TorontoToronto police officer injured in pursuit of robbery suspects in North York By Joanna LavoieOpens in new windowPublished: January 06, 2025 at 7:15PM EST Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved The relationship between the Jane Finch Community Tennis Association (JFCTA) in Toronto and Tennis Canada has been a successful one that dates back 16 years. Recently, it was solidified thanks to the newly-established Game. Set. Equity. Community Tennis Grant presented by National Bank that will assist the JFCTA with their Coaching Certification Stream The funding provided by the grant will expand the program’s capacity in training and its ability to subsidize female participants between the ages of 13-24 who wish to obtain their Instructor Certification and Community Tennis Facilitator status The Coaching Stream provides 48 hours of on-court tennis development over 8 weeks and this year 29 women took part with four of them receiving subsidies to pursue the instructor certifications The JFCTA not only aims to make tennis more appealing to women but they also want to create employment opportunities in the sport and an economic pathway with social implications that will help underserved communities including the Neighborhood Improvement Areas of Black-Creek and York University Heights as identified by the city of Toronto The composition of these neighbourhoods has higher averages of low-income households and single-parent families when compared to the city averages By leveraging professional development as the centrepiece the JFCTA will encourage parents and guardians to see the value of female participation in sports “The funding will provide an incredible opportunity to support the development of our female members as coaches and tennis facilitators It is our belief that their successful certification will inspire and motivate other female participants to play and one day follow in their footsteps,” explained Alan Ma Manager of Special Projects & Initiatives The JFCTA will be taking part in several activities surrounding the National Bank presented by Rogers in Toronto including the Unmatched conference featuring keynote speaker Maria Sharapova as well as a Centre Court demonstration on Thursday evening with members of their Girls Program Since the return to in-person programming following the COVID-19 pandemic the JFCTA has steadily built back its strength and capacity thanks in large part to the women and girls in the program who have gone above and beyond to ensure that they can serve over 200 participants per year That’s one of the many reasons why Ma is so committed to creating occasions for them to grow and have a measurable impact in tennis Tennis Canada today announced the 2024 recipients of the High Performance Recognition Program With $100,000 awarded to the program this year a total of nearly $300,000 has now been invested in the initiative that.. The Quebec university tennis league held its championships at the end of March Spring Toronto Mayor John Tory and Toronto Police Service (TPS) Chief James Ramer held a public session at North York’s 31 Division to share details on the expansion of the city’s Neighbourhood Community Officer Program (NCOP) for the first time The mayor and police are pushing the expanded NCOP as a model of police reform and renewed community commitment What it really represents is an expansion of layered policing—the intensification and extension of police powers throughout communities through embedded relationships (in business and community organizations) that allow for greater surveillance and social control As I have discussed previously expanding layered policing has proven a popular go-to for police forces looking to expand funding in the wake of growing movements for abolition and police defunding following the police execution of George Floyd in 2020 It provides police a cover of reform and public relations and criminalization—making policing even more invasive It provides a base for police to spread their tentacles throughout the community in relations with non-police groups (which now become adjuncts of police) it gives police access to new avenues of funding: money that should be earmarked for health care youth sports or education is instead going to layered policing projects in each of these activities Toronto’s Neighbourhood Community Officer Program was initiated in 2013 It was revised to advance layered policing goals in 2019 based on police requested studies at Humber Polytechnic in 2019 The June 2022 expansion will see 208 NCOP officers deployed in 51 of Toronto’s 158 identified neighborhoods This broadened program adds an additional 13 neighborhoods and at least 52 more officers on foot The new neighborhoods include Rockcliffe-Smyth (12 Division) Clanton Park and Englemount-Lawrence (32 Division) Eglinton East and Golfdale-Cedarbrae-Woburn (43 Division) and Danforth and Taylor-Massey (55 Division) That this is a targeted policing program is made clear by the TPS announcement that it determined which neighborhoods to expand into through analyses “of crime and demographics.” The TPS have not disclosed what those demographic factors are or what “crime” measures motivated their decision-making The TPS also outlined some of the activities they will undertake to “foster relationships with individuals and groups in the community.” These include silly copaganda events like “coffee with a cop” spectacles where they get coffee shops to give out free coffee and snacks while cops mingle with customers police presence at local events like open houses of course regular meetings with business owners Constable Niran Jeyanesan, an NCO in Downsview-Roding-CFB gives examples of some of the quarters with whom police will take their lead—social service agencies and apartment management teams. In his words: “We’re now helping empower our community partners to do their work.” The work of policing But the real effects of broken windows-based policing have not been reduced crime or improved public safety. They have always been racial and class profiling, criminalization, and the expansion of carceral systems. The result has been a clearing ground for gentrification and property development in poor communities—dispossessing and displacing longtime residents Research shows that community policing calls are made up largely of “social disorder” issues Much of what public crime panics focus on is not crime but the survival strategies of oppressed and exploited people Often it is simply a stand in for things that business and property owners and developers do not want to have to see—discarded needles Rather than fund waste disposal and pick up or public bathrooms let alone housing—the propertied entrepreneurs push policing Community policing might assuage their fears but it will only make things worse for people already experiencing the greatest social deprivations Indeed, the TPS, in their statements on the NCOP program are explicit about this, asserting: “They are embedded in one neighbourhood for at least four years to actively co-develop solutions and mobilize Toronto Police resources in order to reduce crime fear of crime and anti-social behavior” (emphasis mine) More intrusive targeting of less harmful or even harmless “anti-social” or disorderly activities has the effect of criminalizing people without addressing the larger social harms that might underly such behavior—whether poverty or simply the pain of trying to survive under capitalism notions of anti-social behavior can be constructed in myriad ways and often reflect merely behaviors that some economic or political powerholders with privileged access to police simply do not like (from loitering There is a cynically circular logic to layered policing which benefits police in terms of public relations Layered policing expands access to communities and their residents and increases street checks These policing “successes” come in handy at budget time when police can show their “results” to secure more funding and resources claiming how much they have been able to accomplish in “catching the criminals” and contributing to “public safety.” This allows for more of the same As scholar-activists Alyssa Aguilera and Alex Vital note “Community policing tends to turn all neighborhood problems into police problems the range of community problems extends far beyond serious crime Why should the police necessarily be the sole or even lead agency in developing strategies to address community concerns about disorder and public safety?” Yet community policing programs and their deceptive and asocial “outcomes-based” analytics measures give them a privileged position within local government budgeting debates What this will really mean is reduced safety for the most oppressed and exploited community members All of these policing practices disproportionately target Black and Indigenous people Increased contacts with police also mean opportunities to wield their infamous “discretion” which reinforces harms to poor and racialized people The social factors of inequality and injustice behind police targeting will be erased of course in police reports to council which will simply read “crime reduction.” Against the repression and violence of community policing we need real community organizing for care and wellness it means community mobilization to defend residents and workers who are targeted by layered policing: community defense of unhoused neighbors organizing of harm reduction and community care spaces It can mean community counter-policing and observing and documenting police interactions It also means continued calls for the defunding of police and the cancelling of community policing projects and resources Some lower-level actions, for those for whom it s safe to do so, can involve disrupting copaganda community policing events and mobilizing against the businesses that host them. In Surrey, our abolitionist group Anti-Police Power Surrey disrupted a coffee with the cops event and the RCMP have not held one here since Demand for high-rise Toronto condos has taken a hit during the pandemic, with tightly-packed urban living not quite as desirable as it was in the before times Changes to what people want out of a home have fostered an exodus to suburban locales most of us have our feet firmly planted in the city looking to the range of urban housing options like townhouses that offer a bit more space for social distancing than slender glass towers with lengthy elevator rides New data from condo listing site Strata highlights a handful of Toronto neighbourhoods with the cheapest townhouses around Average townhouse prices in the city crept up to about $730,000 in August as many seek out alternatives to condo units “Townhomes provide at least some separation of space between work and personal life since many of them are spread out over two or three floors,” says Strata.ca realtor Galina Sheveleva There are two main options for townhouses in the city; freehold towns and condominium ownership These two types of towns come with some pretty significant price differences A gap in average price between condominium and freehold towns is looking more like a gulf with freehold towns selling prices averaging at around $367,000 more than condo townhouses Even with these significant differences in average price a few pockets of the city still offer comparatively low prices for condominium townhouses including a few in up-and-coming areas with new and coming transit links here are five Toronto neighbourhoods where townhouse prices are still relatively low Centred around the Bathurst and Finch intersection the Westminster-Branson area of North York offers easy access to major arterials This up-and-coming neighbourhood will benefit from a new station on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT next year and property values are likely to climb once the new line opens to commuter traffic Easy access to highways is a big selling point for those less likely to take the train This area already got its new subway station a few years back but relatively low prices continue to attract buyers to the area neighbourhoods with even lower average prices exist including one just around the corner from York U Heights These twinned neighbourhoods bisected by a stretch of Kingston Road are among the last places in the city where a townhouse can be bought for less than $500K The Eglinton GO station offers quick commutes into the heart of downtown though there's much to see nearby like The Guild Inn Estate and the Bluffs Jane and Finch is the cheapest area to buy a townhouse though buying into the area could be a prudent investment as the locale is seeing some of the highest appreciation rates in Toronto townhouse prices in the neighbourhood are about $220K below the city-wide average The north Toronto neighbourhood of York University Heights could see a new three-tower development with 1,759 condo units at 20 De Boers Drive in the coming years As for the low-rise commercial complex already on the subject site the developer is aiming to incorporate it into the project through adaptive reuse a move that is both geared at sustainability and honouring the "legacy" of the complex The application which was submitted earlier this month on behalf of Igernan Limited and describes a mixed-use development comprising of 50- the lofty development would be located on a 1.2-hectare site midway between Sheppard Avenue West and Allen Road between De Boers Drive and Kodiak Crescent the site is home to former furniture showroom called the Domo Centre which has since been repurposed into office and commercial space that is currently is only 56% occupied Igernan is also seeking to increase the building height on the site from 35 metres to 166 metres Igernan's proposed development would include 103,700 sq The three towers would share a podium ranging between three and seven storeys in height The podium would incorporate part of the existing structure with "Domo" signage "paying homage to the site's furniture retail legacy." units would consist of 1,172 studio and one-bedrooms with knock-out panels used within the one-bedroom units to allow for the creation of ad hoc three-bedroom units plus 850 vehicular parking spaces and 1,340 bicycle spaces and the energy-intensive processes involved in new construction," according to the planning rationale new plantings would incorporate native and ecologically appropriate species and all new residential vehicular parking spaces would have an EV charger The proposed site is also within close proximity to transit stations Downsview Park TTC station and Downsview Park GO station If approved, this ambitious development would introduce much-needed high-density housing to a currently underutilized site near the burgeoning Downsview Lands. And with an emphasis on in-demand three-bedroom units and sustainable building the Igernan development would stand as a positive example for how to build with both tenants and the environment in mind Stay up-to-date on all things Canadian tennis courtesy of exclusive interviews Search by subject and explore the latest news in multiple formats including articles Bianca Andreescu won her first title at any level in over five years beating Leylah Annie Fernandez in the doubles.. Gabriel Diallo saw the best run of his career so far at a Masters 1000 event end in the Madrid Open quarter-finals on.. Gabriel Diallo saved three match points to upset world No 16 Grigor Dimitrov and reach his first Masters 1000.. Gabriel Diallo is into the round of sixteen at a Masters 1000 event for the first time in his career at the Madrid Open.. Gabriel Diallo took advantage another his third lucky loser at a Masters 1000 event in 2025 to reach the third round of.. Denis Shapovalov cruised over Kei Nishikori 6-1 6-4 and Gabriel Diallo defeated Kamil Majchrzak 7-5 Félix Auger-Aliassime and Bianca Andreescu both lost their second-round matches at the Madrid Open on Friday in.. Gabriel Diallo took advantage of his lucky loser spot to win his first-round match in Madrid The York Centre federal electoral district was created in 1952 and the information within may be out of date It encompasses a 37-square kilometre portion of Toronto’s former borough of North York and is roughly bounded by the Toronto city limit to the north York Centre is home to the neighbourhoods of Westminster-Branson this riding is home to 104,319 people and has 69,504 electors on the preliminary lists The median total income of individuals in 2015 among recipients aged 15 years and over in private households is $29,937 A riding that is home to Toronto’s highest number of Filipino York Centre has been represented by Liberal Ya’ara Saks since 2020 THE RACE: *Candidate profiles and responses will be added as we receive them BIO: “I’m the Liberal Candidate for York Centre and have a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy Before my election as MP in 2020 I was a local small business owner and a mental health advocate as the director of Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities a Toronto-based mental health charity.” WHY I’M BEST SUITED TO REPRESENT THE RIDING: “I live here It’s been my privilege to be your MP since last year and represent our community in Parliament I’ve gotten to know so many wonderful people and incredible stories of resilience and success and I want to continue that important work to make sure our community remains a great place to live New Democratic Party: Kemal Ahmed but is struggling to afford to live in the riding He is a McMaster Software Engineering graduate WHY I’M BEST SUITED TO REPRESENT THE RIDING: “I was the only candidate to attend the Downsview Park housing referendum and the Downsview workers strike We need leaders who show up for local issues and fight for change now The riding of York Centre has a higher order public transit project under construction: the Finch West LRT The project will be impacted by any transit funding decisions from the federal government employment and public health are cornerstone issues for York Centre electors York Centre was represented from 2004 to 2011 by Ken Dryden Conservative Mark Adler was elected in 2011 Liberal Michael Levitt then represented the riding from 2015 to 2020 He has been covering the crime beat since 2002 and has a passion for giving a voice to those affected by tragedy and looking at societal issues that may have contributed to it Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Between sky-high rent prices and declining mortgage rates it seems like the age-old question of renting versus buying is on every prospective homebuyer's mind yet there never seems to be a clear winner especially when you account for inflation and location A new Zoocasa report aims to answer this broadly debated conundrum by examining which Toronto neighbourhoods are more affordable to buy in or rent in Using data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) the real estate listing firm calculated the average rent for apartments in the city and then compared this to the average cost of condo apartments across the same neighbourhoods to determine which was more budget-friendly Average rent prices for Q3 2023 and condo prices for February 2024 were used Which Toronto neighbourhoods are more affordable for renting versus buying in 2024 only nine out of 35 Toronto neighbourhoods have average monthly mortgage payments lower than average rent making renting the most affordable option in 77 per cent of neighbourhoods In the prestigious York Mills—Bridle Path-Hoggs Hollow neighbourhood with the average mortgage payment being $6,273 and the average rent being $3,642 — a difference of $2,631 per month Other neighbourhoods where it's more budget-friendly to rent instead of buy include Mount Pleasant the report found that Black Creek and York University Heights offer the most budget-friendly average mortgage payment at $2,281 which is approximately $400 lower than the average rent in the area In 17 per cent of the neighbourhoods analyzed the price difference between the average mortgage and rent payments is within the $100 mark the difference between buying and renting is only $10 a month The most significant price difference in favour of buying-over-renting was found in the Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview neighbourhood where the average mortgage payment is $549 less than the average rent Yu Xichao/Shutterstock York Centre encompasses about a 35 square kilometre portion of Toronto’s former Borough of North York and is roughly bounded by Steeles Avenue to the north Eight provincial ridings are located either fully or partially in North York: Humber River-Black Creek Don Valley East and Don Valley West — have no incumbents we take a closer look at York Centre riding The incumbent is running for election - just not for provincial politics who was sitting as an independent after being turfed by the provincial Progressive Conservative party for questioning pandemic lockdowns in January 2021 is currently a candidate in the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election (The above candidates were invited to submit short profiles Those that replied have been linked to their online responses.) The riding has a higher order public transit project under construction: the Finch West LRT The light rail line will run between Keele Street employment and health are cornerstone issues for York Centre electors We polled candidates on the top issues and four replied Progressive Conservative candidate Michael Kerzner said the top issues affecting York Centre residents are the cost of living and the need for good paying jobs we have a young population who are looking for opportunities to break into the trades and apprenticeships and become leaders themselves in science and innovation,” he said in an email Liberal party candidate Shelley Brown said affordability is the primary issue he hears from local residents “The cost of housing and of rent is soaring No one should be forced to move far from their families and their roots in order to find a home they can barely afford,” he said in an email NDP candidate Frank Chu said the key issues affecting York Centre are care for seniors affordable groceries and improved health-care access New Blue candidate Don Pincivero said in an email that the issues affecting residents are “increasing taxes Although the area had been a Liberal stronghold represented by Liberal MPP Monte Kwinter from 1985 until his retirement in 2018 Baber handily won the riding for the Progressive Conservatives in 2018 with 49.4 per cent of the vote • York Centre is roughly bounded by Steeles Avenue to the north • York Centre is home to the neighbourhoods of Westminster-Branson Downsview and part of York University Heights • York Centre is home to Toronto’s highest number of Filipino The provincial riding was created in 1999 when provincial ridings took on the same borders as the federal ones For profiles for all ridings in North York - and Ontario - link to our Metroland story at: thestar-qr.com/22022provincialridings scroll down and under the heading ‘Electoral district profiles’ you can choose from any of Ontario’s 124 ridings - including all of North York’s You’ll find specific riding information such as who’s running in the race the previous election result and demographics TorontoNewsMore police officers on foot coming to neighbourhoods across TorontoBy Joanna LavoieOpens in new windowPublished: June 11, 2022 at 9:22AM EDT You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter These incidents were reported by police in the past week and reportedly occurred in the past two weeks There were eight residential break and enters reported in the district from March 11 to March 17 Toronto Police Service received 34 reports of a break-in at a home between March 11 and March 17 including eight in the district of North York In total 298 residential break and enters have been reported in the City of Toronto since Jan 1 – down 82.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2024 Two break-ins were reported at these locations: a house near Banbury Road and Larkfield Drive on Thursday an apartment near Dutch Myrtleway and Wax Myrtleway on Thursday There have been 11 residential break and enters reported in Banbury-Don Mills in 2025 a house near Burbank Drive and Sifton Court on Wednesday a house near Alamosa Drive and Appian Drive on Sunday There have been six residential break and enters reported in Bayview Village in 2025 A break-in was reported at a house near Mcallister Road and Yeomans Road on Thursday There have been two residential break and enters reported in Clanton Park in 2025 A break-in was reported at a house near Clovercrest Road and Ravenbury Road on Saturday There have been seven residential break and enters reported in Don Valley Village in 2025 A break-in was reported at a house near Margaret Avenue and Salinger Court on Thursday There have been three residential break and enters reported in Pleasant View in 2025 A break-in was reported at an apartment near John Drury Drive and Robert Woodhead Crescent on Friday There have been two residential break and enters reported in York University Heights in 2025 Find out where residential break and enters were reported in East York, Etobicoke, Old Toronto, Scarborough and York This story was automatically generated using open data collected and maintained by Toronto Police Service. The incidents were reported by police in the past week and reportedly occurred in the past two weeks, but recent crime data is preliminary and subject to change upon further police investigation The locations have been offset to the nearest intersection and no personal information has been included for privacy reasons Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account There were 12 vehicles reported stolen in the district from March 27 to April 2 Toronto Police Service received 39 reports of a stolen vehicle between March 27 to April 2 including 12 in the district of North York In total 494 auto thefts have been reported in the City of Toronto since Jan 1 — down 80.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2024 Two vehicles were reported stolen from these locations: a driveway near Greenland Road and Waxwing Place on Tuesday a curbside around Leslie Street and York Mills Road on Wednesday There have been six auto thefts reported in Banbury-Don Mills in 2025 A vehicle was reported stolen from a curbside near Driftwood Avenue and Driftwood Court on Wednesday This was the first auto theft reported in Black Creek in 2025 A vehicle was reported stolen from a driveway near Kingslake Road and Sandbourne Crescent on Friday There have been six auto thefts reported in Don Valley Village in 2025 A vehicle was reported stolen from a driveway around Jethro Road and Mayall Avenue on Sunday There have been 11 auto thefts reported in Downsview-Roding-CFB in 2025 A vehicle was reported stolen from a driveway near Pintail Crescent and Rayoak Drive on Monday There have been six auto thefts reported in Parkwoods-Donalda in 2025 A vehicle was reported stolen from around Park Home Avenue and Yonge Street on Thursday There have been four auto thefts reported in Willowdale East in 2025 Five vehicles were reported stolen from these locations: a curbside around Catford Road and Council Crescent on Tuesday a parking lot near Chesswood Drive and Vanley Crescent on Friday a driveway near Hucknall Road and Sentinel Road on Friday a curbside near Flint Road and Martin Ross Avenue on Sunday a curbside around Dogleg Court and Sharpecroft Boulevard on Monday There have been 15 auto thefts reported in York University Heights in 2025 Find out where auto thefts were reported in East York, Etobicoke, Old Toronto, Scarborough and York If you’re looking for bargains in the real estate market you need to keep an eye on Durham Region – in particular Oshawa – to find housing value close to the big city According to data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board’s November affordability report (compiled by real estate company Zoocasa) Oshawa offered the most affordable condo townhouses in the 905 area The city was also first for semi-detached homes (tied with neighbouring Pickering) at $660,778; second for condo apartments at $424,181; and fourth for townhouse prices at $802,000 The average price for semi-detached homes in the GTA/905 is $956,789 Other Durham Region communities to make the list included the aforementioned Pickering – tied with Oshawa for most affordable semi-detached homes in the 905 – and Clarington which was third for best value in condo apartments at $512,600 Essa Township (southwest of Barrie) offers the best value for detached homes at $709,583 and for row/townhouses at $631,950 The average price for detached homes in Eassa is barely over half the average price in the GTA there are some affordable neighbourhoods in the condominium market with West Hill (Scarborough) and Centennial Park (Etobicoke) averaging $426,167 and Dorset Park and Kennedy Park in Scarborough and Black Creek and York University Heights in North York all averaging less than $510,000 Subscribe to INsauga – Ontario Headline News’ daily email newsletter for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Toronto Eaton Centre OR Sherway Gardens Karen Pereira and Diana Dumiprascu are surveyors for the new Duke Heights BIA North York’s Duke Heights is suddenly a place of possibilities The whole district between Dufferin and Keele streets and its own security force on overnight patrols it is bursting with about 2,500 businesses ranging from corner cafes to giant furniture makers Global Upholstery and Teknion “There’s a funeral home, three bespoke tailors, a place where you can buy really cheap socks,” said Matias de Dovitiis, executive director of Duke Heights BIA (http://www.dukeheights.ca) “I find out about new stuff all the time.” Before it was rebranded as ‘the heights of opportunity’ Duke Heights was best known as an industrial no-man’s land east of York University depressed and “sort of the armpit of Toronto where nobody really cared but just drove through as fast as possible,” recalled Dr and the BIA believes transit investment - the nearly-completed Spadina Subway line extension to Vaughan to be followed by the promised Finch West Light Rail Transit line - will be a huge economic boost Some of the BIA’s most visible ambassadors since its launch last year are summer students surveying businesses But the nightly Intelligarde security patrols with cars co-branded and displaying the BIA logo also meet people who haven’t heard of the BIA and any activity “that appears out of place,” Michael Gavendo Intelligarde’s vice president of business development It’s often vehicles idling or moving slowly in the early morning hours which “become the next day’s news headlines,” he said “very cognizant of the re-branding efforts” and send reports to police and city bylaw enforcers who worked at the time for a local councillor Now Duke Heights BIA - headquartered in an office building at 1120 Finch Ave near a fuel tank farm which fills 700 tanker trucks a day - is the second-largest BIA in North America with well over a quarter of the businesses signed up for security services which can ticket cars on private land or walk employees to a bus stop at night but “these guys can be there in five minutes,” de Dovitiis said Duke Heights is not the typical retail-based BIA you can see on College Street or St Board members had struggled for months over how big it should be but apart from four condominium buildings by Dufferin and Sheppard its industrial character both a challenge and a blessing but there’s a growing feeling local businesses are “in the same boat.” Other underused buildings can also be remade and Duke Heights still has big spaces where new businesses can go once its subway stop opens and the LRT is built to the west will have more pedestrian traffic than downtown’s Spadina Station And that should mean not just general prosperity for the area but a makeover for Finch often-congested street not friendly to cyclists or pedestrians you can do the city building that should have been done decades ago.” is a reporter with toronto.com and Metroland Media Toronto who covers Scarborough and other overlooked parts of Toronto He worked previously for Metroland in York Region \"our\") of the service provided by this web site (\"Service\") are not responsible for any user-generated content and accounts Content submitted express the views of their author only This Service is only available to users who are at least {age} years old you represent that you are this age or older or otherwise make available to the Service (\"Content\") may be reviewed by staff members All Content you submit or upload may be sent to third-party verification services (including Do not submit any Content that you consider to be private or confidential You agree to not use the Service to submit or link to any Content which is defamatory You are entirely responsible for the content of We may remove or modify any Content submitted at any time Requests for Content to be removed or 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designated a Privacy Officer who is accountable for Chart’s compliance with this Privacy Policy and PIPEDA If at any time you have any questions or complaints about this Privacy Policy or your personal information and how it is being used collected or disclosed (including if you wish to request to update or correct any personally identifiable information you have provided) or you wish to withdraw your consent to “Use of Personal Information” Chart Communications Inc.5255 Yonge Street has been submitted to the City of Toronto as a Zoning By-law Amendment application designed by Kirkor Architects Planners for Nordale Estates Addressed to 44 Romfield Drive, it proposes a mixed-use development comprising two towers that would replaced several low-rise buildings on the north and east sides of the winding suburban street that back onto Finch and Keele. The site is currently occupied by 33 townhouse units and surface parking The proposal is for a podium of 5 and 6 storeys from two two towers would sprout rising to 35 (120.3m) and 37 storeys (126.8m) While the intention is to complete the development in a single phase the design allows for the possibility of a two-stage construction Looking north to the townhouses currently onsite The towers would house a total of 972 residential units with approximately 64,731m² of residential and 323m² of retail Gross Floor Area (GFA) The plans include 1,981m² and 1,910m² of indoor and outdoor amenities respectively this would result in one elevator for every 121.5 units indicating longer than preferred wait times The proposal includes a new 756m² public park adding a splash of green to the urbanizing area It would be situated adjacent to the new private driveway off Romfield Drive with secondary access at Keele Street Retail spaces on the ground floors would front onto Finch and Keele and are designed to activate the streetscape along with an indoor amenity area spanning 510m² Along with the TTC's Line 1 Finch West subway station just across the street several bus routes serve the station station (some of that bus service to be replaced by the Finch West Line 6 LRT soon) the area offers on-street marked cycling lanes along Sentinel Road and shared facilities on Finch Avenue West along with a bike share operating in the York University area An aerial view of the site and surrounding area The development is set to offer three levels of underground garage with 416 vehicle parking spaces for residents all of which are to be equipped with electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) while 4 of 16 spaces for visitors will also boast EVSE charging the project accommodates 662 long-term and 68 short-term bicycle parking spaces with three of them aiming for heights between 30 to 40 storeys UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development you can learn more about it from our Database file you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page that tracks projects from initial application Toronto’s top three neighbourhoods finished 2024 with average home prices below $1 million even after years of steady price appreciation diverse neighbourhoods and world-class dining As the most multicultural city in the world Toronto is a global business and economic hub with a vibrant cultural scene While affordability remains a major challenge for the city’s home buyers access to top universities and a strong job market are just two of the reasons many still focus their home search on the 416 Here are the top 50 Toronto neighbourhoods for real estate purchases in 2025 slide the columns right or left using your fingers or mouse or download the data to your device in Excel Source: Toronto Regional Real Estate Board has the highest value score of all neighbourhoods in the city this year the average home price in Black Creek was $705,222 up 51% from five years earlier—yet nearly $400,000 less than the Toronto average Black Creek Community Farm is a nine-acre urban farm that hosts events sells discounted organic produce and includes four-season greenhouses and a forest trail The neighbourhood is also home to the reimagined Village at Black Creek an open-air museum celebrating local and Indigenous history Public transit options are readily available providing access to downtown Toronto and surrounding areas is part of the Line 1 Yonge–University subway line and includes a regional bus terminal Located along the Etobicoke–Brampton border Steeles Avenue and Toronto Pearson International Airport making it ideal for commuters and frequent travellers The community features the 250-acre Humber Arboretum and the scenic Humber River Woodbine Mall and Fantasy Fair are just five minutes away The average home price in West Humber–Clairville was $869,927 at the end of 2024 secondary and alternative schools within its borders Kingsview Village–The Westway neighbourhood is gaining momentum in Toronto’s Etobicoke region The average home price was $869,862 at the end of 2024 It offers strong investment potential for home buyers particularly for families looking to put down roots Kingsview Village–The Westway retains a classic suburban feel with wide streets the highest share among Toronto’s top three neighbourhoods.  Toronto’s real estate market progressed at a more measured pace in 2024 With no spring surge in real estate activity “Sellers who needed to sell were often willing to accept lower offers, providing strategic buyers the opportunity to secure properties at more favourable prices,” says eXp real estate agent Dan Chiasson Condominiums were a good option for buyers priced out of detached homes An oversupply of condo listings fostered a balanced market Successful sales relied heavily on presentation—well-staged units attracted prompt offers while poorly presented properties struggled Many single renters and first-time buyers purchased studio one-bedroom and one-bedroom-plus-den condos priced between $400,000 and $600,000 With rents averaging about $2,000 per month in 2024 (for a two-bedroom apartment) buying a studio became a practical entry point into the market “These options weren’t really available when the market was more competitive,” Chiasson says.  two-bedroom condos were also highly sought-after “Buyers acted quickly when finding one within budget particularly those focused on long-term investment or extra living space.” Answer a few quick questions to get a personalized quote Chiasson says he’s surprised by the number of buyers who have already made use of the new $1.5-million cap for mortgage insurance he expects the $900,000-to-$1.5-million market to stay competitive “There aren’t enough homes in this price range,” he says.  Chiasson says home buyers who have trouble breaking into the market will likely seek family help to enter the $2-million-plus market or expand their search beyond Toronto.  “With increasing living costs and rising debt obligations even high earners are exploring ways to maximize their purchasing power in 2025,” he says.  It was written by a content partner based on its expertise and edited by MoneySense This is an editorially driven article or content package presented with financial support from an advertiser The advertiser has no influence on the creation of the content Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value" The data behind the top places to buy real estate in Canada an insecure economy and job loss are all on the minds of young.. 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The content provided on our site is for information only; it is not meant to replace advice from a professional This instalment of our Growth to Watch For series picks up where we left off last time in Wilson Heights zig-zagging northward through North York with an overview of all of the activity happening above the 401 and west of Yonge to the 400 Despite the area's distance from many of the centres of activity throughout Toronto there is still quite a bit of development happening in the western half of North York and the expansion of several major institutional campuses Our extensive list will take you through all of the projects nearing their completion date all developments currently under construction and all the proposals seeking approval at the City We begin with an attention-grabbing proposal at 470 Wilson Avenue near the Allen, where a sprawling complex of buildings designed by gh3 for Collecdev looks to add a 13-storey condominium building and a series of 4-storey stacked townhouses to the site The development would replace two existing 4-storey apartment buildings and a 4-storey office building with a total of 623 new residential units that incorporate ground-level retail and outdoor amenity spaces Stay tuned for more news as this works its way through the planning process Malibu's second phase of Gramercy Park, dubbed Southside Residences, is the furthest along, now in sales. Southside, designed by Page + Steele / IBI Group Architects will include 2 towers rising to 15 and 17 storeys from a variable-height U-shaped podium Looking northwest at Southside Residences at Gramercy Park Still in planning is Malibu's next phase, Express Condos, at 4-6 Tippett Road. This proposal on the west side of the road would see three towers by RAW Design rising 16 comprising a total of 651 new residential units The project would replace an existing warehouse building on the site and is currently working its way through city planning with a rezoning application Just up the street, another development is proposed at Tippett Road and Wilson Avenue with Rocket Condos, a 13-storey 242-unit condo building designed by gh3 and headed by Metropia a previous proposal for the site that has since been scrapped and joins a growing community of residential density adjacent to the subway station The Rocket Condos proposal also includes a future second phase by developers Shiplake and Wise, which would see an 8-storey 154-unit residential building erected immediately to the south. The second phase is also designed by gh3 and will include 100 affordable housing units half of which will be rentals and the other half of which will be for purchase Aerial rendering of both phases of Rocket Condos Following Wilson Avenue to the west side of Allen Road, commercial development is slated a block to the south for the site at 3621 Dufferin Street, with a four-storey self-storage facility designed by TACT Architecture that incorporates additional commercial and retail functions the site was originally proposed to be developed as an 11-storey residential tower with grade-level retail along with a series of townhouses the project never gained traction and the lands were subsequently sold the building would have retail and office space on the first and second floors with 73 residential units located on the third floor and above South and east elevations of 1326-1328 Wilson A little north of the intersection of Jane and Wilson, a tower-in-the-park infill development is proposed for 160-200 Chalkfarm Drive. Headed by Verdiroc and designed by WZMH Architects the proposal includes a 36-storey tower atop a longer 8- to 12-storey podium and comprises a total of 590 new rental units and retail incorporated on the ground floor the 237-unit condo building with grade-level retail has nearly topped off with exterior cladding installation beginning on the lower floors View of The 2800 Condos under construction comprising a total of 325 units and possible grade-level retail a small development is breaking from the norm with a proposal by Two Bars Inc to construct eight semi-detached houses at 1629 Sheppard West at the corner of Seeley Drive The three-storey four-bedroom units will occupy a vacant site fronting onto Sheppard and are currently seeking rezoning approval at the City the southernmost station of the extension is nearly complete with finishing touches being applied in preparation for the influx of trains and passengers in 10 months' time View of the nearly complete Downsview Park Station the campus will utilize the 1929-built Havilland aircraft plant formerly home to the Canadian Air and Space Museum The ground-breaking ceremony was held in November and the project is targeting a 2018 completion date Rendering of the Centennial College Downsview Park Aerospace Campus the site was apparently up for sale last year so stay tuned for more updates on this development as they become available Just to the south, a district plan is in the works by Build Toronto for the Allen District a 54-acre plot of land stretching southward from Downsview Station that the City wants to develop into a mixed-use neighbourhood The proposed plan in its current form calls for a mixed use area around the subway station where it meets with the Wilson Heights community Building heights are proposed to be capped at 14 storeys for the mixed-use and apartment sectors and 4 storeys for the neighbourhood sector Phase 2 of the Plan is just getting underway and environmental assessment consultation process Continuing eastward, Sheppard & Faywood Developments has submitted a rezoning application for 847-873 Sheppard West, proposing to construct a series of stacked and independent townhouses designed by SRN Architects totalling 172 residential units having been the subject of two previous failed development applications Currently occupied by a series of detached single-family houses and commercial buildings the site was first planned to be redeveloped as a 6-storey mixed-use building in 2005 which never gained approval from City Council the OMB approved in principle a rezoning application for a pair of 9-storey mixed-use buildings but these never materialized and the site has since been surrounded by hoarding Perhaps now the site will finally be developed and the cycle will be broken with this most recent townhouse proposal East elevation of Block A showing typical design image courtesy of Sheppard & Faywood Developments Densification along Sheppard continues with a proposal by Greenfield Quality Builders dubbed Sheppard and Gorman Park Condos, conveniently named after its adjacent intersection, that would see a 9-storey condo building constructed on the avenue. Designed by superkül 85-unit building is currently seeking rezoning approval Rendering of Sheppard and Gorman Park Condos image courtesy of Greenfield Quality Builders image courtesy of Royal Lane Sheppard North look for the condo building to rise out of the ground sometime this year Excavation underway at Diva Condos from November 2016 Continuing eastward, another mid-rise is planned at 719 Sheppard West that would see a 9-storey condo constructed on the site designed by Icon Architects The project was approved for rezoning at the OMB in 2014 and has been dormant since but recently released updated renderings have appeared on the architects' website hinting that the project may be revived once again Just across the street, the intensification of mid-rises continues with Westmount Boutique Residences at 700 Sheppard West, a project headed by Quadcam Developments and designed by KFA Architects The proposal for a 10-storey 134-unit condo building with grade level retail is currently seeking rezoning and site plan approval at the City Rendering of Westmount Boutique Residences Continuing eastward, a development is proposed for 665-671 Sheppard West that would see 4-storey stacked townhouses fronting onto Sheppard, a 3-storey double duplex block fronting Yeomans Road, and a 3-storey townhouse block along the southern edge of the site. Designed by SRN Architects the proposal comprises a total of 51 residential units and is currently seeking rezoning at the City a vacant site at 4362 Bathurst has lain dormant for several years despite a proposed 8-storey mixed-use residential and retail development approved for rezoning back in 2012 the single-family detached house occupying the site was demolished in 2015 and a 'For Lease' sign for a retail or commercial space is up on the property as of last year but hopefully something will get moving this year and is currently seeking site plan approval at the City image retrieved via submission to the City of Toronto Continuing eastward along Sheppard, a massive proposal at 325 Bogert Avenue has recently been submitted to the city by Greatwise to redevelop the site currently populated by a three-to-six-storey rental apartment complex with six residential towers ranging in height from 21 to 37 storeys image by Core Architects for Greatwise Developments the development totals 1,765 residential units (148 of which are retained) with ground level retail incorporated in the 8- to 11-storey podiums of the towers Further east, another mid-rise is proposed at 245 Sheppard Avenue West, where PineLake Group is planning an 11-storey condo building at the intersection of Sheppard and Senlac Road. Designed by WZMH Architects the proposal also includes seven 3-storey townhouses on the southern edge of the site facing onto Bogert Avenue comprising a total of 105 units for the entire site The development would replace a private school and several single detached houses on the property North York Community Council refused the application as recommended by Planning staff on the basis that the proposal was introducing an inappropriate building form and did not provide appropriate transition to the adjacent neighbourhoods it is unclear whether or not this development will be appealed to the OMB To save Yonge Street for later, we're turning north on Senlac, and heading up to Finch, where we'l turn right. A couple blocks east, a 4-storey 91-unit residential building designed by Icon Architects is being proposed at 221-231 Finch West little is known about the proposal at this time but renderings posted on the architects' website show a striking curvilinear design of vertical wood elements it is unknown at this time what the future of this development will be work is now underway on the below-grade levels so look for this building to make significant progress over the coming year Rendering of the University Heights Professional and Medical Centre Just to the north of Finch on Keele, we come across the second stop on the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension, with construction progressing on Finch West Station. Designed by Will Alsop of aLL Design with IBI Group the boxy station is behind its nearly-complete counterpart at Downsview Park progress is being made for the December opening date With exterior glazing now being installed to finally seal it off the us terminal from the elements finishing touches will be applied in the coming months to our left are four 22-storey-high towers rising out of expansive grounds The epitome of tower-in-the-park planning of the 1960s and 1970s the rental apartments have been owned by Double Z Investments since 2011 but in 2010 when ELAD Canada owned the property the City approved a significant increase in density with a site plan that would add 8 new buildings of between 6 and 12 storeys with 1,035 new residential condominiums units amongst them maintains significant green space on the site which would be upgraded Since Double Z's purchase of the properties significant new development could come to this site Construction is advancing quickly with the exterior cladding almost complete View of The Quad Student Residence under construction in December 2016 Just to the north in the centre of campus, construction is well underway on the new York University Student Centre. Featuring a boxy, cantilevered composition by Cannon Design the four-storey student centre will feature much-needed study space The new building is scheduled for a Spring 2018 opening with pouring of the concrete structure currently reaching grade level Construction progressing at York University Student Centre A final institutional project currently underway at York University is an expansion to the Schulich School of Business, with a new contemporary addition planned for the northeast corner of the buillding. Designed by Baird Sampson Neuert Architects the 67,000-square-foot (6,225-square-metre) addition had its groundbreaking ceremony back in September and with site preparation beginning last month the project is targeting a late 2017 completion date Rendering of the Seymour Schulich Building expansion The exterior of the curving building is largely complete with work on the interior progressing for the December 2017 opening date View of the York University Subway Station Finally, we turn east on Steeles Avenue and start heading for Yonge Street. East of Dufferin Street we cross the West Don River. To our south, the next 200 metres is the Sanofi Pasteur property originally the University of Toronto's Connaught Laboratories site where historically important medical research and vaccine manufacturing facilities have now been operating for 102 years Sanofi Pasteur applied for rezoning to add a further 2-storey-plus-mechanical 15,000 square metre manufacturing plant in amongst the 30 other buildings on the site Included on the Inventory of Heritage Properties and also affected by a Ravine and Natural Feature Protection By-Law the City is now studying the extensive application the proposal would add 609 new residential units to the site in addition to the 404 existing rental units Additions planned for 755 Steeles Avenue West We end our journey through the western half of North York approaching Yonge Street. Next up, our Growth to Watch For series heads south through North York Centre and turns eastward along the Sheppard corridor summarizing all the development happening in the eastern half of North York make sure to check out the dataBase files and Forum threads for each of the projects mentioned for more information You can tell us what you think of all the developments happening in the city by joining the discussions in the associated Forum threads or by leaving a comment in the space provided on this page Join the thousands of Torontonians who’ve signed up for our free newsletter and get award-winning local journalism delivered to your inbox Data from the first weeks of the rollout reveals low vaccine uptake in areas with the largest school outbreaks As school cases and outbreaks surge to record heights new data sheds light on the state of Toronto’s kid vaccine rollout City-wide vaccine uptake for those aged five to 11 currently stands at 29 percent—a remarkable feat considering the pediatric vaccine was only available to the masses two short weeks ago those rosy overall numbers mask the reality that the communities where COVID is spreading most freely are among those with the lowest vaccine uptake Analysis by The Local using unreleased data downloaded from Toronto Public Health’s website shows a wide disparity in vaccination rates for kids with some Toronto neighbourhoods at nearly 70 percent vaccinated with a first dose and others sputtering along in the single digits Those rates break along familiar socio-economic lines The most vaccinated areas are the affluent neighbourhoods of Leaside-Bennington between 65 and 70 percent of kids in those neighbourhoods had received their first dose—stellar progress over a short period of time The areas with the lowest uptake are the lower-income racially diverse neighbourhoods of Beechborough-Greenbrook vaccination rates are at no more than 10 percent entire swaths of Scarborough and Toronto’s northwest have vaccination rates that are less than half of the city’s overall rate neighbourhoods that are home to schools with the largest COVID outbreaks and most numerous infections so far this academic year are among the least vaccinated These early results from Toronto’s junior vaccine campaign come at a critical juncture in the pandemic, with rising cases, larger and more frequent school outbreaks, and the emergence of Omicron. The slow uptake in the parts of the city that need them the most is concerning and means that the pattern of infections and school disruptions experienced recently could persist well into the winter months if no other public health measures are taken The latest projections from the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table (which did not account for the more transmissible Omicron) show that with the current suite of public health measures and assuming 50 percent of kids aged five to 11 are vaccinated by the end of December daily cases in the province would rise above 1,700 by January Crank up the percentage of kids vaccinated and the curves flatten; decrease it and the curves shoot up Given the pivotal role of vaccinating kids to the overall trajectory of the pandemic the pace of vaccine uptake among children in Toronto is promising in some ways the rates are high is encouraging,” said Ashleigh Tuite an epidemiologist and mathematical modeller at the University of Toronto “The thing that is a little bit surprising about that map is that Toronto before they even rolled out the kids vaccination campaign was really talking about equity and figuring out how to get vaccines to people who need them.” Tuite is referring to the city’s strategy to stave off the kind of disparities seen in the early days of the adult vaccine rollout—disparities which are now being repeated despite on-the-ground efforts to reach those in high-needs neighbourhoods Phil Anthony manages Michael Garron Hospital’s school-based clinics and co-leads Toronto’s pediatric vaccine planning table the low uptake in the priority neighbourhoods is deflating “There was a lot of effort put into that.” Anthony’s team has partnered with local schools and community agencies to bring Pfizer doses to students in those targeted communities. In his east-Toronto catchment area alone, Anthony indicated that close to 70 school-based clinics have been held since November 25 They include clinics in places like Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park where there have been large school outbreaks those efforts have resulted in just 16 percent and 18 percent of children in Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park with first doses Sudha Kutty’s team has been equally active with bringing vaccines into schools in Toronto’s northwest Kutty is vice president at Humber River Hospital “I’m not entirely surprised,” Kutty said in response to the low vaccination numbers in that area of the city “As we’ve been doing the school-based clinics I think we’re typically doing in the range of 50 [a day] at a clinic.” In the Jane and Finch area where Kutty’s team has organized several school clinics vaccination rates were between 13 to 18 percent as of December 5 the early results serve as a reality check and a reminder that for many areas of Toronto “It’s just gonna be a bit of slow going and everything we did the first time around,” she said referring to the strategies used for the adult vaccine “I’m not quite sure why we expected it would be different.” Kutty thinks that many have adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards the pediatric version “My gut tells me that the people who waited until the summer to get their first dose are likely gonna wait until February or March to get their kids vaccinated.” The city’s vaccination rate for kids has risen sharply since the rollout began driven largely by the rapid uptake in affluent areas can rise only as fast as the uptake in places like Rexdale it means that other public health measures—from better deployment of rapid testing to ensuring in-class HEPA filters are properly used and maintained to potentially instituting more robust vaccination requirements in certain settings—will be needed in order to buy time for vaccines to gain a foothold in these communities he helped organize some of the most successful vaccine clinics in the world including the one at Scotiabank Arena that delivered 26,771 doses on a single day in June Anthony takes comfort in the fact that things could have been worse “I know how much effort has gone into the equity strategy and I just wonder where things would be without it.” For him the results reinforce the need to go even harder “I just think we need to double down on the mobile strategy and the outreach,” he said “It’s got to be ‘no stone unturned,’ you know what I mean Tai Huynh is the founding editor-in-chief and publisher of The Local. He writes, occasionally, about urban health and inequality. Follow @taimhuynh.bsky.social, email tai@thelocal.to award-winning journalism thanks to the generous support of readers you're contributing to a new kind of journalism—in-depth from corners of Toronto too often overlooked From overworked ECEs to anxious alternative school parents from teenagers mourning their lost high-school years to elementary school students still learning from cramped apartments—an ongoing series about Toronto kids and the state of the education system two years into a global pandemic Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program—instead we have piecemeal provincially-funded programs that are leaving children behind A data blog about the pandemic's effects on the city’s 800 public schools and endured the ordinary teenage heartbreaks and triumphs under extraordinary conditions these York Memorial students found each other and their purpose The 2007 shooting of Jordan Manners sparked a massive review of school safety undiagnosed developmental conditions—for many students the losses of the last two years go well beyond school closures With ECEs fleeing the industry and a federal childcare deal on the horizon now is the time to fix a long-broken system What we learned from our participatory data project asking Torontonians to share rapid antigen test results A citizen-powered tool for anonymous reporting of rapid antigen test results in Toronto public schools High vaccine exemption rates have long been a feature at Toronto alternative schools there’s a new urgency to reach these hesitant parents Join the thousands of Torontonians who've signed up for our free newsletter and get award-winning local journalism delivered to your inbox non-profit journalism from corners of Toronto too often overlooked Toronto condos have long been seen as the last bastion of affordability in our real estate market Single-family homes are often too expensive for aspiring home buyers while certainly still expensive ($602,804 the average price for a Toronto condo apartment this year) Of course, real estate prices vary across different Toronto neighbourhoods To identify the Toronto neighbourhoods with the greatest condo affordability, Zoocasa compared the average price in each area (sourced from the Toronto Real Estate Board) to the city’s average as well as the median income earned in Toronto households home affordability is a far greater possibility for those in dual-or-more-income households According to the 2016 Census, the median take-home pay is $96,294. Assuming a 20-per-cent down payment, this would qualify this household for a maximum mortgage amount of $591,347 — attainable in 18 of the 35 examined neighbourhoods Centennial Scarborough (Average condo price May 2018 West Humber-Claireville (Average condo price May 2018 York University Heights ((Average condo price May 2018 Kennedy Park (Average condo price May 2018 Hoggs Hollow (Average condo price May 2018 Little India (Average condo price May 2018 Join industry leaders & Get the latest news in your inbox REM Editorial Team | Mar 26, 2024 | 0 comments Whether you’re guiding clients to their next condominium purchase or rental the cost of mortgage payments or rent can often influence their decision a great deal Zoocasa reported on the most affordable Toronto areas with data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board Nine of the 35 Toronto neighbourhoods analyzed offer average monthly mortgage payments lower than rental payments This makes renting the more budget-friendly option in 77 per cent of the city’s neighbourhoods the average monthly rent is $3,642 whereas mortgage payments go for about $6,273 per month where the average monthly mortgage payment is $1,900 more than the average rent Both of these neighbouhoods have average condo prices above $1.4 million The lowest mortgage payment average ($2,281) was found in the city’s Black Creek and York University Heights neighbourhoods This comes in about $20 less than the average rent in Toronto’s most affordable neighbourhood Rockcliffe-Smythe-Keelesdale-Eglinton West ($2,298) About 1 in 5 (17 per cent) of neighbourhoods have a mortgage and rent payment price difference within $100 — with some differences as low as $10-20 Willowridge-Martingrove-Richview showed the most drastic price difference — here an average mortgage payment is $549 less than a rental payment Read the full study here Get the latest REM articles in your inbox 3x week so you stay up to date on the latest in the Canadian real estate industry and website in this browser for the next time I comment REM (Real Estate Magazine) is Canada’s premier magazine for real estate professionals and other real estate industry stakeholders read REM for news and is not affiliated with any real estate association or board hello@realestatemagazine.ca © 1989 – 2024 REM Real Estate Magazine | REM is a JSH company Thirteen more Toronto neighbourhoods will be seeing community officers in their areas as the city’s police service expands its Neighbourhood Community Officer program (NCO) to cover a total of 51 localities The program was launched in 2013 with NCOs deployed in all 16 Toronto police divisions Chief of Police James Ramer and Mayor John Tory made the announcement on Saturday at a community open house at 31 Division the Toronto Police Service (TPS) said expanding the program was a priority in its 2022 budget The additional neighbourhoods were identified through “comprehensive analyses including of crime and demographics,” and will have 52 new NCOs they said NCOs are embedded in a particular neighbourhood for a minimum of four years and TPS says they co-develop solutions with the community and mobilize resources to “reduce crime fear of crime and anti-social behaviour.” The following 13 neighbourhoods will be added to the existing 38 that are currently included in the program: WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney will have to navigate a delicate balance during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump today A planned peaceful vacation has spiralled into a prolonged two-month ordeal for Ontario man David Bennett who remains stranded in the Dominican Republic despite having all criminal charges against him.. A Canadian man arrested on vacation has been proven innocent Melissa Nakhavoly with why he is still being held in the Dominican Republic Warmer temperatures but showers are expected on-and-off for the next few days Meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai has your seven-day forecast Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls on Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize a list of projects including the proposed Highway 401 tunnel Monday is calling for rain and thunderstorms Stella Acquisto has the long-range forecast listen to NewsRadio Toronto live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Toronto anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices Exterior rendering of University Heights Professional Centre The University Heights project is a major step in Real Wealth’s evolution from strictly a wealth management firm to developer Real Wealth Group’s Chief Executive Officer who says it’s about finding the best ways to manage their client’s money as the developer they can “take an active roll partner with the developer and monitor the project day to day”.  Rendering of medical facilities on second floor Abate leaves no doubt about how influential the coming public transit boom in the area was in the planning process he calls it “the most compelling reason to locate the project there” "I can't think of another location that is benefiting from over $2 billion in investment in terms of the intersection that the project’s at There’s only one other station that boasts multiple forms of transit and that's Union Station… it's got VIA Rail This will be the first where there will be LRT and the TTC subway and bus system” "What you would have seen there if the subway wasn't coming would probably be just another strip plaza with a Shoppers Drug Mart image courtesy of TTC / Stevens Group Architects / Will Alsop University Heights is being marketed as an office condo making it something of a rarity in the Toronto market Abate explains that institutional investors such as pension funds and other public companies that specialize in acquiring and developing these kinds of assets tend to crowd out the average investor in Canada “It’s more typical to find commercial plazas whose individual units are offered for sale to the public or to end users It is generally rare that you find an office building of this size that really caters to a professional office environment that is for sale to the public.” Mr Abate points out that the proximity of hospitals and courthouses will make the development particularly appealing to medical and legal professionals who may appreciate the investment opportunity of owning their own space He predicts that as new buildings come on stream in the area these spaces are going to command more and more per square foot Real Wealth’s vision for the project, a distinctly urban approach to function and design, meshed well with what City of Toronto planning staff envision as an emerging urban area and major transportation hub. After interviewing a number of architectural firms, they partnered with ACK Architects “We thought that they would bring the most creativity to the site and give us a fresh look for the area” Other developers have now come to the table and started acquiring land for development… so we’re certainly ahead of that curve and we wanted this building to really contemplate the future and lead the design and aesthetic characteristics that we think would improve the area We didn’t want the traditional looking building the colours - are certainly going to make this the unique landmark.” It’s this eye to the future that Abate underscores when talking about the University Heights project “I think that with what’s going to happen with this area it’s a tremendous investment opportunity; as I said the best commercial investment opportunity in Toronto” He backs up his claim with a convincing argument: “These are not pipe dreams… the tunneling for all the new stations is finished and these stations are coming on-line I can’t think of another office building or office that’s boasting the type of investment that’s coming in from all layers of government and building this infrastructure” Paolo Abate says that Real Wealth Group of Companies plan to continue to expand their portfolio of development projects in areas of the GTA where they see similar potential for growth and investment in public infrastructure that infrastructure doesn't necessarily mean subways and LRTs He describes a recently acquired commercial project near highway 404 in Aurora that will launch in the next couple of years he says it’s “on the doorstep of a major new 404 exit and entrance Want to know more about University Heights Professional Centre or Finch West Subway Station Choose on e of the associated Forum thread links or leave a comment in the space provided on this page Looking northwest to the 11 Catford redevelopment designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects for Sorbara Group The site is located in the North York neighbourhood of University Heights and will cover an entire block bounded by Catford Road to the north Broadbanks Drive to the south and Derrydown Road to the west It is located southwest of the intersection at Keele Street and Finch Avenue West where there is a subway station and will also soon be the easter terminal of the Finch West LRT The surrounding area primarily consists of auto-oriented suburban neighbourhoods to the west of Keele Street and low-rise commercial and light industrial to the east of it Because of the recently completed subway station the area close to the Keele and Finch intersection is redeveloping with a number of residential and mixed-use developments proposed There are already numerous rental residential buildings in the area the two 9-storey Tower-in-the-Park style residential rental apartment buildings will be retained as part of the redevelopment scheme The proposal encompasses constructing two new blocks of 4-storey townhouse-style residential homes in the northwest corner fronting on Catford a 12-storey mixed-use building fronting on Keele and 18 storey and 30-storey residential buildings linked together by a 6-storey podium in the middle of the site and accessed via a new private drive from Derrydown Road The two existing buildings at 11 Catford and 20 Broadoaks contain a total of 222 and 177 rental apartment units The new buildings would include 4 studios (0.4%) 319 two-bedroom units (33.7%) and 60 three-bedroom units (6.3%) for a total of 946 new units across all of the proposed buildings There would be 292 units in the 12-storey Keele building 606 units in the 18 and 30-storey linked building and 48 units across the townhouse blocks. All together there would be 1,345 units onsite consisting of the existing and proposed units The two exiting buildings combined currently have a residential GFA of 39,734m² and a FSI of 1.25 The proposed development would create an additional 722m²​​​​​​​ of retail gross floor area and 67,058m² of residential gross floor area on the proposed site There are a total of 704 underground vehicular parking spaces proposed for the new and existing buildings with all 128 current surface parking spots being relocated to an underground parking level There would be 711 bicycle parking spaces located underground on the first two levels with the exception of 67 spots located on ground level for short term use There would be 3,600m²​​​​​​​ of open spaces on site linked to a new 1,600m²​​​​​​​ public park through a network of walkways on the site there would be a total new amenity space of 1,892m²​​​​​​​ indoors and 1,892m² outdoors You can learn more from our Database file for the project you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread UrbanToronto has a new way you can track projects through the planning process on a daily basis. Sign up for a free trial of our New Development Insider here The Quad at York announced on October 1 that they are suspending residents’ ability to host any outside guests, in order to inhibit the spread of COVID-19. The Quad itself reported three COVID-19 cases earlier this semester The new restriction has come down in an effort to maintain physical distancing “We are pleased to report that there are currently no positive cases at the Quad,” says Scott Labron “To assist with the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 in our community the Quad has taken steps to align our visitor policies with York’s resident policies for the duration of the current restrictions.” this new precaution is just one of many that have changed their living experience.  and COVID-19 measures are very serious,” says Rohit Prabhakaran which would normally be open 24 hours a day It was open for a very short period of time with restricted hours and very few pieces of equipment before the second wave hit and the guest policy too has disrupted my life.” Prabhakaran further expressed how the Quad’s situation can be more complicated due to travel concerns because many of the residents here like myself are international students and while travelling to and from their home countries they could be potential carriers,” he says “That’s another reason why the Quad is very strict with the measures.” and while travelling to and from their home countries they could be potential carriers That’s another reason why the Quad is very strict with the measures.” The Quad’s new visitor suspension comes in tandem with rising case counts and stricter rules across the province and Peel have been moved back into a modified version of Stage Two restrictions This means lower gathering capacities and the closing of indoor dining In an October 1 Community Update York President Rhonda Lenton expressed the need for increased precautions in the York community stating: “We are aware that there are a high number of positive cases in the area adjacent to our Keele campus I would like to reiterate the important precautions we all must continue to take to keep each other safe and how York is doing its part.” Lenton went on to encourage several safety protocols “We also have contingency plans in place to respond to a number of potential scenarios to identify and contain health and safety situations that may occur for those who come onto our campuses and for those who live on campus,” she continued individuals who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or feeling ill in general are requested to not attend our campuses.” With these heightened safety concerns in mind Quad residents can sympathize with the alterations to their lifestyle even if they’re tough decisions to abide by.” At the time of publication, there were zero confirmed cases at York If and when the restrictions will be loosened remains to be seen Canada's federal government is launching program aimed at helping first-time home buyers afford their mortgages — but literally nobody who buys a house that exists in Toronto right now will be eligible Aptly named the "First Time Home Buyer Incentive" or FTHBI the program essentially grants interest-free loans of 5 per cent toward the purchase of a resale home or 10 per cent toward the puchase of a new build By the real-estate brokerage Zoocasa's calculations the maximum purchase price for a resale home that would qualify for even a 5 per cent down payment would be $505,000 the average house price in Toronto is $1,299,061 Even in the neighbourhoods where housing costs are cheapest (which the minimum average house price is a whopping $762,175 With a purchase price cap of $505,000 for resale homes first time house buyers in Canada's largest urban markets won't be able to take advantage of the federal government's new incentive program for those who want to take advantage of the FTHBI "According to recent data compiled by Zoocasa there are only 13 out of the city’s 35 MLS district neighbourhoods where such homes are available," reads a report from the firm released today "And options are limited to condos located away from the city core including North York condos and Etobicoke condos." The most affordable neighbourhoods for first time home buyers according to Zoocasa Here are the parts of Toronto in which a FTHBI could be used to buy a condo in Toronto, as per Zoocasa's analysis: As Canada's largest (and let's be honest, best) city, Toronto is an expensive place to live — more and more so, it seems, as demand for housing grows while supply remains limited enough to keep average home prices well above the $1 million mark "In 2022, the real estate market experienced volatility, but is now seeing a rebound in sales numbers as a result of the Bank of Canada's recent decision to put a hold on interest rates at 4.5%," wrote the brokerage when releasing its ranking of the 10 most-affordable communities in Toronto "The Canadian Home analyzed data from over 150 communities in Toronto to map out the average selling price and the number of properties sold in the last six months." It's important to note that this analysis focused on condo apartments which go for much higher on average than condos do The firm thus concluded that these are currently the most-affordable communities in which to buy a home (not a house but a condo) in The 6ix for those who don't already own property: "Kingsview Village is an established community where families can choose from a wide range of housing options and brand-new two-story homes," reads the new report "Residents of this close-knit neighbourhood have their pick of several different types of dwellings including a slew of high-rise apartment complexes on Dixon Road and other high-rise buildings and homes on Islington Avenue." "Scarborough is a diverse community with something to offer everyone Investing in a condo in Scarborough is a wise financial decision as prices for units of all sizes are rising," writes The Canadian Home many new developments are in progress with a thriving condo renovation market This is supported by various infrastructure improvements already underway or in the planning stages." "Many different nationalities are represented in the residents of Dorset Park A new group of young families with children is slowly displacing the older first-generation Dorset Park residents are undergoing a period of transition right now," reads the report "This is an ideal area for newlyweds or homebuyers looking to start a family." Hailing this multicultural community for its many shopping The Canadian Home notes that apartment buildings dominate this area including recent immigrants to Canada in search of a diverse and welcoming area will find what they're looking for in this vibrant and inexpensive neighbourhood," reads the report culturally diverse neighbourhood takes up a large portion of the far northwest corner of Toronto featuring an eclectic mix of vast parklands and educational campuses," say the analysts who compiled this ranking "West Humber-Clairville is close to the airport and major highways making it a convenient location for commuters West Humber-Clairville has several parks and green spaces The Canadian Home notes in its report that this neighbourhood has been undergoing significant redevelopment in recent years "Purchasing a home in Yorkdale-Glen Park now could result in a solid return on investment in the future," notes the report the neighbourhood is close to major transportation routes making it easy to commute to downtown Toronto or other parts of the Greater Toronto Area." This area has affordable homes near grocery stores and shops as well as excellent play structures and sports spaces," writes The Canadian Home "Flemington Park has many big green spaces and is only a 20 minute to drive downtown." or Northwood Park as it is more commonly known is a stunning area where buyers will find many brand-new homes in Toronto," reads the report with nearly 20 per cent of the people falling within the age range of 18 to 24." Analysts highlight the "relaxed atmosphere," in this area crediting the large number students who live there and "enjoy spending sunny days lounging on the lawns and in parks." this dense residential area spans the western tributary of the Humber River and is home to three distinct municipalities," reads the report "Houses in this Toronto suburb vary from modest bungalows and Victorian mansions to large apartment buildings and luxury high-rises providing a lot of variety to those first-time buyers who are looking for something different." but still with average condo prices under $600,000 "First-time homebuyers may find the community's wide selection of reasonably priced single-family homes and public transit routes that pass through the community and provide convenient access to other parts of the city Ashton Emanuel Progressive Conservative candidate Michael Kerzner celebrates his win in York Centre He won the riding with 12,875 votes or 46 per cent of the vote Progressive Conservative candidate Michael Kerzner has won the riding of York Centre an entrepreneur who co-founded DNA Labs Canada received 12,875 votes or 46 per cent of the vote came in second with 8,984 votes or 32 per cent of the vote placed third with 3,935 votes (14 per cent) This has been an honour and a journey of a lifetime,” Kerzner said in an interview It was about a concept that might be old but I feel that it’s still relevant today that we should do service over self We should serve our community selflessly.” Kerzner said his goal is to engage as many people as possible in the “diverse riding” which stretches from Bathurst Street to Jane Street in North York “One of my greatest strengths was bringing people together through interfaith dialogue and to promoting tolerance and this is something that I look forward to doing.” York Centre is home to Toronto’s highest number of Filipino Russian and Jewish residents and includes the neighbourhoods of Westminster-Branson Kerzner said he pledges to listen and lead and “I want to do so with integrity and honesty.” He said the riding has an opportunity to “build tens of thousands of new homes” with the redevelopment of the Downsview lands “We have the opportunity to have the largest development project in the history of Toronto take place in York Centre.” who was sitting as an independent after being turfed by the PC party for questioning pandemic lockdowns in January 2021 He didn’t seek re-election and is currently a candidate in the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election Baber handily won the riding for the PCs in 2018 York Centre is roughly bounded by Steeles Avenue to the north making them an excellent investment for anyone who bought a place like albeit expensive prospect for buyers in the market right now A new value analysis report released on Wednesday by the real estate listing site Zoocasa shows that condos are now experiencing higher appreciation rates than houses in 23 of Toronto's 35 neighbourhoods What this means is that houses aren't the sure bet they were once thought to be. Condos, on the other hand, continue to skyrocket in value across the GTA Quarterly data from the Toronto Real Estate Board shows that the average unit price for condos rose 9.7 per cent between July and September of 2018 compared to the same stretch of 2017 the price of an average unit ($615,582) was up 11.7 per cent while detached home prices declined over the same period by 1.4 per cent with 23 of Toronto's 35 markets experiencing higher appreciation among condos than houses Home sales are now starting to bounce back, but slowly — and market experts are still championing condo sales for bolstering the GTA's otherwise flagging housing market Zoocasa notes that there are pockets of the city in which house value appreciation still outpaces condos Here are five areas in Toronto where condos are crushing as an investment compared to houses This north Etobicoke hood boasts an average condo price of $372,000 — an appreciation of more than 43 per cent since last year at the same time Condo prices are rising far faster than house prices in the Jane and Finch area tying Richview at 43 per cent appreciation condos in this part of the city are up 37 per cent Condos near Scarborough's waterfront are growing in value fast up 35 per cent over last year with an average price of  $536,333 as of September 2018 The gentrification of Parkdale continues with condo prices reaching an average of $629,045 up 32 per cent over September of last year House values didn't rise as fast in this part of the city but they still went up by 18 per cent to a whopping average of $1,716,518 the camera is a toy Toronto’s northeast and northwest are the city’s hardest-hit area for COVID-19 according to new data released by public health Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Don't have an account? Create Account the data displays both the total number of cases per neighbourhood and the number of infections per 100,000 people We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentFor total number of cases the Rouge neighbourhood in the city’s extreme east ranks the highest at 400 followed by Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown with 384 Lambton-Baby Point — a wealthy enclave in the former city of York between the Humber River and Jane St. Andrew-Winfields — an area bordered north-to-south by the 401 to York Mills Rd Mayor John Tory said he wasn’t surprised by the results into the socio-economic characteristics of some of those neighbourhoods and the kinds of work settings in which people work the accommodations that they often live in sometimes many members of a family together,” he said “It provides more of an opportunity for the virus to spread inside those households than what otherwise might be the case.” Eileen de Villa said that while knowing which areas of the city are hardest-hit is valuable from a public health point of view she warned against using the map to stigmatize those living there “Where a person lives does not necessarily indicate where they picked up COVID-19,” she said “You are at risk of getting COVID-19 anywhere when you are in close contact with the respiratory droplets of someone who is infected with the virus.” She also warned against assuming the map indicates parts of the city people should avoid “Areas with lower rates of COVID-19 cases are not inherently safer from a COVID-19 perspective,” she said As of Tuesday — the most up-to-date information available at press time — there are 10,525 cases in Toronto Three-hundred fifty-six patients were in hospital TEN HARDEST HIT TORONTO NEIGHBOURHOODS(Source: City of Toronto Public Health) Rouge (400 cases)Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown (384 cases)Milliken (365 cases)West Humber-Clairville (357 cases)Woburn (325 cases)Glenfield-Jane Heights (305 cases)Agincourt North (301 cases)Agincourt South-Malvern West (301 cases)Downsview-Roding-CFB (277 cases)York University Heights (249 cases) transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Toronto Police Service crime statistics reveal that auto theft has been progressively climbing in Toronto while the issue entered full spotlight in 2023 The number of cases in Toronto was 3,636 in 2014 but that figure decreased to 3,285 in 2015 before rising in 2016 When considering auto theft by premises between 2014-2022 trends show commercial purposes have increased 37.6 per cent over the years Residential jumped 51.6 per cent and “Other” auto theft premises are up 45.6 per cent The neighbourhood with the highest number of auto theft cases with 159 commercial cases and 129 residential cases Four-hundred and eighty-six cases were placed in the “Other” category Other areas that are also high on the chart include York University Heights (229 cases) Crime stats also show that Friday and Saturdays experienced the least number of auto theft events Dealers can browse the full report here for more details Canadian auto dealer continues to cover updates in the area of auto theft. Our latest article can be viewed here by Canadian Auto Dealer A new Mercedes-Benz dealership recently opened in Ontario The 140,000 square-foot Mercedes-Benz Toronto Queensway facility is described as “state-of-the-art” and placed adjacent to the first AMG Brand Centre in North America Mercedes-Benz Canada described the AMG … Canadian auto dealer President of Hyundai Canada was the final speaker at Canadian Black Book’s Talk Auto conference held yesterday Romano delivered his take on the future of the auto industry Romano sat down with automotive journalist Petrine … Todd Phillips As the federal government continues its consultations around potential policy responses to protect Canada from China’s unfair electric vehicle trade practices Unifor is calling for the implementation of a series of tough and comprehensive measures “The United States and the European … a British semiconductor and software design company to create the next generation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technology for software-defined vehicles Canadian auto dealer In the wake of the federal government unexpectedly shutting down its Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program prematurely several automotive manufacturers have stepped up to continue to provide purchase rebates to consumers The OEMs we have identified so far include … Perry Lefko a major DMS software provider for dealerships was hit with back-to-back cyber attacks and experienced an outage that saw the majority of its systems shut down Perry Lefko, Carina Ockedahl and Todd Phillips info@canadianautodealer.ca © 2025 Canadian Auto Dealer. Website by Leaf Design Amid a climate that is challenging both perspective homebuyers and developers alike due to persistently high interest rates questions abound on when the Bank of Canada might begin to ease its grip plenty of construction in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area is pressing on as tower cranes continue to be raised on the skyline we've put together a roundup of the latest construction starts plus recent completions as other projects approach occupancy across the GTHA 555 The West Mall Emerging along Etobicoke's West Mall is Starlight Investments’ latest residential venture. The 21-storey,  67.2m rental building, designed by Architecture Unfolded will rise near the corner of The West Mall and Rathburn Road construction is starting towards adding 249 modern market-rate rental units into the neighbourhood Looking north to a shoring rig onsite at 555 The West Mall image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor DrillBit The Hyatt Place Toronto Airport The latest hotel for those needing accommodation near Pearson is taking shape with the construction of The Hyatt Place Toronto Airport. This 8-storey, 196-room hotel designed by Chamberlain Architect Services Limited for Manga Hotels has started construction at the intersection of Dixon Road and Highway 27 in Etobicoke a tower crane and construction equipment are onsite signalling work progressing on this 30.18m addition to the area Looking east to the tower crane erected at the construction site for The Hyatt Place Toronto Airport image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor FW36 NorthCore Condos Situated in North York's Lansing neighbourhood at 53-63 Sheppard Avenue West, this Fieldgate Urban development with 16 and 4-storey tower and townhomes, is designed by Arcadis Excavation work was seen at the site at the start of this month for the project Encompassing 352 condo suites and 9 townhome units the site a short walk from Sheppard-Yonge station on Yonge Line 1 and Sheppard Line 4 Looking southwest to early stages of excavation for NorthCore Condos image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Undead 1071 King West It will provide a blend of 278 market-rate rental units with ground-floor retail with plans for the West Toronto Railpath to seamlessly integrate into its design at ground level Looking west to geothermal driling rigs at 1071 King Street West image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor kotsy Raglan House Camrost-Felcorp is looking to bring contemporary urban living to Toronto's Humewood-Cedarvale neighbourhood. With a design by Arcadis this 28-storey condominium is set to stand 91.95m An image from this month captures shoring equipment in motion at the start of work on 320 condo units plus grade-level retail at 65 Raglan Avenue The site is a 10-minute walk from St Clair West station on University Line 1 Looking northeast to shoring equipment at the site for Raglan House image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor AlbertC U of T: Innis College Expansion The University of Toronto’s latest expansion is at Innis College where a Montgomery Sisam Architects-designed 4-storey institutional building has broken ground just of St George Street Excavators and hoarding spotted onsite last month are the first signs of a new chapter for the college This expansion is poised to stand at 17.6m tall Looking northwest to excavators onsite at for construction at the U of T Innis College Expansion image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor everydayhim 655 Supertest The completion of 655 Supertest Road marks a modern addition to the York University Heights area, blending industrial functionality with sleek office space. This two-storey development, from Eleven Investment Ltd and designed by Baldassarra Architects Inc brings a single-storey warehouse behind a two-storey office area Gallery Condos + Lofts Occupancy has begun at Carriage Gate Homes’ Gallery Condos + Lofts in the heart of Burlington. This 23-storey tower designed by Turner Fleischer Architects rises 94.05m to overlook Brant Street The building's exterior showcases a contemporary mix of glass image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor ben.thebean1 Plaza Midtown The two towers of Plaza Midtown near Yonge and Eglinton have now been added to the Midtown Toronto landscape. Standing at 83.82m and 107.89m, the towers from Plaza offer a total of 545 units. The design by BDP Quadrangle showcases a neutral palette of glass which encase the residences in a modern skin image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Domenico 397 King Street East Kitchener's urban texture gains depth with the completion of 397 King Street East. This mixed-use development by B & T Food Centre and designed by Fryett Turner Architects Inc presents an eight-storeys of residential The building's massing and material selection – a modern blend of brick and steel – are intended to respect the historic context of the King East neighbourhood while moving forward with contemporary urban design image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor emphurent Peter and Adelaide Condos Nestled within Toronto's vibrant Entertainment District, Peter and Adelaide Condos designed by BBB Architects for Graywood Developments stands as a 47-storey tower at a height of 152.39m This mixed-use tower at 350 Adelaide St West enriches the area with 696 residential units while its ground-floor retail and public spaces will add amenities and vibrancy to this bustling corner of the city Looking southwest to the tower of Peter and Adelaide image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor christiesplits The Poet Condominiums In the Leslieville area, The Poet Condominiums by Fieldgate Urban rises along the streetscape with a modern urban form. TACT Architecture’s design features deep-set balconies fronting this 6-storey 69-unit building at 1285 Queen Street East Looking southeast to The Poet Condominiums Garden District Condos The Garden District Condos present another fusion of Toronto's storied past and contemporary urban living. The 32-storey condominium, designed by architects—Alliance for Hyde Park Homes and The Sher Corporation is situated at 79 through 85 Shuter Street integrating heritage Georgian and Victorian exteriors of three 1860s heritage buildings into its base This building brings 234 new units of housing to the east side of Downtown image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor rdaner Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre Set to be a cornerstone of community health and social services in Hamilton's Landsdale neighbourhood, the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre stands ready to welcome the public. Designed by Architects Tillmann Ruth Robinson the 2-storey facility at 430 through 436 Cannon Street East exhibits a contemporary design with large glass facades that create transparency and engagement at street level Looking south to Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Branden Simon That's it for today's roundup of construction starts in the GTHA To learn more about any of the projects from today's story you can visit their respective database files linked below; from there you can also join in on the conversation by visiting the project thread we will continue to follow the progress of these projects and keep you informed with ser the important updates as they come.  that tracks projects from initial application.​​​​ A new mid-rise condo is proposed to rise in North York’s York University Heights community on an empty lot near Downsview Park an Ontario numbered corporation submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment to City planners to build a 12-storey building with 158 units at 3374 Keele Street Designed by Kirkor Architects Planners the building is proposed to rise to a height of 42.9 metres and have a gross floor area of 12,018 m² the entirety of which would be residential The rectangular development site is located just north of the Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue West intersection and is currently vacant and is surrounded by greenery READ: Developer Looking to Expand Rental Complex in Etobicoke The submission proposes a total of 158 condominium units The two and three-bedroom units represent 45% of the total making the building attractive for families the building would feature a breezeway in front of the lobby entrance while balconies and terraces are also included adding additional outdoor space for residents The proposed building incorporates a total of 732 m² of indoor and outdoor amenity space that has been designed to accommodate a range of recreational uses including passive and active activities for all residents A high-quality landscaping program is also proposed and seasonal planting around the building entrance and driveway from Keele Street An outdoor amenity area would be located to the rear of the building where a variety of flexible seating and dining areas Additional indoor and outdoor amenity spaces have also been proposed for the 11th floor A driveway located on the north side of the building would provide access from Keele Street to an underground parking ramp with access to 107 below-grade vehicle spaces which would include 10 accessible parking spots The ground floor is also shared with a stacked bicycle storage room A total of 182 bicycle parking spaces are proposed 170 of which are long-term and 12 are short-term Condo units situated outside Toronto’s core will likely see more activity in the near-future due to the federal First-Time Home Buyer Incentive according to the latest analysis by real estate information portal Zoocasa This is in keeping with a trend several years in the making with sustained demand for more living space driving up the popularity of housing markets in city outskirts and beyond Approximately three-quarters of the Canadian population were living in suburban communities as of 2016 according to a Queen’s University census analysis Royal LePage noted last month that eight of the 10 fastest appreciating exurbs in Canada are located in Ontario the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive program was intended to help more Canadians buy their desired starter residences – but this quickly ran aground upon Toronto’s market realities “Buyers are hard pressed to find a resale home within the eligible price range (up to $505,000) in the City of Toronto and there are only 13 of 35 MLS district neighbourhoods where such homes are available,” Zoocasa stated in its report buyers’ options are limited to condos located away from the city core.” hopeful home buyers looking to benefit from the Incentive will have the best luck at West Hill where the average condo unit is valued at $352,389 Other good choices priced at averages below $400,000 include Malvern York University Heights ($373,932) and Willowridge Incentive users can also consider Rexdale-Kipling West Humber-Clairville ($388,935) and Dorset Park GTA-Homes » Master-Planned Communities » William Baker District Plan mixed-use community will feature new high-rise and low-rise housing as well as a mix of commercial retail and service spaces and it is bringing much-needed housing The William Baker District Plan is a new Master-Planned Community in the York University Heights neighbourhood. It will have a total of 3,985 new residential units A portion of the housing will be affordable or aimed at seniors new open spaces and a plethora of existing and planned amenities it is one of the five planned communities that will encircle Downsview Park in Toronto This development will be split into three land use designations Mixed-use areas will be built along Keele Street and at Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue West Apartment areas will be constructed in the northern portion of the development and along Sheppard West The centre of the development will be reserved for natural areas and parks You can expect a mix of 40% two-bedroom and 10% three-bedroom units based on the Growing Up Guidelines and the Growth Plan's growth management and housing policies The master planned community will be completed in several phases The first phase sits at the south end of the site along the Sheppard Avenue West and Keele Street frontages It proposes 13 subdivision blocks with 1,400 units There will be a combination of residential and mixed-use structures ranging from 4 to 20-storeys this phase will add a new street running east-west between Keele Street and Sheppard Avenue West Block 1 will be 1.44 hectares and have 550 units while Block 2 will be 0.45 hectares with 100 units with a total of 750 units and 2.87 hectares The highlight of this Master-Planned Community will be a mature woodlot this natural paradise will provide residents with a quiet place of respite away from busy city life additional green space will be incorporated to circle this feature this green space will also buffer a new park and a pedestrian/cycling bridge connecting Downsview Park to the south The William Baker District will have about 3 hectares of parkland throughout its territory This Community will encourage walking and biking as fast and reliable modes of transportation though a robust pedestrian and cycling network It will connect the neighbourhood with the surrounding area through significant green spaces throughout the region and nearby Downsview Park York University Heights is one of Toronto's most desirable neighbourhoods due to its proximity to York University and the TTC As condo projects are being developed at a rapid rate in an attempt to meet the skyrocketing demands Nowhere else will you find a locale that meets all the needs of families Grocery shopping can be done in a flash with popular grocery chains such as No Frills and Walmart Supercentre located just north of this location Other nearby grocery stores include Danforth Food Market and Istanbul Fine Foods You can also get locally grown goods at Ontario Fresh Fruits & Vegetables and Downsview Park Merchants Market & Farmers Market This area also has plenty of delicious restaurants Eateries within the community include Leng Keng Bar & Lounge and Caribbean Cove and Tacontento Mexican Foods are all minutes away The excellent locale is home to Downsview Long Term Care with Yorkview Medical Centre and NY North Medical Clinic also nearby This location is gifted with an abundance of green space and Orchard Pavilion are all a stone's throw away Sarn Farms and Fresh City Farms are minutes away Both students and professionals benefit from Line 2's Downsview Park Station location just steps away from this new community This station will allow residents to quickly and easily travel to Downtown Toronto and the surrounding GTA The trip from Downsview Park Station to York University Station takes about five minutes it takes about 20 minutes to get to the University of Toronto from here The Barrie Line's Downsview Park GO Station is less than a ten-minute drive away and takes locals to Union Station at the heart of Toronto The area is also well serviced by a variety of bus routes With students and professionals flocking to this area finding someone to rent your property will be a walk in the park Students will also be interested in this area due to its proximity to Ryerson Aerospace Engineering Centre and Centennial College's Downsview Campus Both are less than ten minutes away on foot Parents will be ecstatic to find that one of Toronto's finest private schools is within walking distance from this neighbourhood this school for elite athletes is famous for its specialized sports programs the school shares its building with The Monkey Vault Sports Complex Volleyball Canada: National Beach Volleyball High-Performance Training Centre Lovers of staying active will be delighted by this location The planned Downsview Community Centre will bring even more recreational opportunities to the neighbourhood Information on this development company will be available soon Before Spending Time on Your Property Search Our Investment Presentation Seminar Is a Must See List of All Master-Planned Communities The Jane-Finch area is been rebranded as “University Heights” Jane and Finch is being rebranded as University Heights but some call change 'a rejection of how far we've come' but some call change ‘a rejection of how far we’ve come’ leaden sky is so low you can almost touch it bearing down on the San Romanoway highrises like a hydraulic press a layer of exhaust-tinged slush covers the Jane Finch Mall parking lot A group of students from nearby Westview Centennial Secondary School are huddled at a bus stop No one seems to notice the University Heights banners attached to hundreds of hydro poles on Jane St the black-and-white signs are easy to miss But for many in the community known colloquially as Jane and Finch Erected in October as part of Councillor Anthony Perruzza’s neighbourhood rebranding strategy the banners are being criticized as an insulting exercise in revisionist history “Air Canada used to call it coach, now they call it Tango. They’re just giving it a fancy name. It doesn’t change the fact you’re still in the back eating peanuts,” says Paul Nguyen, founder of community website jane-finch.com “A lot people feel (the rebranding) is a kind of rejection of how far we’ve come,” he said “A lot of people are actually proud of Jane and Finch so they look at it as saying we’re not supposed to be proud and we have to hide from the name.” “A rose by any other name is still a rose,” she said To erase the name is to erase some of the history that has been attached to the community over the years.” Payne is executive director of the San Romanoway Revitalization Association a cheery space at the foot of the area’s tallest highrise where kids go to scarf down lunch and frown at their multiplication tables There are a handful of similar associations in the area Tim Greenwood is a youth employment counsellor at JVS Youthinc From his office in the basement of Jane Finch Mall he co-chairs the Street Involved Youth Issues Coalition ”(The rebranding) is expressing a lack of confidence in the community so I’m not crazy about it,” said Greenwood who has fallen in love with the community since taking a job there in 2005 “It’s being imposed from above I’ve heard Anthony (Perruzza) talk about it and I understand his reasoning `We’re going to do this because it’s going to be good for you.’ So I think people’s natural reaction is to be upset.” Greenwood sent a string of emails to like-minded community organizations one of which landed in Stefany Hanson’s inbox “Because I’m trying to get youth more involved in decision-making processes `Is this something you’re interested in working on?’ From there it’s really taken off,” said the 23-year-old who works as a co-ordinator at the Involve Youth leadership program run out of Seneca College’s Yorkgate Mall campus She found eager allies at the Driftwood Community Centre the Oakdale Community Centre and the Tobermory Youth Program they’re planning a performance in February with live theatre and film projects – all aimed at “reclaiming the Jane and Finch area as the Jane and Finch area “What would they like to name it?” Perruzza said from city hall The four corners will continue to be there.” Rather than a refutation of the neighbourhood’s identity he likes to think of the University Heights rebrand as a “gift box.” It’s packed with some impressive and expensive goodies including a stop on a $3 billion subway line and an $880 million LRT line “I’m not inventing anything new The area was designated University Heights (by the city) and it has a number of other names and I’m just dusting them off and letting them know that we have a history and we will continue to build on that history in a positive way.” He insists the rebrand underwent “very broad consultation” with residents and community leaders Deedar Ghatehorde is a real estate agent who has been selling houses in the area for a couple of years because the current name has negative connotations it’s going to sound much better,” he said “It’s not about trying to hide the location – you can’t – but what is important is it gives (people) additional information that this neighbourhood is really close to the university.” “I don’t understand what it is I’m erasing,” said Perruzza adding people can continue to refer to the community however they want “There’s no sense in calling it University Heights,” she says you going to Jane and Finch?’ That’s it.” It's a nightmare no car owner wants to imagine: you return to your parking spot only to find your car missing This nightmare has unfortunately become a reality for many car owners across the city as auto thefts have already surpassed records with over two months still left in the year According to the Toronto Police Service Public Safety Data Portal the city saw 6,572 auto thefts in 2021 alone This total is considerably higher than the average auto thefts from the 2014-2020 period in which average auto thefts by year were 4,552 The last time auto thefts were below the annual average was back in 2017 A new interactive map by Transparent Canada reveals the top neighbourhoods where auto thefts are most prevalent in the city The information is based on the City of Toronto's published data Toronto auto thefts by neighbourhood in 2021. Photo Credit: Transparent Canada  the top 10 with the highest total auto thefts in 2021 were: The top 10 neighbourhoods with the lowest total auto thefts in 2021 were: The Toronto Police also revealed the totals for auto theft locations Auto thefts by premise type in Toronto in 2021, from the Toronto Police Service's Public Safety Data Portal Totals for 2022 have already surpassed 2021 numbers, with year-to-date auto theft offences already at 7,117 at the time of writing. According to Toronto Police, auto thefts account for over 20 per cent of the major crimes committed in Toronto in 2022 Major crime indicators by type in Toronto, year-to-date in 2022, from the Toronto Police Service's Public Safety Data Portal New vehicles with keyless fobs are being specifically targeted during this heightened wave of car thefts with thieves using sophisticated devices such as radio frequency amplifiers to capture fob signals from inside the house and extending it to the car Other criminals have attached Apple AirTags to hard-to-see places on high-end vehicles for later location and theft Toronto Police have advised the public to avoid leaving keyloss fobs near the front door overnight Marcanadian 2014This article was published more than 11 years ago A new measure is being used to rank Toronto's neighbourhoods – the "neighbourhood equity score" which combines ratings for economic opportunity participation in decision-making and physical surroundings change the way Toronto's 140 neighbourhoods are evaluated by city staff when they decide where to direct services The new rankings are likely to set off a lively debate about the city's role in providing social services and what areas of the city are most deserving of extra funding and attention – all against the backdrop of the fall civic election The new measures were developed in conjunction with researchers at St Michael's Hospital's Centre for Research on Inner City Health and are adapted from work done by the World Health Organization Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions Her parents will make the long journey from China to seek justice for their slain daughter Three years after 23-year-old student Qian “Necole” Liu was killed in what has been dubbed the Webcam Murder the trial is finally slated to begin this week with jury selection at the downtown Toronto courthouse “They will be attending,” confirmed friend Charles Burton a former Canadian diplomat to China who has worked with Liu’s father “I think they’re hoping the Canadian justice system will produce a just result “They have a language barrier and they don’t understand our system all that well but they will have an interpreter at the trial,” added Burton a political science professor at Brock University It was a slaying ripped from the script of a terrifying TV drama came to Toronto in September 2010 to study English at York University She rented a unit in one of the red brick townhomes south of the university popular with students Liu missed home and told her mother that during their final web chat just hours before she was killed April 15 Her next web call to Beijing was with Meng Xianchao and the petite visa student was in her basement unit on Aldwinckle Heights when police say she got a knock on the door Toronto Police homicide detectives have said Liu didn’t have a peephole so she would have had to open the door to see who was there Her boyfriend watched in horror at what then transpired I couldn’t reach her,” he told a reporter in Beijing all he could do was frantically try and reach his Toronto friends and ask them to check on Liu But people were sleeping and it wasn’t until around 11 a.m that two friends were let into her apartment by her landlord to see if she was okay Police would later say there was no obvious sign of trauma or sexual assault The bizarre murder made headlines around the world Frank Skubic said there appeared to be no recording of the webcam transmission of Liu’s fatal encounter and said police were seeking her missing webcam all assumed to have been taken after she was killed Charged with first-degree murder is Brian Dickson global politics student who lived in the same building The university was quick to issue a press release to say the running instructor and amateur actor was no longer registered at York and had never graduated there are so many questions they need answered the wheels of justice move slowly and the original trial date they were given was postponed for a year “It’s been a very long delay,” said Burton “It really is disturbing to have it drag out so long.” Liu’s parents are trying to prepare themselves not only for the horrible details of their daughter’s death but also for the intense media interest this trial will garner It’s made headlines internationally because of the lurid webcam aspect it will be closely watched by parents who worry about the safety of sending their children to study in Canada “I have a daughter who’s of similar age,” he said “I feel a great deal of sadness over the whole thing I want something done so the family will feel the matter is settled in a just way.” which is part of the poorest congressional district in America Six miles away is the Ethical Culture Fieldston School with its arched stone entrance and celebrities’ children and $43,000-a-year tuition as part of a program called Classroom Connections students from the schools began exchanging letters which eventually led to a small group from University Heights visiting Fieldston for a day these were tough street kids,” said Lisa Greenbaum who has been teaching English literature at University Heights for 10 years They couldn’t imagine that this was just minutes from where they lived It made them so disheartened about their own circumstances.” the two schools maintained their connection groups of students meeting intermittently to talk about race relations or to take a combined field trip to work on a community-garden project in Van Cortlandt Park They most recently got together in early April to participate in an exercise in “radical empathy,” as it’s called by the group Narrative 4 which facilitates story exchanges between groups from all over the world and shared stories that in some way defined them When they gathered as a group a few hours later each student was responsible for telling the other’s story taking on the persona of his or her partner and telling the story in the first person (“shattering stereotypes by walking in each other’s shoes,” as one of the Narrative 4 facilitators put it) the care each student took with the story that had been entrusted to her or him David Fishman told the story of Angie Ramirez whose father had died and whose mother had been sick “I’m afraid of her going away,” David-as-Angie said (“I shared a story about my Outward Bound trip last year,” David later wrote to me as a way of talking about his awareness of the different kinds of strain in their lives “and how I had to overcome peer pressure and stand up for what I believed in My partner talked about her father’s death and an illness her mother had She expressed fears about having to take care of her little siblings if her mother died.”) The rest of the students’ stories ranged from the lighthearted (the first time I got drunk; my love of bowling) to the profound — stories of temporary homelessness and family suicides of academic pressure and shame about being poor of the struggle to help a mother overcome her troubles and find the physical and spiritual strength to turn her life around When it came time for Johnny to tell Adam’s story about a first date that ended in the rain in Central Park — dancing “It was so important to him,” Johnny said afterward So it was really important to me to get it right.” JOEL LOVELL Johnny “I’m very aware of the financial realities in my community and that most or all are low-class citizens like myself We struggle every day and watch our parents struggle to feed us and pay for necessary things But I’m a dreamer and an innovative person and I think that achievement is more meaningful than actual income.” you’re unaware that there are people who don’t have what you have there are people who don’t have anything like what I have And you realize you’ve been given an unfair advantage It’s my responsibility to use that advantage for social justice and to make the world a better place.” Marienely “People in my community have welfare and Section 8 My family doesn’t receive that aid anymore so I know how it feels to let people know you receive help from the government Sometimes I get stressed just seeing my mother working so hard to get me what I want and need The only thing she asks for is for me to do great in school but I wish I could get a job to help her out TEAK is an organization that helps low-income students gain admission to prestigious private high schools and colleges I wish conversations about class and wealth would happen at Fieldston but socioeconomic status is one of the hardest things to have open conversations about How do you make people feel safe and included without being too vulnerable?” Madison “I went to public school until seventh grade so I am hyperaware of the disparity between Fieldston and a public school the University Heights students come here and are amazed by our lunch selection and Fieldston students bash the caf because they just don’t know it could be worse Anthony “Money is an ongoing topic in my community but everyone has a great story and wisdom to share to help you forget about all the things you want and cherish all the things you actually have.” Anabel “I’m very lucky and privileged to have the parents I have which has given me an idea of success that isn’t based on money This may be because my family hasn’t ever openly struggled financially in my lifetime I don’t usually think of money in a social context — who has more and who has less — but again maybe this is due to the fact that I’ve never personally struggled to make money or get by.” Kiana “I went in there thinking none of the students at Fieldston would understand what any of the kids from my school go through on a daily basis because they’re most likely all from rich households But my partner and I had a lot more in common than I thought we would and these kids were not stuck up like I thought they’d be Some of them went through similar things that kids from my school have gone through — in some cases Ellis “When I meet with the students from University Heights the obvious differences in our situations do play a factor in the conversation But then a funny thing happens: You start to find out things you have in common and we immediately went to the topic of baseball even though some of our other experiences were nothing alike We get much more out of realizing our similarities.” Nagib “My mom works really hard for a little bit of money Being poor is the biggest motivation for me because I come from the bottom People say that success is not determined by income but I want my success to be determined by income most of the things that I worry about now are money-related and I don’t want my children to have to worry like my siblings and I did.” Nicholas “Some people don’t have as much as I do This is why I do not complain at all about what I have One of the most valuable things I own is my dad’s bracelet I really don’t have much to remember him by He’s buried in my country — Guyana — so the bracelet that he once owned is one of the things I value the most.” Juliet “We’re trained from a very young age to search for clues about money in the slightest details It would be untrue to say we spent an afternoon telling each other’s stories and ‘got past that whole difference in class thing.’ But when you tell someone’s story as my partner was making me laugh during all the ‘serious face’ photos I was really grateful that he had taken as much care with my story as I tried to with his.” Angie “Most of my peers are in the same predicament as I am of not being able to afford a private education So that’s the group I relate to — kids who are trying to get an education to make themselves better or help their families out We want to get out of the hood and get a good job in order to have a better future.” David “I consider my family to be in the upper middle class We are well off and can afford the luxury of vacations many of my friends are much wealthier than I am and sometimes this makes me feel inadequate and somewhat ashamed But I recognize the unbelievable privilege I have and my financial situation only motivates me to use it wisely.” and my mother breaks her back to pay bills so we’ll be able to live a decent life It just makes me want to have two jobs instead of one so she could stop working so I constantly think about college and my career and how much money I’ll make so she can finally stop working I just want to make her life easier and thank her for supporting me on her own.” Lisa “At a school with such a dominant culture of affluence it is hard not to be conscious of where you fall along the spectrum especially if you don’t feel fully comfortable in this culture I definitely have a skewed perception of financial success My parents’ concerns about their jobs and being able to put me and my sister through school stress me out and sometimes make me feel isolated here But my understanding of financial hardship is completely relative because I know feeling slight discomfort in a private-school environment is far from true suffering.” Christina “I am very aware of my family's financial situation at all times There are many instances when a conversation about clothing is happening and some of the students are able to purchase clothing that I would never be able to because of my financial situation While I have less money than many of the students that I go to school with I am also aware of my privilege in regard to the rest of the world and realize that I Anthony “I think of myself as a low-income individual I know my day will come and that I will make a change in my life that will effect me financially and mentally because I want to live comfortably and travel and have money to support a family of my own But I also know that success comes from within You aren't truly successful until you are happy with the life you are living.” My dad and mom grew up in different financial situations But my dad grew up in upstate New York with four brothers and constantly moving from house to house and my mom grew up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan My dad has strived his whole life to give his family a better life financially and emotionally than he had while growing up I feel very proud of my family’s financial situation because I know how hard he has worked so we are able to live the life we live.” Elio “When I first met with the Fieldston students I saw the campus and was fascinated by its resemblance to a college I noticed that most of the students there were Caucasian and dressed preppy I come from a school the majority of the student population is Hispanic But I was struck by how open and welcoming these people were to outsiders but that made me more appreciative of the luxuries I do have my most valuable belonging is the yellow stuffed bear my mother gave me when I was about 4 I keep him because he reminds me of my past and the struggles I have overcome.” Joel Lovell is a deputy editor of The New York Times Magazine Ryan Pfluger is a New York-based photographer Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker