News
City of Toronto partnership will create hundreds of new homes

Oct. 28, 2019 – The City of Toronto, Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) and Context Development today announced they have agreed to a major revitalization of TCHC’s Don Summerville Apartments at 1555 and 1575 Queen St. E. in the Queen and Coxwell area. The new project will result in the creation of quality, affordable, rental and market housing.

“As Mayor, creating new, quality, affordable housing is a top priority for me. This new partnership with Context Development represents a significant investment in new affordable housing that will transform the Queen East neighbourhood,” said Mayor John Tory. “Through this venture we are creating hundreds of new homes for people to enjoy in a growing and vibrant neighbourhood.”

Ward 14 Councillor Paula Fletcher worked alongside Context Development and TCHC over the past year on a plan that would increase the amount of affordable housing and market rate apartments on the site. The plan has been approved by the TCHC Board and City Council and will now go through a neighbourhood consultation process and city planning approvals.

This new project will replace the 120 TCHC units currently on the site, and add 100 affordable rental apartments, 180 market rent apartments and 350 additional condo units.

“Building good quality affordable and market rental housing is a top priority for the City,” said Councillor Fletcher, who also sits on the TCHC Board. “This site is transit-friendly with good access to services and greenspace. In the coming weeks we will hold open houses to hear from the local community and we are working closely with tenants to ensure their needs are met through the construction phase.”

“This will truly be a mixed income neighborhood—with a mix of tenure types,” said Howard Cohen, President of Context Development. “We have come together to place a greater emphasis on rental housing with a significant component at below-market rents.”

“This is a win for our tenants,” said TCHC President and CEO Kevin Marshman. “This revitalization will benefit tenants by providing quality TCHC housing at a great location integrated into a new, vibrant mixed-income community.”

Tenants living in the two existing TCHC buildings will be relocated to suitable accommodation at other TCHC properties. All eligible tenants will have the right to return to the community once the revitalization is completed.

“As a local resident of Leslieville, this proposal is a fantastic project that will bring meaningful change for both the TCHC residents and the broader community,” said Mark Richardson, Technical Lead, HousingNowToronto.com. “In 2019, we need to be building more affordable housing, workforce housing and purpose-built rental apartments everywhere in the city of Toronto. This kind of dense, mixed-income development located on existing transit should become an affordable housing template for other Toronto neighbourhoods to follow.”

For more information
www.torontohousing.ca