Calling all developers: Toronto’s new island needs housing
Waterfront Toronto has released a request for quotes to build roughly 14,000 new homes on Ookwemin Minising
Waterfront Toronto has officially begun its search for developers to build thousands of housing units on Ookwemin Minising, the city’s new island neighbourhood in the Port Lands. According to a release, the move marks a major milestone for one of the most ambitious urban renewal projects in Canadian history. Just a few years ago, the area was a flood-prone post-industrial wasteland, but today, it’s home to new parks, stunning architectural bridges and the Lassonde Art Trail.
Phase 1 will see homes rise on two development blocks near the island’s northern edge, the first of roughly 14,000 homes to be built over the next 25 years. The first block will add around 700 units, with 30 per cent designated as affordable rentals.
The timing couldn’t be better. Toronto is scrambling to find land to build all manner of housing as large development sites are becoming increasingly scarce. Condo construction has also slowed dramatically, with many landlords offering left-field incentives to would-be tenants. Earlier this year, city council approved a revised framework for Ookwemin Minising that increased density by 27 per cent while preserving public space.
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For decades, the Port Lands existed largely as a promise. Flood risk made large-scale redevelopment impossible, and countless waterfront plans never progressed beyond renderings. But, with the re-naturalization of the Don River, developers now have the chance to create a livable green community from the ground up.
Zakiya Kassam is a writer and fact checker whose work has appeared in Post City Magazines, This Magazine and Now Toronto. She was previously the associate editor at Storeys.
