Andre Bermon, Publisher –
Once synonymous with Google and “smart city” technology, Quayside, the 12-acre lot near Toronto’s eastern waterfront, is moving forward with new development partners.
Operating as Quayside Impact Partners Limited, a consortium of Dream Unlimited and Great Gulf received City Council approval on July 24 to develop Quayside’s western portion.
Waterfront Toronto, the tripartite government agency overseeing lakeside development, worked with the consortium, city planners and local stakeholders to rezone the first two of its five development blocks. Quayside Impact won a Waterfront Toronto competition in early 2022 to exclusively develop all five.
An aerial view of present-day Quayside overlayed with the future development blocks. Image courtesy of Waterfront Toronto
Among the many planning permissions approved, Blocks 1 and 2 are to have 193,650 square metres of mixed-use development, including 36,996 square metres for 458 affordable rental housing units, about 16 percent of the project’s 2,811 total residential units. The affordable housing will apply the city’s income-based definition, similar to rent-geared-to-income housing in neighbourhoods such as Regent Park.
The permitted density will allow for three high-rise towers of 70, 64 and 55 storeys fronting Lake Shore Boulevard East, and a linear 12-storey building along Queens Quay East.
According to a Waterfront Toronto spokesperson, the intention is to put the affordable rental units in a mix of buildings, some in stand-alone spaces or dispersed within market rental and condominiums towers. Once built, the affordable units are to be transferred from the developer to the city’s housing secretariat, which will choose a non-for-profit organization to manage and lease them.
Other notable permissions include 9,058 square metres of educational institution space, potentially for future school use, a “community care hub” with mental and physical services and a private childcare facility.
Ground floor open space will be designed as a POPS (privately-owned publicly accessible space) maintained and programmed by the private owners. Coined the “community forest,” 4100 square metres of open space will have multiple entry points and house patios, play areas, plazas, outdoor seating, off-leash dog runs and biodiverse plantings.
The 12-storey building fronting Queen Quay will have a rooftop urban farm for community use.
Julie Beddoes, a member of Distillery District’s Gooderham and Worts Neighbourhood Association and a participant in Waterfront Toronto’s stakeholder advisory committee, told the bridge the Quayside RFP requirements were things the community really wanted.
“I really wanted to see some kind of healthcare base for aging in place and a building with a farm on the roof. We ended up with both of those.”
As the lead developer of the athlete’s village in the now built-up Canary District, Dream Unlimited is experienced at working with Downtown East neighbourhood groups, Beddoes said.
“We always thought well of Dream. They’ve always been very upfront with the community and always come to talk to us.”
Accordingly, there were no surprises when the rezoning application was submitted. In stark contrast, the previous Sidewalk Labs proposal for Quayside was nothing but “pie in the sky” ideas, Beddoes said.
The city says official plan amendments for Quayside Blocks 3, 4 and 5 could arrive at Council late this year or in early 2025.
