Toronto City Council wrapped up its May session last week and, as with every month, several development applications were up for review. Of those, the lion’s share got the green light — albeit with varying degrees of amendments — which is perhaps a testament to the intensified emphasis on homebuilding in Toronto and its development review system that’s in the process of being streamlined by a newly-formed division.
As part of the Province’s broader goal of 1.5 million new homes by 2030, Toronto has the tall order of delivering 285,000 new homes over a 10-year course, but has only achieved 71,762 starts since 2022. Last year, Toronto fell short of its target of 23,750 starts, with just 18,422 units recorded.
Digressing, seven major high-rise projects snagged approvals this month, including proposals from Choice Properties REIT, Castlepoint Numa, and Diamante Development Corporation. Here’s the low-down on what will (hopefully soon) be coming up across Toronto.
123 Parkway Forest Drive
Redevelopment plans for 123 Parkway Forest Drive — currently occupied by a 19-storey apartment and three rental townhouses — date back to August 2021, at which time a 29-storey replacement was proposed, which would include five townhouse units within the podium. The proposal, which comes from Choice Properties REIT on behalf of Emerald GP Inc. as general partner for Emerald Limited Partnership, was revised twice more, and its latest form calls for a 33-storey apartment with 384 rental units. Of those, six would be affordable rental housing units, and 193 units are to be secured as rental housing for 20 years to compensate for the existing rentals on the site. The proposal also calls for a unit breakdown of 58 studios, 198 one-bedrooms, 81 two-bedrooms, and 47 three-bedrooms.
Rendering of 21-25 Windsor Street, 18 Buckingham Street, 60 Newcastle Street, and 95 Portland Street/Arcadis
2595 St. Clair Avenue West
Plans to redevelop a two-storey vehicle dealership building and surface parking lot at 2595 St. Clair Avenue West were filed with the City on behalf of Old Mill Cadillac Chevrolet Buick GMC Ltd. in January 2024, and those call for a mixed-use development consisting of an 11-storey mid-rise that connects to a 20-storey tower. The building form is essentially ‘L’ shaped, and would accommodate a commercial component on two floors, and 505 residential units. Of the total units, 345 would be studios or one-bedrooms, 111 would be two-bedrooms, and 49 would be three-bedrooms.
Rendering of 2595 St. Clair Avenue West/KFA Architects and Planners
23-29 Greenbriar Road
Following an initial proposal asking for 10 storeys in February 2022, plans for 23-29 Greenbriar Road were revised in October 2024, this time seeking approval for 25 storeys, which would replace the four two-and-a-half storey rental apartments already on the site. In addition, the proposal — which comes from an entity known as Greenbriar Road Inc. — specifies 325 residential units, which includes four one-bedroom and 18 two-bedroom purpose-built rental replacement units. Inclusive of the rental replacements, the building would include 20 studios, 175 one-bedrooms, 97 two-bedrooms, and 33 three-bedrooms.
Rendering of 23-29 Greenbriar Road/BDP Quadrangle
799 Brimley Road
A development proposal for 799 Brimley Road was submitted to the City by an entity known as Brimley Place GP Inc. in March 2023, at which time the plans called for 14 storeys and 391 residential units. Second and third submissions were made in October 2024 and February 2025, with the latest iteration of the plans calling for a 24-storey tower with a seven-storey podium. The building is set to include 385 residential units, including 288 one-bedrooms, 51 two-bedrooms, and 46 three-bedroom. The proposal includes a ground-floor commercial component fronting Brimley Road, compensating for the existing two-storey commercial plaza already on the site.
Rendering of 799 Brimley Road/StudioJCI
