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As the December chill in Toronto's air heralds the end of another year, UrbanToronto wraps up 2023 with a warm cup of nostalgia, looking back at the city's ever-changing landscape. While UrbanToronto looked back over 20 Years and to our future, the present was quite the story too, as developments reached new heights or faced new challenges. So, let's cozy up and stroll down the memory lane of Toronto's urban transformation, and UrbanToronto’s evolution.
UrbanToronto’s Growth
It was a remarkable year for UrbanToronto, where we saw a surge in both our editorial content and data services. With over 24 million page views, we published over 1,180 stories and attracted more than 300,000 unique visitors, and we thank all of you for each and every click. The year also saw a staggering 504% growth in social media reach, with TikTok posts reaching up to 1.4 million views.
UrbanToronto's data services expanded to cover the entire Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), adding over 1,345 new projects to the database, bringing the total to 4,750, and increasing the number of companies in the database to over 7,900. For the first time, we emerged as a data company, with over half our business coming from data services. We pride ourselves in our vital role in providing comprehensive data on construction projects in the GTHA.
Major Developments Reaching New Heights (and Depths)
We covered plenty of projects throughout the year, but a few definitely stood out, consistently ranking at or near the top of our monthly top 10 lists.
The One
We continued to closely follow the developments of The One, the 91-storey supertall project at Bloor and Yonge. UrbanToronto provided detailed updates on construction progress, including the installation of the Rail Climbing System (RCS), a unique construction system allowing for continued work on the tower’s exterior finishes.
The One entered receivership in 2023, which was a significant and much-discussed news story. Despite this, $315 million in additional financing was secured to fund ongoing construction and development costs, so Mizrahi Developments continues to build. To see it first-hand, our coverage also included a hard-hat tour, offering insights into unique aspects of the construction process. These intimate updates provided the public with a glimpse into the complexities and scale of such a monumental project.
Pinnacle One Yonge
In 2023, Pinnacle One Yonge made significant strides in its development, and made headlines with the announcement of a height increase for two of its towers when the City's Planning Department recommended the approval of Pinnacle International's request to increase the height of the second and third phases of the Pinnacle One Yonge development.
The story ran when the proposal was still a recommendation, but it has since been approved by the City Council. As such. Phase 2 of the project, which is already under construction, will reach a staggering 105 storeys, making it the first building in Canada to exceed the 100-storey milestone. It will be the tallest building in Canada, with a height of 344.58m — about the same height as the CN Tower’s 360 Restaurant.
The Well
A few years ago now, deep below 410 Front Street West, the excavation for The Well, one of Canada's most ambitious mixed-use endeavours, was paving the way for a geothermal system utilizing cold water from the Lake Ontario as a sustainable source of air conditioning. This year we attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony held on November 17, 2023, marking the initial opening of key phases of The Well. Over 250 attendees, including officials and community group representatives, were present.
UrbanToronto also took an exclusive tour of The Well guided by its General Manager, Anthony Casalanguida, that highlighted the unique design ethos and commitment to sustainability, while getting an inside look at its public spaces like the central atrium, as well as its shops, even a sneak peek at Wellington Market, set to open in 2024.
Venturing upwards, we also had an exclusive tour of BDP Quadrangle’s two-storey offices on the 20th and 21st floors. Led by Sami Kazemi, a Principal of the firm, we got to see features such as “pop desking”, which allows employees the flexibility of different workstations, and an office designed to incorporated multiple communal spaces.
Toronto's Housing Crisis and Affordable Housing Initiatives
The ongoing housing and affordability crisis was a critical talking point throughout 2023, with UrbanToronto reporting on several significant developments regarding Toronto's approach to this crisis and affordable housing initiatives.
The City of Toronto released a comprehensive housing report in October that proposed generational changes aimed at building more affordable housing. The report suggested a series of reforms and new strategies to increase the availability of affordable housing in the city. These changes looked to boost the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan with 25,000 rent-controlled homes, for a total of 65,000 by 2030.
A month later, Toronto approved a new plan aimed at overhauling its affordable housing strategy. The focus of this strategy, a series of recommendations in the Generational Transformation of Toronto’s Housing System, was on creating more affordable housing options for residents, in response to the increasing demand and the challenges many face in finding affordable living spaces in Toronto.
This month, Toronto celebrated the opening of affordable housing at Birchmount Green in Scarborough. Birchmount Green consists of 220 mixed affordable and supportive rental homes as part of Toronto's commitment to expanding its affordable housing stock and offering more residents access to quality, affordable living spaces. Prospective tenants were chosen through a randomized selection process.
20 Years of UrbanToronto
Celebrating two decades of chronicling Toronto's urban evolution, we marked 20 Years in October 2023 with a month-long deep dive into what has made us tick, and also looked ahead at what the future may bring. We ran a special a series of "Then and Now" features, reflecting on the dramatic transformations of the city's landscape, we considered the top architectural stories, community growth moments, and our ongoing pursuit of capturing the essence of Toronto's dynamic urban journey, inviting readers to reminisce and marvel at the city's journey. We conducted exclusive interviews with individuals such as Vic Gupta of CreateTO, also tipped our hat to Forum contributors who have made all this possible. UrbanToronto cannot thank our readers and contributors enough for all you have done to make this site what it is.
You can find all our anniversary coverage from that month on our 20th Anniversary page.
...And That’s a Wrap!
And just like that, the curtain falls on 2023, leaving behind a skyline that's a little taller, a city a little older. It's been a journey of towering aspirations and community connections. As we say goodbye to this year, we look forward with eager anticipation to what the next will bring. Toronto never ceases to amaze, and we at UrbanToronto can't wait to continue chronicling its story.
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UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
