By late 2025, the City of Toronto will see 390 new affordable rental homes, and today, construction officially kicked off at the site in North York.
The groundbreaking was attended by Mayor John Tory, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and the leadership of Canada’s Ismaili Community -- including Karim Thomas, Vice-President of the Ismaili Council for Canada, and Prince Amyn Aga Khan. The site, 844 Don Mills Road, is down the road from the Aga Khan Museum.
Upon completion, the 27-storey, mixed-use development will serve the community in a variety of ways. In addition to residential units, the building will also contain space for retail purposes, a daycare, and a long-term care facility. The long-term care facility is “the most ambitious Long-Term Care building program in Canadian history and this project is just one more way we are delivering the quality care and access to affordable housing that senior’s across Ontario deserve,” said Premier Doug Ford at the groundbreaking event.
The residential component -- which will be located on floors four to 27 -- will include a mix of 58 studio apartments, 214 one-bedrooms, 79 two-bedrooms, and 39 three-bedrooms. All units will operate at Average Market Rate (AMR) for an affordability period of at least 25 years. On top of that, about 15% of the residential space, accounting for 60 units, will be designed with basic accessibility features, including barrier-free pathways connecting the kitchen, bedroom, living room, and bathroom.
Building residents will also be able to enjoy amenity spaces on floors four, five, and 11.
844 Don Mills Road is part of the Crosstown redevelopment plan being spearheaded by Generations Toronto. As such, development of the rental component of the site will be handled by Generations Toronto.
“This affordable rental housing project is supported by the City of Toronto and Generations Toronto, working with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to secure financing for the affordable housing portion of this project through their Rental Construction Financing Initiative (RCFI),” reads the news release. “Through the City's Open Door Affordable Housing Program, City Council approved an estimated $17.5M in financial value, such as property tax and development charge exemptions and permit fee waivers, to make this site possible.”
The homes developed through the City’s Open Door program are geared toward lower-income households, and the forthcoming development at 844 Don Mills Road certainly follows suit.
“We know housing is a pressing issue that we are working to address in the city but we know we cannot do it alone. All three levels of government are working together to bring this project to life, and as a city we are doing our part through the Open Door program,” said Mayor John Tory. “This is a solid commitment that will help us create even more vibrant and complete communities across Toronto and to ensure that while our city continues to grow and thrive, our residents are able to access quality and affordable homes. Thank you to everyone involved in making this project possible.”
