination than Yonge Street, which splits the city east and west, and now boasts the two tallest buildings in the country, both still under construction, one prominently at the foot of Yonge, dominating the right side of this spectacular drone view.

Looking up Yonge Street from its base in Toronto, with SkyTower growing on the right, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor kotsy

This image comes to us courtesy of UrbanToronto Forum contributor kotsy. Want to see your work featured as a Daily Photo? You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.

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Cranes Up for Affordable and Market Rentals at Victoria Park Station

Anthony Teles — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 17:00:00 -0400

Since UrbanToronto’s last update covering the October, 2025 ground breaking, work at 777 Victoria Park Avenue has progressed through excavation and into below-grade concrete construction, with two cranes now standing over the site at Victoria Park station. Designed by Sweeny &Co Architects for CreateTO, Alterra Group of Companies, and Mahogany Management, the development will pair 12- and 35-storey volumes containing purpose-built rental housing, retail, childcare, community facilities, and publicly accessible open space. Alongside 449 market-rate rentals, its 256 affordable homes, including deeply affordable options, are being delivered with support from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

Through Victoria Park station windows in April, 2026, excavation can be seen progressing across the site’s single underground level. Along the west perimeter fronting Victoria Park Avenue, we see the reinforced shoring system, while a graded earth ramp descends from street level into the centre of the pit. At the left, a red excavator works amid stockpiles of excavated soil.

Looking southwest across the single-level excavation, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor CLT

In a wider view from early May, 2026, a row of tieback anchors stabilizes the narrower south and longer west shoring walls. Near the centre of the pit, a pair of red-and-yellow excavators work beside stockpiles of soil, while at the south end, a concrete mixer truck feeds a white boom pump extending below grade. The pour is forming the concrete crane pad that will anchor the first tower crane.

Looking southwest toward the tower crane foundation pour, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor CLT

From an train entering the station, construction vehicles operate at the base of the pit and an earth access ramp descends from the southeast corner. Temporary timber edge protection encloses the excavation at grade, supplemented by yellow safety fencing along Victoria Park Avenue. In the foreground, compact excavators carry out roadway work amid stockpiled soil.

Looking southeast across the shored excavation, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Natika33

From Denton Avenue in late May, 2026, the site’s first crane rises in the south end of the pit for the future 12-storey building. Its mast is secured to a concrete foundation pad, surrounded by bundled rebar. Fresh concrete extends along the west side at the base of the pit, while excavators stand parked to the east and a large steel I-beam occupies the foreground to the right.

Looking north toward the newly installed tower crane and foundation work, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Natika33

In June, 2026, a rebar mat has been assembled around the crane base in preparation for a foundation-slab pour. Along the west shoring wall, crews work from two red scissor lifts as they install vertical reinforcement, with flexible black hoses routed through the below-grade work area. The concentration of workers and rebar to the left contrasts with the remaining earthwork zone to the east.

Looking northeast across the foundation rebar and below-grade construction, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor CLT

This month, below-grade construction has advanced across much of the excavation, with successive sections of the P1 floor slab now poured and wall formwork assembled around the crane. Reinforced-concrete columns rise from the slab with projecting vertical rebar emerging at grade from the wall and columns at the southwest corner. In the eastern foreground, a tightly spaced rebar mat awaits its concrete pour.

Looking northwest over the advancing P1 slab, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor CLT

In the last couple of days, since the last photos were posted to our thread, a second crane has been assembled onsite. Upon completion, the 46.63m mid-rise and 112.74m tower will contain 705 rental homes, comprising 449 market-rate and 256 affordable units.

Looking northeast to 777 Victoria Park Avenue, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects for CreateTO, Alterra Group of Companies, and Mahogany Management

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Community Building: Why Long-Term Thinking is Guiding Toronto's Next Generation of Development

UrbanToronto Sponsor — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:14:29 -0400

While the GTA market continues to face significant headwinds, the foundations for Toronto's next generation of communities are already taking shape. Across the region, investment is concentrating around higher-order transit, purpose-built rental housing, and mixed-use neighbourhoods planned with a long-term investment horizon.

In an earlier article, I discussed the rise of the portfolio model—where a growing number of developers have moved beyond considering geothermal one project at a time to incorporating it across their portfolios. While we continue to construct the geothermal infrastructure beneath each building, the technology is being considered more holistically as part of their broader development strategy.

Experience builds confidence. Learnings from successful projects are informing repeatable approaches. Developers are beginning to apply portfolio thinking to entire districts, particularly around higher-order transit where multiple phases, mixed uses and long investment horizons naturally reinforce one another. This evolution of community building anchors several major transit-oriented developments in the GTA supported by Diverso’s geoexchange infrastructure.

72 Perth Avenue by Castlepoint Numa and Hazelview Investments, a future 18-storey purpose-built rental community in Toronto’s Junction Triangle, image courtesy of Castlepoint Numa

Castlepoint Numa's redevelopment at 72 Perth Avenue, adjacent to the Bloor GO and UP Express stations, is transforming a former industrial district into a purpose-built rental community with an affordable housing component. Windmill Development's 2444 Eglinton East project across from Kennedy Station demonstrates how housing, transit and long-term community planning are increasingly being considered together. At 50 Wilson Heights, Greenwin, Kingsett Capital, and Tridel are partnering with the City of Toronto and CreateTO to deliver a large mixed-income community immediately adjacent to Wilson Station.

Although each project has its own objectives, they all reflect a broader shift toward planning communities with a longer investment horizon, where infrastructure decisions are evaluated not simply on initial construction costs but on how they contribute to neighbourhood performance over decades.

For institutional owners and purpose-built rental developers in particular, that longer-term perspective naturally extends beyond construction schedules and initial budgets to include the long-term performance of the assets they expect to own and operate for decades. Developers planning multiple buildings within the same neighbourhood naturally begin evaluating infrastructure at the community scale.

Realizing the benefits of community-level planning still requires developers to manage capital across projects that may be delivered over many years. That’s where Diverso’s single-building approach makes the most sense financially and practically. And our zero-cost utility model removes the biggest roadblock to adoption: upfront cost. By offering ownership of the geothermal infrastructure and delivering heating and cooling through a subscription-style utility service, we’ve removed one of the biggest barriers to adoption by eliminating the need for significant upfront capital investment.

A look inside the geothermal drilling operations at 72 Perth by Castlepoint Numa and Hazelview Investments

Geothermal on the ground floor of design and affordability

As Toronto continues to grow around higher-order transit, the conversation about city building is becoming more integrated. Housing, transportation, infrastructure and long-term affordability are no longer separate discussions—they increasingly influence one another. Communities that perform well over time will reflect decisions made early in the planning process, with infrastructure considered alongside architecture, mobility and public realm rather than after them.

Operating costs, maintenance requirements, energy price stability, and building durability all influence the cost of housing throughout its lifecycle. As governments increasingly tie financing and incentive programs to long-term building performance, infrastructure decisions are becoming investment imperatives as much as engineering choices.

This underlines one of the more significant shifts taking place—ownership models are beginning to influence design decisions much earlier in the development process. Developers planning to own and operate buildings for decades naturally evaluate infrastructure differently than those focused solely on project delivery. Energy systems have traditionally been evaluated one build at a time. Increasingly, they're becoming part of earlier conversations about community planning, lifecycle value and long-term asset performance.

Benji Perry (left), a former oilfield driller now working in geothermal, and Jacob Arseneau (right), one of Diverso’s first hires from Fleming College’s Resources Drilling Technician program, collaborate on site in Toronto

Future-proofing buildings against changing energy markets, evolving regulations, and growing expectations around building performance is now simply part of responsible asset management. Long-term operating costs, maintenance requirements, system reliability, and the ability to adapt to changing building performance standards are built into the design brief from the outset.

This shift is creating new opportunities for infrastructure that delivers value over the life of a building. Geothermal is increasingly being considered through that lens because it supports stable operating costs, integrates well with long-term ownership strategies, and can be applied consistently across multiple developments. As developers gain experience, those lessons can be carried from one project to the next, improving planning and reducing complexity in future developments.

The portfolio model began as a way of thinking differently about geothermal. Today it also provides a framework for building stronger communities. As developers plan the next generation of transit-oriented neighbourhoods, long-term thinking will continue to shape not only individual projects, but the city itself.

By Tim Weber, Co-Founder, Partner, and CEO of Diverso Energy

Height Boost Sought for MANGA Hotel in Fashion District

Anthony Teles — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:00:00 -0400

With construction already underway, Manga Hotels is seeking a Minor Variance approval to enlarge MANGA on Richmond & Camden, its two-tower Sweeny &Co Architects-designed hotel development in Toronto’s Fashion District. The application would add 30 suites and four more storeys atop its southern Camden Street Block, raising it from 15 to 19 storeys and bringing it roughly level with the 19-storey northern Richmond Steet Block. Situated near Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue, the hotel is rising near the under-construction Chinatown station on Ontario Line 3.

Looking northwest to the Camden Block at MANGA on Richmond & Camden, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for Manga Hotels

The through-block site encompasses 465–471 Richmond Street West and 38 Camden Street, east of Brant Street. Its Richmond frontage formerly held a two-storey commercial building and surface parking lot, both now demolished, while the retained south facade of the former three-storey building at 38 Camden is being incorporated into the project. The property sits within the Fashion District’s mix of offices, residences, shops, and restaurants.

Looking south from Richmond Street to onsite construction, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor citylightsLooking northwest to the heritage facade fronting Camden Street, image retrieved from Google Maps

First proposed through a 2019 Zoning By-law Amendment application, the project was appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal before mediation produced a revised 15- and 19-storey scheme. City Council endorsed the settlement in March, 2021, a Site Plan application followed that December, and the OLT issued its order in July, 2022.

Previous design for the Richmond Block by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for Manga Hotels

A site-specific By-law was enacted in August, 2023, permitting 362 hotel suites and up to 13,500m² of Gross Floor Area (GFA). After demolition and site preparation through 2025 and early 2026, construction began in May, 2026. Now, The Planning Partnership has submitted the Minor Variance application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developer.

Previous design for the Camden Block by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for Manga Hotels

The current design would retain the through-lot arrangement of two slender hotel blocks joined by a shared base building, with entrances on both Richmond and Camden streets. Both blocks would now rise 19 storeys, reaching heights of 61.11m and 61.63m, compared with the 15- and 17-storey buildings proposed in 2019. Relative to the 2023-approved scheme, nearly all of the added massing would be on Camden. The 11.1m separation between the blocks would remain unchanged.

Looking southwest to the Richmond Block at MANGA on Richmond & Camden, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for Manga Hotels

The revised hotel would contain 392 suites, up 30 from the 362 approved in 2023. Gross Floor Area would reach 15,784m², an increase of 1,028m² over the 2023 design. The resulting Floor Space Index would rise from 10.53 to 11.83 times coverage of the 1,334m² site. There would be 14,500m² of commercial space, with 523m² of retail and 133m² of office space. The Minor Variance seeks to raise the zoning maximum for non-residential GFA; the expanded and recategorized area would include approximately 1,171m² across the Camden Block’s four new floors, 697m² below grade for hotel operations, and 560m² of lobby, restaurant, and other common space now counted as non-residential GFA rather than amenity area.

Site plan, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for Manga Hotels

The retained south facade of 38 Camden would continue to be incorporated into the base building, overseen by ERA Architects, preserving the principal heritage element secured through the earlier settlement. The plans identify 403m² of indoor amenity space and 54m² outdoors.

Ground floor plan, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for Manga Hotels

Below grade, three levels would accommodate hotel support functions and two floors of valet parking accessed by a pair of car elevators. The 51-space garage would include 48 spaces accommodated on 24 mechanical stackers, supplemented by one parallel space and two medium-car spaces. This is an increase from the 29 spaces in 2023. Long-term bicycle parking would rise from 16 spaces in 2023 to 18, with another four short-term spaces along Richmond.

The site is approximately 300m, or a four-minute walk, from the under-construction Chinatown station, placing it within the Queen–Spadina Protected Major Transit Station Area. Surface transit includes stops for the 510 Spadina streetcar near Spadina and Richmond, while the 501 Queen streetcar runs roughly 150 to 200m north at Queen and Spadina.

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to City of Toronto

The proposal joins a busy development pipeline around King–Spadina. Farther west, The Addison Residences is proposed at 16 storeys, while the 15-storey 540 King West and 17-storey 445 Adelaide West Hotel are planned to the southwest. Northeast of the site, proposals include the 12-storey 170 Spadina, the Queen–Spadina Transit-Oriented Community’s 15-storey South Site and 17-storey North Site, and the 19-storey 450 Richmond West. To the east are the proposed 17-storey 8 Camden, 19-storey 457 Richmond West, and 24-storey 147 Spadina. A southeastern cluster includes the 16-storey 96 Spadina, 23-storey 460 King West, and 50-storey 101 Spadina, with the 58-storey Spadina Adelaide Square under construction.

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News Roundup for July 23, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

City Hall grants developer variances at property currently under investigation; TTC CEO says high customer satisfaction during World Cup offers lessons for everyday service; streetcars equipped with AI cameras to catch people who drive past open doors; and other news.

City Hall grants developer variances at property currently under investigation (CityNews)

TTC CEO says high customer satisfaction during World Cup offers lessons for everyday service (CBC)

Streetcars equipped with AI cameras to catch people who drive past open doors (CityNews)

A Toronto one-bedroom condo just sold for $290,000 — is this a new low? (The Star)

World Cup success shows extra investment in transit is worth it, TTC tells Toronto councillors (The Globe and Mail)

Sneak Peek

Craig White — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

This weekend brings with it opportunities to explore a chunk of Toronto waterfront that has been off-limits to the public for countless years: on Saturday the public will be welcomed into 10 additional acres of the year-old Biidaasige Park. Opened to acclaim, and love, last summer, the park around the new, naturalized mouth of the Don River is about to add a harbourside extension, one that greens the former industrial landscape while honouring its past with a restored Atlas cargo crane. We have much more to come on the new park in coming days!

Looking up through the masts of the Atlas crane in the new addition to Biidaasige Park, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Traycer

This image comes to us courtesy of UrbanToronto Forum contributor Traycer. Want to see your work featured as a Daily Photo? You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.

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UrbanToronto Tours Topped-Off One Delisle from Podium to Crown

Anthony TelesMichael Fernandes — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:54:00 -0400

UrbanToronto was recently invited to tour One Delisle at Yonge Street and Delisle Avenue in Toronto’s Deer Park neighbourhood. Developed by Slate Asset Management and Globizen Group, the 44-storey condominium tower is Studio Gang’s first Canadian commission, with WZMH Architects serving as Architect of Record. Rotating eight-storey volumetric modules transform its massing from a rectilinear podium into a near-cylindrical crown, creating a spiralling profile as it rises.

A distant view looking south to One Delisle, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Johnny Au

UrbanToronto previously provided an update on the site in June, 2026, when construction had topped off.

Looking east to One Delisle's podium and tower, image by Michael Fernandes

The tour begins inside the future ground-floor, a double-height space currently framed by exposed concrete columns and soffits, and crossed by insulated mechanical ductwork. Along the street-facing elevation, black structural framing outlines where the limestone facade of a previous building onsite — not heritage-designated but with character and value — will be reconstructed with new punched period-accurate windows in the openings above.

Looking into One Delisle’s future main entrance and reconstructed conservation facade, image by Michael Fernandes

North of the to-be-reconstructed wall along Yonge Street, a glazed curtain wall encloses approximately 6,000 ft² of retail frontage. Full-height vision glass and opaque spandrel panels sit in dark aluminum frames between exposed concrete columns. Unfinished concrete ceilings, suspended mechanical services, and temporary lighting rset the scene during the construction period.

Ground-floor retail space and curtain wall installation along Yonge Street, image by Michael Fernandes

Above on the second-level, a narrow section of the residential terrace will provide private outdoor spaces, separate from a shared outdoor amenity area, and connected directly to a spa. The unfinished podium roof's waterproofing membrane has been applied, while exposed concrete remains in other areas, while white aluminum cladding and dark glazing bring the tower's faceted envelope to the terrace edge.

Private section of the Level 2 residential terrace, looking toward the future spa, image by Michael Fernandes

To the west of the terrace, a future public park remains a construction staging area for the time being, site offices, formwork, bundled materials, access equipment, and a concrete mixer truck amongst the equipment and materials there currently.

Looking west from the second-floor terrace over the future public park site, image by Michael Fernandes

In another corner of the second-floor terrace, robust galvanized structural-steel members that will make up the crown above the penthouses are currently staged. Resting horizontally on temporary plywood protection, the beams feature prefabricated connection plates, ready to be hoisted by crane and assembled atop the tower.

Looking north across structural-steel crown members staged on the second-floor terrace, image by Michael Fernandes

Looking sharply upward makes the modular geometry particularly legible. At four-storey intervals, the floor plate contracts and pivots inward, creating stepped transitions within the larger eight-storey modules, and private terraces at successive levels as the rectilinear base approaches the near-cylindrical crown. White, powder-coated aluminum-clad piers follow the shifting slab edges, framing alternating bands of dark curtain wall and recessed balconies.

The tower’s rotating modules, stepped floor plates, and private terraces, image by Michael Fernandes

Inside, elevator-front installation is underway, with metal entrance frames and doors fitted but covered in protective film and guarded by temporary timber jambs. The opening is set within concrete masonry unit walls — atypical for a Toronto high-rise condominium, where elevator shafts are more commonly enclosed in cast-in-place concrete.

An elevator entrance installed within the concrete-block shaft enclosure, image by Michael Fernandes

On the fourth floor, a completed model suite demonstrates the interior finish standard with an Italian-manufactured kitchen featuring full-height, flat-panel cabinetry and appliances.

Italian-manufactured kitchen in the Level 4 model suite, image by Michael Fernandes

On an upper residential floor, an exposed demising-wall assembly comprises metal-stud framing packed with mineral-wool insulation. Used between suites instead of a solid concrete shear wall, the layered assembly improves acoustic separation and limits the transfer of odours.

An upper-level suite's insulated acoustic demising-wall assembly, image by Michael Fernandes

On the 44th floor, one of One Delisle’s six penthouses spans approximately 3,000 ft² directly beneath the crown. Exposed concrete slabs, walls, and perimeter columns currently define its expansive open floor plate, which extends toward broad facade openings and panoramic views.

Level 44 penthouse, image by Michael Fernandes

At the 45th level, the crown’s structural frame is beginning to project beyond the concrete roof slab. Galvanized steel columns and horizontal beams (matching those stored on the level 2 terrace) are being assembled with bolted connections to form a cantilevered perimeter support. Temporary edge protection remains as the skeletal frame extends above the penthouses.

Looking northeast from Level 45 to the steel framing under construction around the crown, image by Michael Fernandes

Inside the crown, closely spaced adjustable steel shoring posts support the concrete slab above during the curing process, while black structural-steel beams span sections of the open floor plate. The exterior self-climbing system allowed construction to advance before the elevator-zone slabs were infilled. The crown has no interior shear walls, leaving an open layout for its mechanical spaces and ongoing fit-out.

Inside the crown looking at shoring beneath the infilled elevator-zone slabs, image by Michael Fernandes

Hook-ended rebar projects from the slab along the footprint of a concrete curb yet to be formed. The raised curb will establish the enclosure base around the boiler and electrical rooms, separating these rooftop service spaces from the exposed slab. Additional galvanized crown-framing members await installation beneath the partially assembled steel superstructure.

Rebar for the future mechanical-room curb, image by Michael Fernandes

One Delisle stands 155m and will house 371 condominium units.

Looking south to One Delisle, designed by Studio Gang Architects and WZMH Architects for Slate Asset Management

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Flight Path Revision Returns 260 Adelaide West Plans to Full Height

Anthony Teles — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:47:09 -0400

A provincial revision to one of Downtown Toronto’s protected hospital helicopter flight paths has put the 61-storey redevelopment of 260 Adelaide Street West back on course after more than two years in limbo. First submitted in December, 2021 at 60 storeys, the proposal designed by Sweeny &Co Architects for CentreCourt and Rexton Developments in partnership with CreateTO, was revised to 61 storeys (196.8m), and its rezoning was approved by City Council in July, 2022.

Looking south to 260 Adelaide Street West, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for CentreCourt, Rexton, and CreateTO

However, stricter airspace controls introduced in January, 2024 threatened its approved height. Following further study, however, led to Ontario Regulation 161/26, filed in May, 2026, which has now reshaped the western flight corridor serving St Michael’s Hospital, allowing the previous zoning permissions to be used again.

Looking north to the previous proposal, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for CentreCourt and CreateTO

The conflict has extended across areas of Downtown, where three-dimensional flight path-related building restrictions protect ORNGE access to the rooftop heliports at SickKids and St Michael’s. After receiving authority under the federal Aeronautics Act, in 2017 Toronto enacted By-law 1432-2017, requiring buildings and temporary structures such as cranes to remain below or outside the hospitals’ approach and departure surfaces.

A subsequent aviation review found those limits too permissive for the hospitals’ H1-classified heliports. Unlike H2 facilities, H1 heliports lack suitable nearby emergency landing areas, yet their protected surfaces resembled the less restrictive H2 standard and did not adequately reflect Category A operations by ORNGE helicopters. If one engine fails beyond the takeoff decision point, an aircraft must be able to continue flying while clearing every obstacle by at least 4.5m, requiring shallower and more restrictive protected slopes.

Conceptual one-engine-inoperative helicopter recovery profile, image by Avia NG, via the Province of Ontario

By March, 2023, high-rise development had made St Michael’s eastern corridor unsuitable for departures, leaving it available only for arrivals even when winds favoured an eastbound route. A crane also temporarily disrupted SickKids’ western corridor, prompting ORNGE to warn that further towers and construction equipment could undermine direct air-ambulance access. At the Minister of Health’s request, the Province responded on January 26, 2024 with Ontario Regulation 10/24, imposing surfaces calibrated to helicopter emergency performance and the remaining airspace between Downtown obstacles. Initially set to expire in May, 2025, the controls were extended for another year while the maps were reviewed.

Although 260 Adelaide had zoning approval, it lacked a building permit when the order arrived. Since its exemption applied only to construction authorized by January 25, 2024, the tower became subject to the tighter surface; CreateTO later reported that this would have significantly reduced its permitted height.

2024 St Michael’s Hospital heliport flight path protection map, image by Avia NG, via the Province of Ontario

A resolution emerged when the hospitals’ aviation consultant reworked St Michael’s western corridor to account specifically for the previously accepted development at 260 Adelaide. Compared with the original four-part surface, the revised map shortens the fourth section from 450m to 400m and adds a 79.1m fifth section rising at 16%, while retaining the corridor’s overall 1,075m length. Ontario Regulation 161/26 gave the new geometry legal effect on May 28, 2026 and made the protections permanent.

Revised 2026 St Michael’s Hospital heliport flight path protection map, image by Avia NG, via the Province of Ontario

This was not a general rollback. The Province refused a requested map change for Atrium on Bay, left another at 15-17 Elm unresolved, and noted Transport Canada’s opposition to changes that would weaken existing safeguards. The Adelaide adjustment is therefore a targeted refinement within the stricter system.

Turning to the development itself, the mid-block site spans 2,754m² and extends from Adelaide north to Nelson between John and Duncan streets. It is currently occupied by Fire Station 332 and a low-rise commercial building at 254 Adelaide.

Looking northwest to the current site, image retrieved from Google Maps

The site would accommodate a mixed-use tower above a 12-storey podium. Its 52,752m² of Gross Floor Area, equal to a Floor Space Index of 19.05, would include 50,950m² of residential space, 652m² of retail, and 1,150m² of institutional uses. There would be 1,568m² of indoor and 821m² of outdoor amenities.

Looking north to 260 Adelaide Street West, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for CentreCourt, Rexton, and CreateTO

The 813 homes would comprise 651 condominium units and 162 affordable rental units, with the latter representing 20% of the total units in the building. The mixs include 41 studios, 563 one-bedrooms, 126 two-bedrooms, and 83 homes with three or more bedrooms. With six elevators, there would be approximately one for every 136 units, indicating particularly high-speed motors would be needed for adequate response times when all elevators are operational. Two underground levels would contain 87 resident and 10 visitor vehicle spaces, while bicycle parking would entail 732 long-term, 81 short-term, and six retail spots.

Ground floor plan, designed by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc for CentreCourt, Rexton, and CreateTO

Before redevelopment can take place, Fire Station 332 must first move to a new two-storey facility on the south side of Metro Hall, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects and Salter Pilon Architecture. CreateTO anticipates closing the Adelaide property transaction in the fourth quarter of 2027, subject to the relocation.

Proposed Metro Hall Fire Station & Child Care Centre, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects and Salter Pilon Architecture Inc for the City of Toronto

Along with the new residential suites at 260 Adelaide West, the new building would boast approximately 10,000 ft² of community agency space, a daycare, retail, and a new Toronto Paramedic Services post. A widened public realm would line Adelaide, while an open-air passage would connect Adelaide and Nelson streets with a new City park to the north of Nelson Street. The site is about 450m from Osgoode station on University Line 1, where an interchange with Ontario Line 3 is under construction, and 500m from St Andrew station, with King streetcars running approximately to the 300m south. Adelaide’s eastbound cycle track is paired with westbound lanes on Richmond and connects with north–south routes on Simcoe and University.

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to City of Toronto

The tower would add to the increasingly tall Entertainment District cluster. To the west are the planned 37- and 42-storey RioCan Hall and 52-storey 111 Peter, while 41-storey 241 Richmond is proposed north of the future park. East of the site are the 57-storey 150 Pearl, 63-storey Freed Hotel & Residences, and 67-storey 100 Simcoe. An 80-storey proposal at 212 King West has been cancelled. To the south are the 47-storey Natasha Residences, 48-storey 14 Duncan, and Forma’s 73-storey east tower under construction and planned 84-storey west tower.

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Line 2 Signalling Upgrade to Significantly Expand Capacity

Nolan Xuereb — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:45:40 -0400

This past week, the TTC announced a major capital investment in Bloor-Danforth Line 2, awarding a line-wide signalling upgrade to Hitachi Rail that promises up to a 40% increase in capacity on Toronto's east-west subway. To replace the over half-century-old "fixed-block" signalling technology installed during the initial construction of Line 2, the adoption of the new Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) system is projected to cost $402 million.

Councillor Michael Thompson, Mayor Olivia Chow, TTC CEO Mandeep Lali, TTC Chair Jamaal Myers, and Hitachi COO Arnaud Besse announce the awarding of the Line 2 signal upgrade contract, July 15, 2026, image courtesy of the TTC

At a July 15th press conference at Kipling station in Etobicoke, Mayor Olivia Chow, Hitachi Rail Canada COO Arnaud Besse, TTC CEO Mandeep Lali, TTC Chair Jamaal Myers, and Councillor Michael Thompson announced the nearly half-billion-dollar investment in Toronto's original crosstown rapid transit line. Lali detailed the anticipated benefits of the project, claiming that once complete, the upgrade would improve reliability on the line while allowing the TTC to provide increased service frequencies. This will be made possible thanks to the new signalling system's automated management of rail service, which tracks the precise location of every subway train on the line and ensures appropriate distances are maintained between them.

Looking north as two Line 2 trains travel across the Bloor-Danforth subway's viaduct over the Humber River, image courtesy of Numinosity (Gary J Wood) via https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27812568

Also known as Automatic Train Control (ATC), the technology is far from new to Toronto. In fact, CBTC signalling was invented in the city during the 1970s for use on the now-defunct Scarborough Rapid Transit line. Following decades of adoption on metro systems across the globe, the system was activated on Yonge-University Line 1 in September 2022 after a multi-year installation process. According to the TTC, the signalling upgrade has already saved countless labour hours and tens of millions of dollars by allowing the transit agency to adopt one-person train operations (OPTO), while also increasing reliability on the line.

A Yonge Line 1 train, already equipped with CBTC signalling, arrives at Union Station, image courtesy of Dillan Payne via https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=188117513

Despite the benefits to the TTC's operational budget, transit riders and advocates have noted troubling declines in both the speed of Line 1 and, contrary to past promises, train frequencies since the adoption of CBTC in 2022. Automatically operated, Line 1 trains now enter and depart stations at distinctly lower speeds than the manually operated trains on Lines 2 and 4, with top speeds on the north-south subway line also allegedly reduced following the signalling "improvement."

A Sheppard Line 4 train arrives at Sheppard Yonge station, image courtesy of Mike Wise via CBC's "Here's what you need to know about subway closures this weekend"

Because full implementation of the new signalling system is only scheduled for 2037—two years after Alstom delivers the last order of Line 2's new subway fleet—it will be well over a decade before these speed concerns can be tested. If similar speed reductions occur, Line 2 could lose its status as Toronto's fastest rapid transit line after adjusting for stop frequency—where it currently beats out the recently opened Lines 5 and 6 based on recent timings of the three lines across the same distance. This slowdown would threaten to lengthen commutes for suburban riders in Scarborough and Etobicoke who rely on the outer stretches of the line, particularly when combined with the now seemingly permanent presence of "slow-go zones" across Toronto's subway network.

A rendering of the rolling stock that will eventual provide service across Line 2 Bloor-Danforth, image courtesy of Alstom

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on the procurement of new signalling technology for Line 2 Bloor-Danforth. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum threads or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

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News Roundup for July 22, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Average new single-family home price drops 15% in June as townhome, semi sales surge; acclaimed Ontario art gallery to close for up to 3 years for redevelopment; a look at why disability advocates say changes are needed at Finch West station; and other news.

Average new single-family home price drops 15% in June as townhome, semi sales surge (The Star)

Acclaimed Ontario art gallery to close for up to 3 years for redevelopment (CBC)

‘The stupidest ramp in the world:’ Why disability advocates say changes are needed at Finch West Station (CP24)

New racetrack for Ontario Honda Dealers Indy under construction in Markham (CityNews)

Greater Toronto Area mayors draw up plans to protect local businesses as new U.S. tariffs loom (CBC)

Why late-night coffee is making a comeback in Toronto, with cafés staying open as late at 2 a.m. (The Star)

Hidden in Plain Sight

Craig White — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

There aren't too many Victorian windows, replete with divided-light, fixed upper sashes, that have a 100-metre-tall-plus crane behind them, but in Toronto, you never know what's behind a restored heritage wall. While 8 Elm continues its ascent to 69 storeys and 218.2m on our Downtown skyline, that monster will remain in place. Afterwards, bike storage and mechanical space on the second floor, and community facilties on the third, all in a brand new reinforced concrete shell.

Victorian divided-light windows with a crane behind them, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Nakita33

This image comes to us courtesy of UrbanToronto Forum contributor Nakita33. Want to see your work featured as a Daily Photo? You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.

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Who Makes The Sale? Survey Identifies Developer Brands, Features, Price Points That Matter Most

Anthony Teles — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:12:52 -0400

Housing affordability and economic uncertainty continue to shape purchasing decisions across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. UrbanToronto’s GTHA Home Buyers Survey provides insight into buyer sentiment, housing preferences, financial expectations, and developer brand awareness among 300 GTHA residents aged 25 and older considering a home purchase within the next three years.

Complementing UrbanToronto’s UTPro platform, which tracks development activity across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the survey adds the perspective of prospective buyers to support development, marketing, and sales strategies.

GTHA HOME BUYERS SURVEY

Buyer Priorities

Affordability is the leading barrier to homeownership (31%), followed by economic uncertainty (24%) and income or financial stability (19%). Purchase interest remains strongest for:

Detached and semi-detached homes: 53%
Condominium apartments: 43%
Freehold townhouses: 35%
Condo townhouses: 34%

Respondents reported an average intended purchase price of $895,000 and a comfortable monthly mortgage payment of $3,400. More than half (51%) said having saved enough money would trigger a purchase, while 28% identified as first-time buyers.

Housing Preferences

Among condominium buyers, 41% prefer two-bedroom units and 23% seek three-bedroom-or-larger layouts. The most important features are:

Parking: 66%
Balconies: 44%
Shared amenities: 38%

The survey also explores purchase timing, preferred locations, down payment expectations, mortgage comfort, and barriers to buying.

Developer Brand Strength

The survey measures awareness and perception of 25 residential developers across the GTHA. Tridel and Mattamy Homes lead in unaided recall and aided awareness, with Tridel receiving the strongest overall impressions. Other top-performing builders include Minto Communities, Tribute Communities, Pinnacle International, Liberty Development, Aspen Ridge Homes, The Daniels Corporation, Great Gulf, and Menkes Developments.

The report also examines likely developer choice and where prospective buyers encounter builder advertising, with social media and online platforms leading exposure.

Survey Details

Conducted online by Dufferin Research from March 13 to 23, 2026, the survey includes 300 GTHA residents aged 25 and older considering a home purchase within three years. It is the first edition of a study that will be conducted twice a year, in the spring and fall.

Please contact UrbanToronto for purchase details.

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Toronto Pearson Launches $1.5B Revitalization of Terminals 1 and 3

Anthony Teles — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:43:42 -0400

Toronto Pearson has launched a $1.5-billion overhaul of Terminals 1 and 3, the second major component of its Pearson LIFT (Long-term Investment in Facilities and Terminals) infrastructure program. UrbanToronto attended today’s announcement at Terminal 1, where the Greater Toronto Airports Authority named NORR-DIALOG, a joint venture of two Ontario-incorporated firms, as planning and design lead, with Canadian-headquartered PCL Construction serving as Construction Manager at Risk. The phased project will renew aging infrastructure and reshape the passenger journey while Canada’s busiest airport remains open.

Toronto Pearson officials and project partners, image by Anthony Teles

Karen Mazurkewich, Pearson’s Vice President of Stakeholder Relations and Communications, hosted the event. President and CEO Deborah Flint led the remarks, followed by Secretary of State and Brampton North–Caledon MP Ruby Sahota; Mississauga–Erin Mills MP Iqra Khalid; Ontario Associate Minister of Small Business and Mississauga–Streetsville MPP Nina Tangri; and Mississauga Deputy Mayor John Kovac. The project team was represented by PCL Vice President and District Manager Monique Buckberger, DIALOG partner Jim Anderson, and NORR Architects Vice President of Transportation Mark Boone.

Pearson LIFT is, according to Flint, the largest infrastructure program ever undertaken at a Canadian airport. Following years of planning and consultation, the terminal overhaul becomes its second major project after the May, 2026 groundbreaking for a separate $3-billion renewal of Pearson’s airfield and baggage systems.

Karen Mazurkewich, Vice-President of Stakeholder Relations and Communications at Toronto Pearson, addressing the audience, image by Anthony Teles

The program aims to make the terminals more dependable and ready for rising passenger volumes. Renewed infrastructure, upgraded digital systems, added operating capacity, expanded spaces, and reworked processing areas are intended to improve movement for arriving and departing travellers.

“This particular program is about reliability, digital enablement, and capacity at Pearson, providing more space, ease, and fluid movement for passengers,” Flint said.

Passenger-facing plans include larger terminal and check-in areas, upgraded security screening and processing, refreshed lounges, more charging stations, improved customs and immigration facilities, expanded retail and dining, new digital services, and better connections to parking and ground transportation.

Less-visible work will upgrade digital and static wayfinding, baggage processing, check-in technology, and building and operating systems behind the public areas. Energy-efficiency improvements include 45,000 new LED lights across the complex.

Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto Pearson, addressing the crowd, image by Anthony Teles

“I often notice in many airports that the signs are there for people who already know where they’re going, and so we’re going to make sure that’s not the case here at Pearson,” Flint said. “There’s a lot of work that’s going to go on behind the walls, underneath the floors, and inside operating systems that many passengers won’t ever see.”

The team was selected through a competitive procurement process launched in 2025, with bidders assessed on technical capability and their use of Canadian labour, suppliers, materials, equipment, and services. NORR-DIALOG will handle planning, architecture, engineering, and integrated design, while PCL will manage construction. All three firms have Canadian roots and previous Pearson experience. NORR’s history at the airport extends to John B. Parkin Associates, designer of the original Terminal 1, which opened in 1964.

Construction will be carefully sequenced to keep passenger routes, airline activities, and essential systems safe and functional at an airport that never closes. Buckberger said PCL would coordinate closely with Pearson, NORR-DIALOG, and other airport partners.

“The renovation program will be delivered in a live, 24/7 operating airport environment, where maintaining safe and uninterrupted operations for passengers, airlines, and airport partners is critical,” Buckberger said. “Our focus will be on executing carefully phased construction that keeps the airport operating efficiently while minimizing impacts for passengers and the broader airport community.”

Monique Buckberger, Vice-President and District Manager at PCL Construction, image by Anthony Teles

Anderson described Pearson as a setting for reunions, departures, business trips, and homecomings. Its new spaces are intended to serve travellers of different ages and abilities while projecting a welcoming, inclusive, and recognizably Canadian identity.

“As the design comes to life, you’ll see bright, modern spaces that are intuitive and accessible — spaces that reduce stress and increase comfort,” Anderson said. “This human-centred approach to design is intended to free travellers to spend less time thinking about the mechanics of travel and more time experiencing the joy of travel.”

Jim Anderson, Partner at DIALOG, speaking to attendees, image by Anthony Teles

NORR’s recent work at Pearson includes multiple renovations to the current Terminal 1 since its 2004 opening. Boone said NORR-DIALOG would combine that experience with technology-enabled design and expertise in phased aviation projects.

“We believe that the revitalization is an opportunity to create a new standard for the passenger journey at Pearson,” Boone said. “Every design decision will be guided by the goal of making travel more intuitive, welcoming, and efficient.”

Mark Boone, Vice-President of Transportation at NORR Architects, image by Anthony Teles

More than 47 million passengers used Pearson last year. The revitalization is expected to accommodate up to seven million additional annual travellers by 2031 and support a longer-term capacity of 65 million. Pearson projects airport employment will rise from roughly 52,000 to 68,000 jobs, adding 16,000 positions over the coming decade. That growth is forecast to generate another $9 billion in GDP and raise Pearson’s annual contribution to the Canadian economy to about $30 billion.

Sahota emphasized Pearson’s importance to national trade, cargo, security, and Peel’s logistics economy, while Khalid linked the announcement to earlier federal support for runway, check-in, border-processing, and transit-planning projects. Tangri highlighted Pearson’s role in Ontario’s tourism and global competitiveness. Kovac noted its support for Mississauga’s industrial and service sectors, its ability to attract investment, and its employment of about 7,700 city residents.

No construction schedule or completion date was announced. “This program is about more than upgrading terminals,” Boone said. “It’s about helping Pearson prepare for future demand with infrastructure that is more efficient, resilient, and adaptable.” Flint summarized the wider LIFT ambition as: “Better spaces, better systems, better journeys.”

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Latest Plans Further Revise 45-Storey Rental Tower Near Kipling Station

Anthony Teles — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:52:01 -0400

A new Site Plan Approval submission to the City of Toronto for 4 Beamish Drive brings revisions to a purpose-built rental proposal in Etobicoke's intensifying Six Points area. Designed by WZMH Architects for LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, and The Hi-Rise Group, the proposal tweaks massing, unit mix, and unit total, will remaining at the 45 storeys it has approved zoning for. The site is located within the Kipling Protected Major Transit Station Area.

Looking southeast to 4 Beamish Drive, designed by WZMH Architects for LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, and The Hi-Rise Group

The site is an assembly of 4, 6, 8, and 10 Beamish Drive on the west side of the short street that runs between Bloor and Dundas streets just west of where they converged in an interchange with Kipling Avenue until between 2017 and 2020 when the Six Points interchange was demolished and replaced with a new at-grade street configuration, formally kicking off reinvestment in the area. Following the issuance of demolition permits in September, 2025, the 4 Beamish site was cleared of detached houses that had been converted to commercial uses over the years. Surrounding the site, remaining low-rise residential and commercial properties are increasingly giving way to high-rise development around Bloor, Dundas Street West, and Kipling Avenue.

A high-angle view looking west to the current site, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Tim MacDonald

The 4 Beamish redevelopment plans date to 2019, when Triage Development, which later merged with Amdev, sought rezoning for a 35-storey residential tower. A settlement offer endorsed by City Council in 2023 advanced a larger scheme, with the Ontario Land Tribunal approving the resulting Zoning By-law Amendment in February, 2025. Fengate later acquired the property for $37.3 million with backing from pension-fund partners, followed by a Site Plan Approval application in 2025, and now revised submissions in both January and June of this year. MHBC Planning submitted the latest application to the City of Toronto on behalf of the developers.

Previous plan from 2025, designed by WZMH for LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, and The Hi-Rise GroupPrevious plan from January, 2026, designed by WZMH Architects for LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, and The Hi-Rise Group

The WZMH Architects-designed plans arrange a single 45-storey residential tower with retail space at grade. Although the storey count is unchanged from the 2025 proposal, the building’s height has increased from 143.7m to 148.1m. Massing revisions introduced through the resubmissions include a redesigned mechanical penthouse.

Looking north to 4 Beamish Drive, designed by WZMH Architects for LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, and The Hi-Rise Group

The tower is now planned to contain 509 purpose-built rental units, down from the 530 proposed in 2025. The unit mix is comprised of 41 studios, 288 one-bedrooms, 124 two-bedrooms, and 56 units with three or more bedrooms.Five elevators would serve the building, unchanged from 2025. With the lower unit count, the ratio improves from one elevator per 106 apartments to one per 102, indicating reasonable response times when all elevators are operational.

Site plan, designed by WZMH Architects for LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, and The Hi-Rise Group

Gross Floor Area would be 32,427m², up from 31,632m² in 2025, including 32,225m² of residential space and 202m² of retail, with residential increased from 31,392m² and commercial reduced from 240m². The Floor Space Index rises from 14.08 to 14.32 times coverage of the 2,347m² site. On the east side of the site, a 210m² POPS (Privately-Owned Publicly-accessible Space) is proposed beside the sidewalk. Tweaks to the plans allow it to be one square metre larger than what was proposed in the 2025 plans.

Ground floor plan, designed by WZMH Architects for LiUNA, Fengate Asset Management, and The Hi-Rise Group

Two underground levels would provide 68 motor vehicle spaces, down from 77 in 2025. Resident parking is reduced from 72 to 63 spaces, while the five visitor spaces remain unchanged. Bicycle parking also fell from 212 to 201 spaces, with the current plans calling for 173 long-term and 28 short-term spaces, compared with 182 long-term and 30 short-term spaces previously.

The site is about 600m from Kipling station entrances, an approximately eight-minute walk providing direct connections to Bloor Line 2, GO Transit rail and bus services, and MiWay buses. Longer-term transit improvements include the planned Dundas Bus Rapid Transit corridor, which would extend westward through Mississauga, Oakville, and Burlington toward Hamilton, while existing cycle tracks on Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West provide connections through the surrounding area.

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to City of Toronto

The proposal joins a growing cluster of high-rise development around the Six Points area. To the west, 8 Jopling Avenue South calls for 29- and 38-storey towers, 5 Jopling Avenue South is planned at 39 storeys, and the six-building Six Points Plaza redevelopment would range from eight to 45 storeys, including eight- and 36-storey buildings in its first phase west of the site. To the southwest, proposals at 5238 and 5280 Dundas Street West rise 41 and 42 storeys respectively, with a 50-storey tower planned farther southwest at 5359 Dundas Street West. Eastward, construction continues on the four-building, seven- to 16-storey Etobicoke Civic Centre complex and the 26- and 30-storey Stella, with proposals at 970 Kipling Avenue at 28 and 43 storeys and 3725 Bloor Street West at 43 storeys; farther east, Arcadia District would add four buildings ranging from 12 to 42 storeys.

* * *

Next CVU and UrbanToronto 2026 Walking Tour July 23

UrbanToronto Staff — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:10:36 -0400

UrbanToronto has partnered with the Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU, formerly the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) for a 2026 walking tour series examining how transit infrastructure and urban development have shaped Toronto’s growth. The Transit+Towers: Transit-Oriented Development in Toronto public tours follow Yonge Street along its corridor from Union Station to Midtown.

Organized by CVU’s Canada office, the 2026 program runs from late May through October, 2026, with evening departures scheduled across multiple dates, allowing participants to experience the city during active hours. Each tour is structured as a guided walk through key sites, pairing historical context with present-day conditions to illustrate how Toronto’s built form has evolved. The series is designed to engage both industry professionals and curious residents.

"Transit-oriented development shapes Toronto's most dynamic downtown neighbourhoods, where transit and towers grow up together," said Isaac Work of the CVU. "These tours are an opportunity to understand how the city is being built and who's shaping it. We're proud to partner with UrbanToronto to get people out into the urban classroom, the best venue for understanding how that relationship works on the ground.”

The two-hour walking tour examines how rapid transit investment has influenced growth along the Yonge Street corridor. Framed as a continuous case study stretching back to the subway’s 1954 debut, the route connects a sequence of sites where infrastructure and development have intersected in different ways over time, revealing how density, land use, and investment patterns have responded to transit access.

The CVU and UrbanToronto Transit+Towers walking tour stops to hear about about College Park, image by Will Miranda

Beginning at Union Station’s Great Hall and proceeding north to Yonge and Eglinton, the tour follows a five-stop route that moves through distinct phases of city-building. Early stops highlight the role of legacy infrastructure and adaptive reuse, from the regional hub at Union to the evolving block at College Park, while Bloor-Yonge introduces the complexities of large-scale redevelopment in a high-demand node. Farther north, St Clair presents a shift in built form and architectural expression, before the tour concludes at Eglinton, where new towers reflect intensification tied to Eglinton Line 5.

Across these stops, the tour explores the forces that shape transit-oriented development beyond planning policy alone. Participants are guided through examples of projects delayed or reshaped by financial pressures, sites where heritage considerations have influenced outcomes, and areas where construction activity has preceded the arrival of new transit service. With active construction sites, recently completed buildings, and emerging clusters all visible along the route, the experience offers a grounded look at how transit and development interact in practice across one of Toronto’s most important corridors.

Looking up to One Bloor West, sparkling in the sun, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor steveve

Complementing the transit-focused walk, CVU is also offering From the Ground Up: The PATH and Pedestrian Toronto, a tour centred on the city’s extensive underground network and its relationship to the public realm above. Beginning at Toronto City Hall, the route examines how roughly 30km of interconnected concourses, tunnels, and indoor spaces support daily movement through the downtown core, while also shaping how streets, plazas, and building entrances are designed at grade.

Tours for Transit+Towers are scheduled across four remaining dates from mid-July through October, with all departures from Union Station set for 5:30 PM:

Thursday, July 23 — coming soon, reserve the last few tickets now!
Tuesday, August 18
Thursday, September 17
Tuesday, October 20

Tickets can be purchased here. Participants are responsible for their own TTC fare(s). As the tour is planned for 2 hours, it should be accomplishable with one TTC fare as long as you're paying by Presto or a credit card.

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News Roundup for July 21, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Accessibility group slams Metrolinx for 'stupidest ramp,' lack of elevator at Finch West LRT; Salsa on St. Clair shooting sparks roundtable discussion on public safety as festival's future remains in limbo; Toronto still reviewing FIFA data following World Cup; and other news.

Accessibility group slams Metrolinx for 'stupidest ramp,' lack of elevator at Finch West LRT (CBC)

Salsa on St. Clair shooting sparks roundtable discussion on public safety as festival's future remains in limbo (CityNews)

Toronto still reviewing FIFA data following World Cup (Global News)

Can your landlord charge you hundreds of dollars more for using AC? Toronto tenants outraged by extra bills (The Star)

Ontario is in the middle of its worst wildfire season, early estimates suggest (CBC)

Explorer's Reward

Craig White — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

There are so many tall buildings in Downtown Toronto, one can block the view of the one you really want to see... so when you find a new place to get a great photo, it's always a plus. In this case, Canada's tallest building, SkyTower at Pinnacle One Yonge, can be seen climbing over 18 Yonge in this view from the new park over the rail tracks at CIBC SQUARE. If you stay on the sidewalk and don't go exploring, you'll never find this angle!

Looking up past 18 Yonge to Pinnacle One Yonge's SkyTower, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Civdis

This image comes to us courtesy of UrbanToronto Forum contributor Civdis. Want to see your work featured as a Daily Photo? You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.

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Coppley Building’s Heritage Transformation Progressing in Hamilton

Anthony Teles — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:42:00 -0400

Hamilton’s Coppley Building redevelopment is progressing as Core Urban Inc and Lintack Architects adapt two heritage structures at York Boulevard and MacNab Street North in the core of the city. The complex pairs an 1856 pre-Confederation limestone building — Hamilton’s largest surviving commercial structure of its era, and a longtime home of Coppley Apparel’s garment operations — with an adjoining 1911 red-brick industrial building. Since UrbanToronto’s December, 2025 update, work has brought the future boutique hotel, 36 rental homes, and commercial and community spaces, closer to occupancy.

From York Boulevard and MacNab Street North in March, 2026, the four-storey limestone building anchors the corner, with the narrower red brick block visible to the left. Behind temporary fences, a blue scissor lift carries crews to the third-floor facade, where rectangular window openings rise above arched, ground-floor window openings in the masonry walls. Up top, the reconstructed Mansard roof is substantially clad in slate, punctuated by metal-trimmed dormers and edged with copper flashing above the restored bracketed cornice.

Looking northwest from York Boulevard and MacNab Street North to facade restoration, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor vistaway

Full-height scaffolding also spans the limestone building’s north elevation as crews advance the fourth-floor Mansard addition. Weatherproofing protects unfinished roof sections, with slate shingles covering completed sections and timber-framed rough openings awaiting aluminum-framed skylights. Workers complete the roof assembly ahead of copper ridge-flashing installation, while areas of brick infill and ongoing masonry restoration remain visible across the rubble-stone wall below behind scaffold. To the west, the four-storey brick building has received new dark-framed windows, while a ground-floor arched opening remains covered with green weatherproofing, and the concrete elevator core rises through all four storeys.

Looking southwest to Mansard roof construction along the limestone building’s north elevation, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor vistaway

Looking east across York Boulevard in June, 2026, the brick building’s west elevation shows a nearly complete four-storey balcony stack serving the rental suites. The projecting steel-framed platforms feature light-grey slab-edge fascias, dark soffits, clear-glass guards, black metal rails, and opaque privacy screens. Exposed steel columns and diagonal X-bracing remain visible beside dark-framed glazed doors and windows opening onto the balconies. Along the York Boulevard roofline, installation of the Edwardian-style cornice is reinstating a strong horizontal crown above the restored brick facade.

Looking northeast from York Boulevard to new balconies and cornice work on the red-brick building, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Chris R.

In the courtyard, beams, columns, and diagonal bracing form the steel skeleton of the multilevel connection and future shared atrium between the limestone hotel and brick rental building. The structure will receive a four-storey aluminum-and-glass curtain wall with tapered mullions and a barrel-vaulted glazed roof, while a copper-clad canopy will mark the shared lobby entrance at grade. An articulated boom lift carries a crew member to a third-floor window opening in the brick facade, while another reaches the upper limestone wall for repointing and masonry repairs.

Looking south into the courtyard at the steel-framed bridging connection between the limestone and brick buildings, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Chris R.

This month, the view across MacNab Street showcases the restored east elevation of the 1856 building, with piers and voussoirs, arched ground-floor windows, bracketed stone cornices, and a central chimney-like roof feature. Slate shingles and copper edge and ridge flashing finish the steep Mansard roof, while regularly spaced dormers and the floors below contain dark-blue aluminum-clad, double-hung thermal windows. At grade, work continues within the central archway, where the restored wood lobby doors are being fixed open ahead of an aluminum entry screen and post-formed copper canopy.

Looking west from MacNab Street to restored limestone detailing, new windows, and the future hotel entrance, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor rdaner

While the originally targeted Summer-2026 opening is a miss, work on the Coppley Building redevelopment continues, getting closer to completion every day.

Looking northeast to the Coppley Builing redevelopment by Core Urban

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Honest Ed’s Park Opens in Mirvish Village

Anthony Teles — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:12:37 -0400

A new piece of public space has opened on Markham Street across the street from the former Honest Ed's store, with the City of Toronto having officially unveiled Honest Ed’s Park on Friday. Designed by PFS Studio and located within the Mirvish Village redevelopment, the park transforms a portion of the storied retail site into a City-owned green space shaped by gardens, gathering areas, and playful references to Ed Mirvish and his landmark bargain store.

An Honest Ed's inspired fountain in the park, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ADRM

The opening was marked by a ribbon-cutting attended by Mayor Olivia Chow, University—Rosedale MP Danielle Martin, Ward 11 Councillor Dianne Saxe, and David Mirvish, son of Honest Ed’s founder Ed Mirvish. Judy Leung, CFO of current Mirvish Village developer Peterson, also joined the ceremony, as the completed park formally entered the City’s public parks system.

“Honest Ed’s was more than a landmark. It was a place that brought people together and reflected the spirit of Toronto,” said Chow. “This new park carries that legacy forward by creating a welcoming green space where neighbours can gather, families can spend time together, and everyone can enjoy the outdoors in the heart of Mirvish Village.”

Ribbon cutting ceremony, image courtesy of City of Toronto

The park’s design dates to when the redevelopment was led by Westbank Corp. Landscape architects PFS Studio, based in Toronto and Vancouver, worked with Henriquez Partners Architects and the Mirvish Village Task Group to shape the new open space. Their concept translated the visual language of Honest Ed’s, particularly the sign’s exuberant curls and illuminated ornament, into the organizing geometry of the landscape.

That geometry is expressed through a sequence of intimate garden rooms, offering a whimsical take on the ordered layouts of a traditional French formal garden. Winding planted forms establish distinct areas for activity and quiet retreat, while pathways carry visitors between Markham Street, the adjacent pedestrian mews, a residential laneway, and the surrounding development.

Garden rooms and curved seating at Honest Ed's Park, image courtesy of City of Toronto

Ed Mirvish’s familiar refrain, “for the birds, cheep cheep cheep,” receives a literal interpretation through native plantings selected to attract birds, insects, and pollinators. A sculptural bird-bath water feature (its basin also recalling the former store’s marquee) animates the gardens with interactive jets and gentle sound, complemented by benches, picnic seating, and a raised wooden platform.

The plan evolved through several years of public consultation, beginning with neighbourhood visioning sessions in 2018 and 2019 and continuing through surveys and a virtual meeting in 2021. Feedback from the latter stages called for additional greenery, more trees, and a broader mix of seating, helping to refine the preferred design before it entered construction.

David Mirvish at the opening, image courtesy of City of Toronto

“The redevelopment of Honest Ed’s and Mirvish Village is a wonderful continuation of the community my parents built over many decades at Bathurst and Bloor,” said Mirvish. “Just as Honest Ed’s welcomed everyone and became a destination, Honest Ed’s Park will welcome everyone and offer a place to come together in the heart of the neighbourhood.”

The 1,213m² park forms part of the larger Mirvish Village redevelopment, a five-building complex rising from 13 to 26 storeys at the southwest corner of Bloor and Bathurst. The project adds 909 purpose-built rental homes, including 85 affordable units, together with office and retail space, restaurants, and restored heritage buildings; the reinstalled Honest Ed’s sign and forthcoming Honest Ed’s Alley provide further reminders of the site’s former life.

Honest Ed's vertical marquee has been hung by the entrance of the upcoming Honest Ed's Alley, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ADRM

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Four-Tower Development Advances in North Whitby

Anthony Teles — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:00:00 -0400

One of the larger intensification proposals in Whitby has received municipal approval following neighbourhood concern. NIGICO Holdings is proposing four mixed-use towers of 18 and 25 storeys, together with stacked and conventional townhouses, at Brock & Taunton in the Pringle Creek neighbourhood. Designed by Venchiarutti Gagliardi Architect, the development received approval from Whitby Council for its Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments in May, 2026, despite residents raising concerns about height, density, traffic, parking, and construction impacts. A Site Plan Approval application and Draft Plan of Condominium are still required.

A high-angle view looking southeast to Brock & Taunton, designed by Venchiarutti Gagliardi Architect Inc for NIGICO Holdings Inc

The vacant 30,878m² site is located at Brock Street North and Taunton Road East, north of Oglevie Drive. Commercial plazas occupy the northeast and northwest corners of the intersection, while a plaza and retirement residence stand to the west; townhouses line the site to the south, with further townhouses and another retirement residence to the east.

An aerial view of the site in blue and surrounding area, image from submission to Town of Whitby

The planning process began in March, 2025, shortly after Whitby Council adopted Official Plan Amendment (OPA) 139, which raised the site’s permitted height from 18 to 25 storeys and removed its density cap. With OPA 139 still awaiting provincial approval, NIGICO submitted applications seeking to raise the height limit from 18 to 25 storeys and the density limit from 300 to 350 units per net hectare, while revising the land-use boundaries and minimum height requirements to accommodate the townhouse component. The Province approved OPA 139 in March, 2026, making the height and density requests unnecessary, though amendments were still needed to permit three-storey townhouses on part of the lands. Whitby Council approved those changes in May, 2026, with a direction that access to Oglevie Drive be restricted through the future Site Plan process.

The site plan would organize the development around two high-rise blocks at the Brock and Taunton intersection, with four-storey stacked townhouses and three-storey street townhouses. Each high-rise block would pair 18- and 25-storey tower volumes above mixed-use podiums.

Site plan, designed by Venchiarutti Gagliardi Architect Inc for NIGICO Holdings Inc

Phase One would deliver the bulk of the project: four towers, two at 18 storeys and two at 25 storeys, containing 664 apartments, along with approximately 1,220m² of retail and commercial space at grade. This phase would also include four blocks of stacked back-to-back townhouses, each rising four storeys and containing 24 units, for a combined 96 townhouse units. Landscaped open space would anchor the corner of Brock and Taunton.

Phase Two would add six blocks of three-storey street townhouses, totalling 29 units, on the portion of the property closest to Oglevie Drive. The plans originally contemplated access from Oglevie with no vehicular connection to Phase One, but Council has directed that access to the local street be restricted, leaving the final circulation arrangement to be settled through Site Plan review.

There would be 789 homes across the development. Gross Floor Area would total 96,647m², including 95,427m² of residential and 1,220m² of commercial area, for a Floor Space Index of 3.13.

Brock/Taunton Major Central Area Secondary Plan, image from submission to Town of Whitby

Durham Region Transit service along both Brock Street North and Taunton Road East corridors provides north–south and east–west connections across Whitby, including links toward central Whitby, Whitby GO station, and the wider regional network.

Development activity around Brock and Taunton remains comparatively limited, with mostly low-rise proposals to the west and north. Farther east, the six-storey development at 850 Taunton Road East is under construction, while activity to the southeast includes Rossmont Green, proposed as a pair of five-storey buildings, and an 18-storey proposal at 700 Rossland Road East.

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News Roundup for July 20, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

TTC launches streetcar camera pilot Monday to catch drivers illegally passing open doors; Toronto's Hope House offers women path out of homelessness, but the city's far from supportive of housing goal; celebrations erupt on Toronto streets after Spain’s World Cup victory; and other news.

TTC launches streetcar camera pilot Monday to catch drivers illegally passing open doors (The Star)

Toronto's Hope House offers women path out of homelessness. But the city's far from supportive housing goal (CBC)

Celebrations erupt on Toronto streets after Spain’s World Cup victory (CityNews)

Municipalities, shelters grapple with protecting homeless population from smoky air (The Globe and Mail)

Toronto skies are clearing but for some families the fear of wildfire smoke still lingers (The Star)

Ownership questions between city and TDSB around Toronto building prevent revitalization (CBC)

Toronto’s condo presale model isn’t working. Here’s how to build without it (The Star)

Reinforcing the Spine

Craig White — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Hurontario Street has long been the spine of Mississauga, dividing east and west as it carries traffic all the way from Lake Ontario to the where this roadway crosses into Brampton on its way ever northward. The asphalt spine is currently being widened and reinforced with steel and concrete so that it can soon carry many more transit passengers via LRT, from Port Credit GO to Cooksville GO and on to Mississauga City Centre and far beyond. The predictability of rail transit should be a boon for locals once it has opened... if only an opening date were predictable too.

Looking northwest up Hurontario Street where it interchanges with the QEW, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Tim MacDonald

This image comes to us courtesy of UrbanToronto Forum contributor Tim MacDonald. Want to see your work featured as a Daily Photo? You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.

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Crown Cladding Underway as One Bloor West Sheds Rail Climbing System

Anthony Teles — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 16:49:02 -0400

The Rail Climbing System (RCS) that once wrapped the elevations of the 85-storey One Bloor West has come down, clearing the way for crews to complete the tower’s crown as cladding installation advances across its steel-framed crown. The Foster + Partners and Core Architects-designed 'supertall' at Yonge and Bloor streets is being completed by Tridel, with notable progress across its upper floors since UrbanToronto’s last update in April, 2026.

By late June, 2026, dismantling of the three RCS's on the west, north, and east facades had entered its final stages. With the suspended work platforms now removed, only the bridge-like trusses and paired climbing units remained at the top of the tower's elevations. New facade panels enclose the 80th and 81st floors on the east face, with partial cladding extending across several levels above. In the meantime, cladding of the Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) chamber had begun atop the building.

Looking northwest after the RCS platforms have been removed and facade installation advances on the east elevation, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor jer1961

Earlier this month, additional curtain wall glazing fills portions of One Bloor West’s upper elevations. The east RCS was the first to lose its bridge-like truss, while the west elevation retained its long steel truss above the exposed upper floors. At the crown, the braced structural-steel frame of the TMD chamber rises above newly installed steel cladding assemblies.

Looking northeast in early July to the west RCS truss and weatherproofing enclosing portions of the crown, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor jer1961

In this drone view, One Bloor West’s crown is defined by a dense steel cage of robust H-beams, perimeter trusses, corner connectors, and diagonal bracing linking the megacolumn extensions to the central TMD enclosure. Green and blue weatherproofing protect the chamber’s south face ahead of the application of its final skin, while cladding wraps a portion of the southeast megacolumn extension in front of the weatherproofing. On the roof slab below, bundles of framing members and other construction materials are staged.

A drone view looking northwest across the crown’s structural-steel framing and central tuned mass damper enclosure, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor kotsy

While newly installed curtain wall panels can be seen on the east facade, the tower's south elevation remains the least enclosed of the four, owing to the crane and construction hoists attached to it. Above, new cladding subframes wrap the east-facing megacolumn extensions, establishing the support system for the megacolumn extensions' forthcoming exterior panels.

Looking northwest to the nearly enclosed south elevation and advancing curtain wall installation on the east face, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor jer1961

The cleared north elevation, with its two climbing units still attached to the megacolumns, shows the final six-storey volume framed with its lowest two floors enclosed, partial curtain wall panels across the middle two levels, and the upper pair still awaiting their exterior skin. The west truss remains visible at the right. Below, the upper mechanical section is recessed behind dark louvres: mechanical sections interrupt the elevations every 18 floors as the building rises.

Looking south to the north elevation as facade infill advances across the final six-storey volume below the crown, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor kris

One Bloor West now stands 308.6m tall. Before its interior reconfiguration by Tridel, the building was to contain 416 residential units, though a revised total has yet to be announced, while news of an operator for the 139-room hotel planned for the lower levels is also anticipated.

Looking south to One Bloor West, designed by Foster + Partners and Core Architects, developed by Tridel

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Industry Updates: Housing Starts Down, Home Sales Up, Charges Reduced

Anthony Teles — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:00:00 -0400

This month's industry updates highlight housing market conditions, investment activity, and continued discussion around measures to support new residential development across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. New data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) point to improving home sales alongside continued challenges affecting housing starts, while Hazelview Investments announced a new multi-residential investment fund targeting rental housing in Canada's major urban markets. At the same time, organizations including the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) and the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) continue advancing industry advocacy, professional development, and networking opportunities, alongside cultural programming and public events taking place across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.

Toronto skyline, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor skycandy

Announcements

TRREB Reports Stronger June Home Sales Across the GTA
TRREB reports that Greater Toronto Area home sales continued to strengthen in June, with 6,770 transactions completed through the MLS® System, up 9.4% compared with the same month last year, as new listings declined 12.9% year over year. TRREB says improving market conditions through the second quarter align with its forecast for stronger activity in the second half of 2026, supported by tightening inventory and pent-up buyer demand. The organization notes that average selling prices remain below year-ago levels, though the pace of annual price declines has continued to moderate.

BILD Highlights Benefits of Development Charge Reduction Program
BILD has highlighted the potential benefits of Ontario’s new Development Charge Reduction Program, describing reduced municipal development charges as a key measure to improve housing project viability and support new home construction. According to BILD, the program enables participating municipalities to reduce development charges while receiving provincial and federal funding for eligible growth-related infrastructure, helping stimulate housing starts, protect employment, and provide greater certainty for infrastructure investment.

CMHC Reports Lower June Housing Starts
CMHC reports that the national six-month trend in housing starts declined 2.8% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 248,123 units, while actual housing starts in centres with populations over 10,000 fell 13% year over year. According to CMHC, higher development costs, market uncertainty, weaker demand, and elevated inventories of unsold homes continue to weigh on new residential construction, with 2026 housing starts expected to remain below last year’s levels. Among Canada’s largest metropolitan areas, Toronto recorded a 25% year-over-year increase in housing starts driven by multi-unit construction, while Montréal posted gains and Vancouver experienced a notable decline.

Hazelview Announces First Close of Multi-Residential Investment Fund
Hazelview Investments has announced the first close of its Hazelview Canadian Multi-Residential Fund VI, securing $150 million in equity commitments from Canadian institutional and private investors. The closed-end fund will target value-add purpose-built rental properties across supply-constrained urban markets in Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, with a seven-year investment horizon and a second closing planned for mid-2027. According to Hazelview, the fund will leverage the firm’s investment, development, and property management platform to acquire and improve rental housing while responding to continued demand for multi-residential assets across Canada.

Events & Awards

BILD to Host Custom Builder & Renovator Summer Social
BILD will host its annual Custom Builder & Renovator Summer Social on July 23 at The Brick Midnorthern Commercial Design Centre in Richmond Hill, bringing together builders, renovators, designers, and other industry professionals for an evening of networking. Held in the showroom setting, the event is designed to encourage informal conversations and new business connections without a formal program. Attendance is limited to provide a more intimate networking experience for members and industry participants.

OHBA to Host Reception During AMO Conference
OHBA will host its annual reception during the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference on August 18 at Metropolitain Brasserie in Ottawa. The event will bring together municipal decision-makers and representatives from Ontario’s residential development industry for an evening of networking and discussion. The reception is intended to encourage dialogue on housing delivery, planning, and other issues affecting communities across the province.

Sankofa Square Expands Cultural Celebration into Three-Day Festival
Sankofa Square will host the inaugural SankofaFest from August 21 to 23, expanding last year’s Sankofa Day into a three-day celebration of African diasporic culture in Downtown Toronto. Timed to coincide with UNESCO’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, the free festival will feature fashion, live music, film, art, sports, and community programming through partnerships with organizations including African Fashion Week Toronto, the Caribbean Film Festival, and SOCAN.

BILD to Host Builder Invitational Golf Tournament
BILD will host its annual Builder Invitational Golf Tournament on August 26 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, bringing together members of the residential construction industry for a day of networking and recreation. Open exclusively to BILD members, the tournament will welcome builders, developers, renovators, trades, and suppliers, with participation structured to encourage connections across the industry. This year’s event will emphasize hospitality throughout the day with on-course food and beverage offerings in place of a traditional post-round reception.

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Everyone, from construction workers to brokers to real estate executives are encouraged to share news with us to be featured in our weekly updates. If you have some industry-related news to share, let us know by contacting us here.

Toronto FC's Farm Team to Move to New Barrie Stadium

Anthony Teles — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Plans have been unveiled for Barrie Stadium, a purpose-built soccer venue by a partnership of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, MLS Next Pro, the City of Barrie, and Barrie Stadium Group. The project would become the new home of Toronto FC II, Toronto FC's farm team, which is set to relocate from York University's York Lions Stadium beginning with the 2028-2029 season. Toronto FC II — to be renamed Barrie MLS Next Pro— plays within the MLS Next Pro professional development league for Major League Soccer clubs.

Looking southwest to Barrie Stadium, via the Maple Leaf Sports + Entertainment, City of Barrie, MLS Next Pro, and Barrie Stadium Group

Proposed at 125 Dunlop Street West, at its southwest corner with Bradford Street, the site was formerly occupied by the demolished Barrie Central Collegiate Institute. The facility would feature a fully covered grandstand, executive suites, a premier club lounge, field-side seating, and a rooftop terrace overlooking Kempenfelt Bay. Beyond serving as a home for professional soccer, the venue is intended to host concerts, festivals, community events, and other sports such as rugby and lacrosse throughout the year. The stadium would have a permanent seating capacity of 3,500 for soccer, but is designed to accommodate larger crowds by expanding to more than 6,500 spectators for sporting events and up to 8,500 for concerts.

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image retrieved from Google Maps

The stadium would also include a 450-space surface parking lot to support visitors attending events throughout the year. The site is surrounded by a mix of civic, commercial, and emerging residential uses. Located on the western edge of Downtown Barrie, the site is positioned within walking distance of the city’s commercial core and near Kempenfelt Bay, and is within reach of local transit services. The property is approximately 2km north of Allandale Waterfront GO station, which provides GO Transit rail service on the Barrie Line alongside connecting bus routes.

Looking south to the current site, image retrieved from Google Maps

The City of Barrie is investing $26 million toward the project, with Barrie Stadium Group partnering in the stadium’s development and long-term operation. Site planning is currently underway, with construction anticipated to begin in late 2026 or early 2027 ahead of the team’s planned arrival in 2028.

The project is part of Barrie’s broader effort to concentrate major civic destinations in its downtown while supporting ongoing revitalization west of the core. The Barrie Stadium site was previously planned for a new Barrie Performing Arts Centre, first unveiled in 2023. The two-storey Hariri Pontarini Architects-designed cultural venue is now planned to overlook Kempenfelt Bay adjacent to Barrie's signature Spirit Catcher sculpture. The centre is advancing through design development ahead of anticipated construction beginning in 2027. UrbanToronto will take a closer look at that project in a future story.

Architectural model for the Barrie Performing Arts Centre, designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects for City of Barrie

The stadium proposal, with the relocated Barrie Performing Arts Centre planned further east along the waterfront, joins an intensifying downtown and waterfront district. To the east, 34-50 Bradford Street is proposed with 25- and 29-storey towers, while Barrie Lakeshore Developments would add four towers ranging from 25 to 45 storeys. To the northeast, 73-79 Toronto Street is proposed at 30 storeys, Debut Waterfront Residences first 33-storey tower is complete, with a second of equal height planned next to it, while a further cluster includes the 27-storey Grand Opera Tower, 47-53 Collier Street at 32 storeys, and 50 Worsley Street with two 33-storey towers. South of the site, Harmony Village Lake Simcoe is a stale proposal at 25 storeys, alongside the 36-storey proposal at 97-101 Bradford Street, two 45-storey towers at 126-140 Bradford Street, and five towers ranging from 46 to 56 storeys at 145 Bradford Street.

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on these developments, but in the meantime, you can learn more about them from our Database files, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversations in the associated Project Forum threads or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

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News Roundup for July 17, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Orange air quality warning persists across GTA, with temporary relief expected in afternoon; union denounces CN for sending rail crew through active wildfire in Ontario; a look at Toronto events this weekend, including Bloordale going car-free; and other news.

Orange air quality warning persists across GTA, with temporary relief expected in afternoon (CBC)

Union denounces CN for sending rail crew through active wildfire in Ontario (Global News)

Weekend need-to-know: Bloordale goes car-free (CityNews)

Beloved Geary pasta spot Famiglia Baldassarre to close restaurant doors: ‘It’s been a really good run’ (The Star)

City-run outdoor pools among other closures in Toronto due to poor air quality (CityNews)

Blue Skies

Craig White — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

It's another beautiful day in Toronto, where we're not at all affected by the choices made by the provincial government to cut forest fire-fighting budgets, or federal government policy that underplays concerns around climate change, or America's gutted environmental controls that affect weather patterns across borders. Breathe it all in!

Looking up through Toronto towers to clear blue skies, July, 2026, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Towered

This image comes to us courtesy of UrbanToronto Forum contributor Towered. Want to see your work featured as a Daily Photo? You can post in the City Photos & Videos section of the UrbanToronto Forum, or submit your images to our UrbanToronto Flickr Pool for your chance to be featured on our Front Page.

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Cladding Advances at Topped Off Cielo Condos in The Annex

Anthony Teles — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:58:25 -0400

Construction continues at Cielo Condos following the project’s topping-off celebration in May, 2026 and UrbanToronto’s look at the panoramic views from the top floor the following month. Designed by KPMB Architects for Collecdev-Markee Developments, the 34-storey mixed-use development is rising at the northwest corner of Bloor and Huron streets in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood.

Since UrbanToronto’s last construction update in April, 2026, exterior enclosure has continued to progress, as podium construction advances alongside the ongoing restoration and integration of the retained Bloor Street United Church and George C. Pidgeon House walls, with heritage conservation overseen by ERA Architects.

A close-up of the tower’s southeast corner from June, 2026 reveals reflective window wall glazing and light gray spandrel panels at the slab edges, framed by white aluminum cladding panels projecting beyond the glazing plane. Along the lower portion of the cantilevered volume, angled precast panels form a faceted expression beneath the windows, while the exposed concrete soffit remains visible below. To the right, the east elevation’s projecting balcony slabs are lined with red temporary guardrails and supported by shoring posts.

A close-up looking northwest of the southeast facade’s advancing cladding system, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Benito

Looking toward the east elevation, the southern volume on the left has received window wall glazing up to approximately the 25th, 21st, and 20th floors of the tower, depending upon the section. Down and to the right, a second crane remains active over the northern portion of the site, where construction continues on the podium that will cantilever above the TTC subway tunnels below.

Looking west to the east elevation and ongoing cladding installation, image by Ed Skira

From Bloor Street West, the aluminum cladding has advanced to approximately the 26th floor along the south elevation and the 25th floor on the east, paired with dark window wall glazing and grey spandrel panels below. White weatherproofing remains visible on the south face of the projecting eastern volume. The tower’s residential floors cantilever above the glazed podium, while below, the retained Gothic Revival stone walls of Bloor Street United Church remain supported by sections of heritage retention scaffolding along both Bloor and Huron streets.

Looking northwest from Bloor Street to the tower rising above the retained church walls, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ProjectEnd

Work continues on the mixed-use podium beneath the topped-off tower, where curtain wall glazing spans the second through fourth floors of the projecting southwest corner, wrapping from the south elevation onto the east face. Framed by vertical mullions and opaque spandrel panels, this glazed volume will accommodate office, community, and amenity spaces, while an open structural bay between it and the retained Gothic Revival church walls marks the area where the reconstructed sanctuary will reconnect with the new building. Above, glazing appears fully installed for the tower’s recessed central bay.

Looking northeast from Bloor Street to the glazed podium and heritage restoration, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ProjectEnd

This month, from the bus terminal at Spadina station, the west elevation’s construction hoist continues to provide access to the top level, where we see the thicker concrete roof slab. In the foreground below, yellow weatherproofing encloses the neighbouring KESKUS Estonian Cultural Centre. Behind it, work continues on Cielo's northern podium, which will accommodate office, resident, and community uses.

Looking east from Spadina station to Cielo Condos’ west elevation, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor AlbertC

Cielo Condos stands 130.35m tall and will deliver 349 condominium suites.

A high-angle view looking south to Cielo Condos, designed by KPMB Architects for Collecdev-Markee Developments

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UTPro Dashboard Report: Summer Moderates Construction, But PreCon Still Growing

Ash Navabi — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 15:23:23 -0400

As the summer gets alternately hot or smoky enough to shut down outdoor events, new data from UTPro shows that new construction has grown at a slower rate than filing paperwork for new proposals. Overall, development continues to increase in the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Our UTPro Public Dashboard provides a snapshot of development activity in the Greater Golden Horseshoe at any given time. Each month, we highlight a snippet of what's going on: the scale of planned development, what’s actively being built, and how much residential vs. non-residential space is underway.

The UTPro Dashboard as of July 15, 2026.

The pipeline at a glance

As of June 16, 2026, in the 10 regions of the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Toronto, Durham, Halton, Peel, York, Hamilton, Simcoe, Waterloo, Wellington, and Niagara), there are 3,693 projects in pre-construction, an increase of 22 from the 3,671 last previous month. In total, there is about 1.481 billion square feet of Gross Floor Area in pre-construction (up 0.9% from 1.468 billion last month), of which 1.168 billion ft² is residential GFA (up 0.3% from last month's 1.157 billion ft²) for 1.823 million dwelling units (up 1.01% from 1.804 million units last month).

Under construction projects also increased to 718, up 13 from 705 last month. There is about 199.7 million ft² of Gross Floor Area under construction (up 0.3% from 199.2 million ft² last month), of which 130.8 million ft² is residential GFA (up 0.3% from 130.4 million ft² last month) for 238,958 dwelling units (up 0.1% from 238,645 from last month).

Looking south to One Delisle, with One Bloor West and several other cranes in the background. Image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Johnny Au.

Get More Data By Subscribing to UTPro

UTPro subscribers get access to many more dashboards and our full data set of over 150 fields from which they can create custom reports and maps tracking development projects across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Find out how to unlock all our data here.

Whitby GO Transit-Oriented Community Proposed with Six Towers Rising to 45 Storeys

Anthony Teles — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:01:12 -0400

Infrastructure Ontario has submitted plans for a Transit-Oriented Community (TOC) on the Whitby GO station lands that would introduce six mixed-use towers ranging from 33 to 45 storeys. Designed by KIRKOR Architects and Planners, the proposal would replace the existing commuter parking lot with a high-density community featuring replacement parking beneath the development. Located in the Whitby GO Protected Major Transit Station Area, the project would introduce the tallest buildings yet proposed in the intensifying Port Whitby area.

A high-angle view looking northeast to the Whitby Transit-Oriented Community, designed by KIRKOR Architects and Planners for Infrastructure Ontario

The proposal applies to the approximately 20,900m² property at 200 Victoria Street West, occupying the northeast corner of Victoria Street West and South Service Road, between Byron Street South and Henry Street. The site accommodates 777 parking spaces alongside pedestrian infrastructure, including an elevated walkway linking the lot to the station platforms. Beyond the immediate surroundings are established residential neighbourhoods, while a small creek and natural heritage area lie immediately west of the site.

Looking west to the current site, image from submission to Town of Whitby

The master plan organizes the site into four blocks. Three blocks would accommodate six mixed-use towers, while a fourth block would contain a public park above underground GO commuter parking. The north block would contain 38- and 45-storey towers, the central block a 33- and 35-storey pair, and the south block another 38- and 45-storey pair. Each building would rise from a six-storey podium, with approximately 750m² tower floor-plates and a minimum 25m separation between towers. The four tallest towers would each be served by four elevators, while the 35- and 33-storey buildings would each contain three elevators.

Site plan, designed by KIRKOR Architects and Planners for Infrastructure Ontario

With a Floor Space Index of 7.27 times coverage of the property, the proposal would introduce 2,353 residential units within 150,348m² of residential Gross Floor Area (GFA), complemented by 1,844m² of at-grade commercial and community space for a total GFA of 152,192m². The residential mix would comprise 235 studios, 1,177 one-bedroom units, 706 two-bedroom units, and 235 three-bedroom units. Retail and community uses would be concentrated primarily along Victoria Street West and South Service Road, with townhouse units lining Byron Street.

Ground floor uses, image from submission to Town of Whitby

The new 0.23-hectare public park would be designed to connect with the adjacent natural heritage area to the west and would be complemented by a landscaped Green Spine running along South Service Road, incorporating a multi-use path leading toward the station. At the north end of the site, a pedestrian plaza beside the existing pick-up and drop-off area would improve access to the station’s elevated pedestrian bridge through a weather-protected walkway. Mid-block pedestrian routes, landscaped retail plazas, and outdoor residential amenity areas would create additional pedestrian connections throughout the site.

Looking north to the public park, image from submission to Town of Whitby

The existing surface commuter parking would be relocated underground through a phased construction strategy intended to maintain GO operations throughout redevelopment. Four underground parking structures, ranging from four to five levels below grade, would provide a total of 2,042 parking spaces, including 1,265 resident spaces and a one-for-one replacement of the existing GO commuter stalls, alongside 1,427 bicycle parking spots distributed across the site and near the station. Development is envisioned in three flexible phases that could proceed from either the south or centre, allowing the public park to be delivered during either the first or second phase, while the final phase would complete the northern buildings and upgraded connections to the station.

Looking southeast to the northern podiums and pedestrian plaza, image from submission to Town of Whitby

The site directly adjoins Whitby GO station on the Lakeshore East line. The station also serves as a hub for Durham Region Transit, with routes connecting to downtown Whitby and surrounding communities. For cyclists, an off-road multi-use path on the south side of Victoria Street connects to the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail.

A map of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to Town of Whitby

The proposal would be among other redevelopments seen in the Whitby GO area. The eight-storey 1202 Green Street is proposed to the north. To the south, 101 Victoria Street West would rise 12 storeys, 108 Victoria Street would reach 18 storeys, and 1636 Charles Street would introduce four towers ranging from 28 to 36 storeys. To the west, the planned Nordeagle community envisions 27 buildings ranging from six to 41 storeys, with its first phase including 33- and 38-storey towers.

Looking southeast to the Whitby Transit-Oriented Community, designed by KIRKOR Architects and Planners for Infrastructure Ontario

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News Roundup for July 16, 2026

UrbanToronto Staff — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

No break for borrowers on variable-rate mortgages, but fixed rates have eased; Toronto’s air quality impacted for 2nd day due to Northwestern Ontario wildfire smoke; TTC to ponder options after arbitrator orders it to stop random drug testing of workers; and other news.

No break for borrowers on variable-rate mortgages, but fixed rates have eased (The Star)

Toronto’s air quality impacted for 2nd day due to Northwestern Ontario wildfire smoke (CityNews)

TTC to ponder options after arbitrator orders it to stop random drug testing of workers (CBC)

Opinion: He spoke out against a development at Mississauga mall. They sued. He won (The Star)

Homeowner battles City of Toronto in property line dispute (CityNews)