Two Beaches-East York sites among six selected for affordable housing
Mayor John Tory yesterday announced six locations recommended for the second phase of a plan to build affordable housing — and two of them are in the east end ward of Beaches-East York.
Among the selected sites is 1627–1675 Danforth Ave., where the Danforth-Coxwell Library and the TTC Danforth Garage now stand.
Another property proposed is 1631 Queen St. E., currently the address for Beaches Employment and Social Services, as well as a Children’s Services childcare centre.
Beaches-East York councillor Brad Bradford welcomed the announcement.
“The need for affordable housing is growing every day in our city,” Bradford said in city-issued press release. “I’m proud to welcome two Housing Now sites to Beaches-East York and am looking forward to helping make affordable housing a reality for hundreds of Toronto families.”
Tory announced Phase Two of the Housing Now Initiative in which city-owned properties are identified as sites where affordable housing could be built.
This phase of the initiative is expected to create 1,455 to 1,710 residential units, including up to 1,240 rental units and up to 495 ownership units.
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, in whose Toronto Centre ward a Sherbourne Street parking lot has been selected as a site, agreed with the need for Phase Two to proceed.
“We can’t eradicate homelessness overnight but this much-improved Second Phase of the Housing Now Initiative is definitely moving in the right direction,” Wong-Tam said in the same press release.
The six sites announced by Tory on May 26 are:
- 158 Borough Dr.
- 2444 Eglinton Ave. E.
- 1627–1675 Danforth Ave.
- 1631 Queen St. E.
- 405 Sherbourne St.
- 150 Queens Wharf Rd.
The sites have been chosen in part for being close to transit, as well as to commercial and employment areas, according to the city press release.
