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Construction has officially begun at 275 Merton Street in Midtown Toronto, where CreateTO and Collecdev-Markee Developments have broken ground on a 494-unit purpose-built rental community. The project, rising on a decommissioned municipal office property, combines public and private parcels to deliver a mix of market and affordable homes, including 148 affordable units, alongside new retail space and a mid-block pedestrian link to the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail. Mayor Olivia Chow, Jennifer Keesmaat, CEO of Collecdev-Markee, and Vic Gupta, CEO of CreateTO, led today’s ceremony celebrating the project.
The development replaces a former Toronto Water office west of Mount Pleasant Boulevard with a contemporary rental building designed by gh3. The structure will rise above a ground floor lined with retail and community space, framing a new pedestrian connection linking Merton Street to the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail. Across its 494 homes, the building introduces a range of unit types including family-oriented two- and three-bedroom layouts. Meeting the Toronto Green Standard, the project targets strong environmental performance.
The project forms part of Toronto’s HousingTO 2020–2030 Action Plan, a ten-year framework aiming to deliver 65,000 rent-controlled homes, including 41,000 affordable rentals, 17,500 rent-controlled homes, and 6,500 rent-geared-to-income units. It is one of nearly 100 City-owned sites identified for housing and demonstrates how publicly held land can be leveraged to build faster and maintain long-term affordability. The City has committed more than $8 million in incentives and fee reductions to support the project.
“People in Toronto need homes they can afford,” said Chow. “Soon, what was once a Toronto Water site will become 494 new homes, including 148 income-based homes for nurses, construction workers, and families who deserve to live where they work.” She added, “We are investing over $8 million in incentives and leveraging City land to make housing more affordable.”
CreateTO led negotiations to merge the City-owned parcel with the neighbouring Collecdev-Markee property, forming a unified site that increases housing capacity and introduces new public connections. The partnership model shortens delivery timelines and sets a precedent for similar collaborations across Toronto’s inventory of City-owned lands. Officials from both CreateTO and Collecdev-Markee described the project as proof that coordinated planning between the public and private sectors can accelerate construction and improve affordability outcomes.
“275 Merton is an example of collaboration in action,” said Gupta. “By combining a City-owned parcel with the developer’s property next door, we created more housing and more public space. This didn’t happen by chance—it happened because we were all willing to think differently.” Councillor of Ward 14 and CreateTO Board Member Paula Fletcher added, “From idea to groundbreaking in 14 months, this project is proof that we can build housing faster when we work together. It’s a real triumph of housing policy in action.”
The building’s affordable and market-rate homes share identical design standards, reinforcing the project’s inclusive intent. Keesmaat credited the rapid delivery to close coordination among Collecdev-Markee, gh3, CreateTO, and City staff, noting that the development advanced through a single design iteration, an uncommon pace for a project of this scale. She also recognized gh3 architect Vanessa Abram and Collecdev-Markee’s Director of Development Carolynna Gabriel for their dedication throughout the expedited planning and design process.
As speeches concluded, attendees joined Mayor Olivia Chow to turn the first shovels of earth, marking the formal start of construction. “This project shows what’s possible when public land, private expertise, and strong political will come together,” said Keesmaat. “It’s a model for how we can build complete, inclusive communities in the heart of the city, with homes for people at every income level.”
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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| Related Companies: | Bousfields, Collecdev-Markee Developments, gh3 |
