Ontario Construction News staff writer
Dream Unlimited Corp., Kilmer Group and Tricon Residential Inc. have launched construction on Maple House, the first phase of the Canary Landing development which will be one of the largest and most significant rental communities in Canada.
Altogether, the 12-acre community in Toronto is comprised of 2,300 rental units – of which 30 per cent will be dedicated as affordable housing and 25 per cent will be barrier-free.
Canary Landing is located in Toronto’s Canary District community, a pedestrian scale urban village adjacent to the Distillery District. it includes eight mixed-use buildings spanning four city blocks along Cherry Street. In addition to significant market and affordable rental housing, the development also includes 30,000 square feet of retail and a future 5,000 square foot community space.
“We have all watched as Toronto’s affordable housing crisis has grown during the past several years,” says Anne Babcock, CEO of WoodGreen Community Services. “WoodGreen Community Services is thrilled to be working with other not-for-profit agencies and the DKT Partnership to deliver real and permanent housing solutions to a diverse range of Toronto residents. The Canary Landing initiative is a testament to what we can all do by working together for the common good.”
It is being constructed through a public-private partnership between the DKT Partnership, the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, the Government of Canada, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), all working collaboratively to create affordable housing solutions at scale.
“We are grateful for the collaboration with our municipal, provincial, and federal partners as we work towards our shared vision for Canary Landing, which will target ambitious LEED Gold sustainability outcomes, and provide long-term market rental and affordable housing,” said Andrew Joyner, managing director at Tricon Residential. “Maple House is the start of fulfilling our promise to create beautiful, sustainable, and affordable housing, and we look forward to seeing residents thrive in this vibrant new community very soon,”
The development team is partnered with seven non-profit agencies including: WoodGreen Community Services, Artscape, COSTI, Wigwamen, Performing Arts Lodge, March of Dimes and Interval House. Affordable rental homes will be offered at 40 to 80 per cent below the average market rent.
The architecture and design team, which includes Danish firm COBE, along with Canadian firms architectsAlliance and CCxA (Claude Cormier x Associés), focused on creating a “design-forward and environmentally responsible” community that respects the local heritage. Maple House has already garnered several accolades, including the Canadian Architect Award of Excellence and the 2021 BILD Award for Best New Community.
“Maple House is very special to us. It is not just a city-building project – more importantly, it is a community building project. We have focused a design that is highly contextual, connecting to the fine grain scale of the Distillery District, the prominent scale of Canary District, and at the same time, referencing the industrial heritage of Toronto’s waterfront. It results in buildings that both fit in and stand out, and a project that celebrates architectural inclusion and fosters and embraces social diversity and cohesion in this magnificent context,” says Dan Stubbergaard, Founder and Owner of Cobe.
