Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction has started on 57 affordable rental homes and 256 long-term care beds, creating one dual-purpose building on City of Toronto-owned land at 640 Lansdowne Ave.
The project at that address will include a seven-storey mixed-use building with 256 long-term care beds and 57 affordable rental homes for seniors consisting of 44 one-bedroom apartments and 13 two-bedroom apartments and non-residential space on the ground floor. Rents for affordable rental homes will be below 100 per cent of the Average Market Rent (AMR). AMR rates are set annually by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
“Today’s ground-breaking is more than shovels hitting the ground – it’s a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when different orders of government work together,” said Mayor Olivia Chow. “By pooling our resources and efforts, we can make sure Toronto residents have access to affordable housing.
“This new affordable rental housing and long-term care site will help us ensure seniors have secure, affordable homes where they can age with dignity, pride and comfort.”
CreateTO led the conceptual master plan to help guide the development of the site, issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a developer and operator of affordable housing services at 640 Lansdowne Ave. and participated in the lease negotiations with the successful proponent, Magellan Community Charities. Magellan Community Charities is a non-profit organization created to build and operate senior long-term care homes and affordable housing.
The site, under a long-term ease with the TTC and Toronto, also includes a new 2,135-sq. m. park and unlocks surplus city-owned land to stimulate the development of affordable rental housing while maintaining long-term affordability and ensuring ongoing public ownership of the lands.
Ontario is providing $8.2 million for the long-term care facility at this site through the Long-Term Care Home Capital Development funding policy. The Government of Canada provided $235,800 through the Seed Funding program.
It’s part of the HousingTO 2020-2030 Action Plan, which targets the approval of 40,000 new affordable rental homes with 18,000 supportive homes to help increase housing stability for Toronto residents over the next 10 years.
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“The start of construction at 640 Lansdowne is an exciting milestone for the local community, the City of Toronto and CreateTO,” said Vic Gupta, CEO, CreateTO. “Leading the development of the master plan, taking the property to market and negotiating the long-term lease for this site were among the first tasks undertaken by the agency.
“We’re proud to have played a role in this partnership with the city and Magellan to deliver much-needed long-term care homes and affordable rental housing for seniors.”
