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A new round of Site Plan Approval (SPA) resubmissions has been filed for Quayside Blocks 1B, 1C, and 2 in Toronto’s East Bayfront, advancing the first phase of the new high-rise neighbourhood's purpose-built rental and affordable housing program. The submissions refine the September, 2025 scheme through updated applications for Buildings 1B and 1C, a revised SPA for Building 2, and a Master SPA resubmission.
The latest filings arrive as Waterfront Toronto's Quayside plan moves closer to construction, with demolition and site preparation beginning this month. The proposal has also been reshaped by a partnership restructuring, with Dream Unlimited now controlling the Phase 1 rental component and Great Gulf holding the condominium component separately. The updated plans maintain a rental-focused first phase while revising affordable housing, shifting community facilities between buildings, and adjusting heights and floor area.
The applications apply to the western portion of Quayside, a 2.8-hectare development area within the broader 4.9-hectare masterplan. The lands comprise 257, 259, and 291 Lake Shore Boulevard East, 200 Queens Quay East, and 2 Small Street, occupying the block bounded by Lake Shore, Bonnycastle, Queens Quay, and Small Street. The site is currently occupied by low-rise commercial and office buildings. The surrounding area has transformed substantially over the past decade and continues to intensify with a mix of residential, commercial, institutional, and recreational uses.
The broader redevelopment emerged in June, 2023, when Quayside Impact Limited Partnership (QILP), led by Dream Unlimited and Great Gulf in partnership with Waterfront Toronto, submitted plans for a mixed-use waterfront community spanning five development blocks. The original concept included five towers, a mass-timber mid-rise, affordable housing, community facilities, and a central Community Forest. In July, 2024, Toronto City Council approved zoning for the western portion of the site, permitting towers of 55, 64, and 70 storeys alongside a 12-storey mass-timber building, while planning approvals for the eastern blocks continued separately.
A substantial redesign followed in September, 2025 as the development team reworked the project to accelerate rental and affordable housing delivery. The revised proposal split the approved 70-storey tower into two condominium towers, replaced the block-long mass-timber mid-rise with a series of conventional affordable rental buildings, and converted Building 2 from condominium tenure to purpose-built rental. Council approved the updated framework in December 2025, permitting four towers and three mid-rise buildings across the western portion of Quayside. More recently, a holding symbol removal application was submitted in February 2026.
Building 1B, designed by Henning Larsen Architects with architects—Alliance as Architect of Record, would remain the tallest component of Phase 1. The purpose-built rental tower would rise 66 storeys and 225.05m, slightly shorter than the 231.4m version proposed in 2025. The building would contain 720 rental units, down from 729, comprising 553 market-rate and 167 affordable rental units. Seven elevators would serve the building, equating to approximately one elevator per 103 units. Gross Floor Area (GFA) has been refined from 52,700m² to 51,828m², including 51,160m² of residential space and 668m² of new institutional space accommodating a daycare use.
The revised plans expand amenity space, increasing indoor amenities from 1,510m² to 1,874m², while outdoor amenities adjust slightly from 907m² to 853m². A 1,314m² POPS (Privately Owned Publicly-accessible Space) is proposed adjacent to the building, contributing to the larger Community Forest at the centre of the block. Below grade, Building 1B would share parking and service areas with Buildings 1C and 2. Parking increased modestly from 202 to 206 spaces, including 203 residential and three institutional spaces, while bicycle parking dropped from 570 to 402 spaces.
Along Queens Quay East, Building 1C has continued to evolve from the affordable rental mid-rise concept introduced in 2025. Designed by Teeple Architects with architects—Alliance as Architect of Record, the project would consist of two connected 13-storey building volumes rising 49.9m and 53.91m. The affordable rental program grows from 377 to 396 units, including nine studios, 174 one-bedrooms, 146 two-bedrooms, and 67 three-bedroom-plus units. Four elevators would serve the building, yielding a ratio of approximately one cab per 99 units. Total GFA increases from 32,781m² to 34,212m², with residential floor area rising to 31,690m².
The most significant changes involve the non-residential program. Retail space has been reduced from 1,583m² to 665m², while 1,857m² of institutional space has been introduced for community-oriented uses including a planned library and community hub component. Amenity space expands from 497m² to 1,196m² indoors and from 433m² to 515m² outdoors. Vehicular parking would include 12 resident spaces, while bicycle parking decreases from 512 to 321 spaces.
At the northeast corner of the site, Building 2 has undergone further refinement. Designed by Allies and Morrison with architects—Alliance as Architect of Record, the tower would rise 56 storeys and 185.5m, up from the previous 54-storey, 183.9m scheme. Residential GFA expands from 37,636m² to 40,384m², with total GFA adjusted slightly to 40,654m², and with the unit count growing from 576 to 618 market-rate rental units. Five elevators would serve the building, resulting in a ratio of roughly one cab per 124 units, indicating high speed motors would be required to provide adequate response times.
The building’s program has shifted as community uses have been redistributed elsewhere within the development. The 3,060m² Community Hub, proposed in 2025, has been removed, replaced by a 270m² office component intended for leasing and management functions. Amenity space increases from 1,076m² to 1,300m² indoors and from 875m² to 987m² outdoors. Parking rises from 149 to 165 spaces, including 156 resident and nine visitor spaces, while bicycle parking decreases from 372 to 345 spaces.
Existing TTC bus service provides direct connections between the East Bayfront and Union Station via Queens Quay East, while additional routes connect northward to Line 2 stations. Looking ahead, the Waterfront East LRT, to begin construction in 2027, would run immediately south of the site along Queens Quay East. Waterfront Toronto is also advancing extensive public realm and cycling improvements throughout Quayside and the surrounding East Bayfront. A new mid-block pedestrian connection and a 1,700m² Community Forest are intended to strengthen public access throughout the site.
Other development activity continues to reshape East Bayfront. To the east, proposals at 307 and 351 Lake Shore Boulevard East would introduce towers ranging from 41 to 49 storeys, while future phases of Quayside are planned to add four buildings across Blocks 3 and 4 ranging from 12 to 72 storeys. To the south, Tridel and Hines’ Bayside community includes the 13-storey Aqualina and Aquavista, the 14-storey Aquabella, and the 18-storey Aqualuna. West of the site, 180 Queens Quay East would add three towers between 15 and 22 storeys, while construction continues on Pinnacle Lakeside’s first phase, featuring towers from 15 to 54 storeys, with a 43-storey second phase planned.
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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| Related Companies: | Arcadis, architects—Alliance, Dream Unlimited, Great Gulf, Grounded Engineering Inc., RWDI Climate and Performance Engineering, Urban Strategies Inc., Vortex Fire Consulting Inc. |
