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As the calendar has turned to another month, a look back at December shows that transit was firmly at the centre of Toronto’s city-building conversation. The opening of Finch West Line 6 set the tone. Long-awaited in the northwest of the city, its implications for other new rail lines spilled over into broader discussions on the Eglinton Line 5, the Ontario Line 3, and expanding regional ambitions. Meanwhile, proposed towers located within Major Transit Station Areas and continued downtown intensification kept other news prominent through the month.
Let's review our top stories, database files, and threads for December, 2025.
Our Top Ten Most Read News Stories
City Council decisions in December drew lots of attention for Zoning approvals, refusals, and settlements, which came in at #11, #12, and #14, respectively, of our most read stories. Along with thousands of new market-rate units, approvals and settlements secured over 800 affordable rental units across the city.
14. City Council December, 2025 Zoning Settlements: Large-Scale Housing, City-Wide Policy
12. City Council December, 2025 Zoning Refusals: Towers Turned Back
11. City Council December, 2025 Zoning Approvals: Waterfront Towers and Rental Growth
Surprisingly, amidst the transit discourse, one story edged out Finch West Line 6 reporting, taking the top spot of the monthL Metrolinx’s long-awaited disclosure of GO Corridor transformations on the route to two-way, all day service on most lines, grabbing the top spot. First-hand reporting from the opening of Finch West Line 6 followed closely behind, while the implications for Eglinton Line 5’s delivery this year sparked readership. Proposed high-rise developments filled out much of the remainder, including a 63-storey pencil tower on Adelaide East, 50 storeys near an Ontario Line 3 station in Moss Park, and other transit-oriented development proposals.
10. 50-Storey Condo Tower Proposed at Jarvis and Richmond
9. Six-Tower Transit Oriented Community Proposed at Guildwood GO
8. 50 Storeys Proposed on Queen Street East in Moss Park
7. Revised Plan Ups Affordable Housing Building Height Beside CityPlace
6. Higher Capacity Union Station Coming as South Concourse Work Continues
5. Finch West Line 6 Opens Sunday: It Could Use Some Improvements
4. 63-Storey Pencil Tower Proposed on Adelaide East Near Church Street
3. Eglinton Line 5: On Track to Fail?
2. Short Turned at Jane and Finch
1. Metrolinx Sheds Light on GO Corridor Transformations
Our Top Ten Most Searched Database Files
At #11, The United BLDG saw renewed interest following a construction update that marked a clear transition into its tower phase. With the heritage podium now complete behind the restored Maclean Publishing and Maclean-Hunter facades, concrete forming has climbed several levels above the base, while curtainwall installation advances along the lower elevations.
11. The United BLDG
Pinnacle One Yonge once again led database searches in December, holding the top spot as work continued on SkyTower, followed closely by Forma, which maintained second place amid steady construction progress. Concord Sky and One Bloor West remained fixtures near the top of the list. New and returning entries rounded out the month, including an appearance by Natasha Residences at #7 thanks to photography of disassembly progress now underway on the existing building at the site.
10. KING Toronto
9. One Delisle
6. 8 Elm
5. Pinnacle Lakeside (Phase 1)
3. Concord Sky
2. Forma
Our Top Ten Busiest Threads
Coming in at #14, The HUB's Forum thread was lively through December amid growing speculation that the proposed office tower could be next to get underway. The 57-storey, 258.46m project designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners for Oxford Properties continues to attract attention, given its prominent Harbourfront location and substantial size, with demand for triple-A office space increasing despite growing vacancy rates in the office market overall.
14. The HUB
Transit discussions, meanwhile, also overtook the Forum in December, led by Finch West Line 6 LRT, as members dissected opening-day operations, line and station design, and service performance in the weeks following its long-anticipated launch. Eglinton Line 5 and the Ontario Line 3 followed close behind, extending the momentum across Toronto’s rapid transit build-out to Mississauga and Brampton as well, while broader regional ambitions entered the conversation through simmering interest in the proposed Alto high-speed rail proposal from Toronto through to Québec City.
10. Concord Sky
9. Hurontario-Main Line 10 LRT
8. Union Station Revitalization
6. Alto - High Speed Rail (Toronto-Quebec City)
5. Forma
We will be back at the beginning of February for a recap of January's top news stories, Database files, and Forum threads.
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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.
