#TransitCity
#TransitCity
Greater Golden Horseshoe Summer 2019
Your guide to new transit-friendly communities
INSIDE: TraNSIT trends
and INSIghTS
Our TOp ranked TraNSIT-frIENDly communities
Hey you, Give us a call and we’ll show you around! xo kingxdufferin Call us at 416.901.9699 to get the latest updates! Love living downtown and staying connected? With a Walk Score of 96 and a Transit Score of 100, you’ll love living at kingxdufferin where you are at the centre of it all and transit is at your doorstep!
xocondos.com
*Prices & Specifications subject to change without notice. E.&OE. Illustration is artist’s concepts. Brokers protected. Exclusive broker listing: Baker Real Estate Incorporated.
#TransitCity
#TransitCity chief revenue officer
Jacky Hill jacky.hill@nexthome.ca eDiTor-in-chief
Susan Legge susan.legge@nexthome.ca ArT DirecTor
Tammy Leung conTribuTing eDiTors
Sara Duck Marlene Eisner Amanda Pereira senior meDiA consulTAnTs
susan Legge
Jessica Wilson 416.873.1049 jessica.wilson@nexthome.ca
EDITOR-IN-CHIEf new home + condo guide
Natalie Chin 416.881.4288 natalie.chin@nexthome.ca
EMAIL: susan.legge@nexthome.ca
sAles & mArkeTing co-orDinATors
TWITTER: @susanlegge
Gary Chilvers Sarah Khan distribution
distributionteam@nexthome.ca AccounTing inquiries
accountingteam@nexthome.ca DirecTor of PrinT meDiA
Lauren Reid–Sachs grAPhic Designer & AssisTAnT mAnAger
Alicesa Pullan grAPhic Designers
Sandra Hanak–Vujnovic, Johannah Lorenzo, Mike Terentiev, Kathleen Walker, Alice Wu, Hannah Yarkony
What is #TransitCity? It’s not just the name of our latest publication, it’s a hashtag we created to reflect a movement. Transit is a trending topic that’s bursting at the seams in that it’s political and polarizing, and it’s about time. It’s no secret that a better, more integrated transit system is key to the creation of more affordable and innovative housing options. For years now, the GTA building industry has advocated to every level of government that it is ready and willing to develop housing in locations that make sense for commuters in an effort to keep up with demand. It’s now a Greater Golden Horseshoe conversation in municipalities across the region. We all benefit from ditching the car, and the environment does, too. Other cities around the world have done it, now it’s our turn. We hope you enjoy this special supplement, and please let us know what you think of #TransitCity.
æ #TransitCity Features
4
It’s time to get GO-ing
Published by
Connecting the exurbs and suburbs to urban cores
nexthome.ca
bY JOHN CHICK
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#TransitCity Map Find new commuter-friendly developments across the Greater Golden Horseshoe
6
T.O.’s transportation transformation
ad index
2
A look at options and plans to ease transit around the GTA
14 PMA Pointers Transit opens the GGH to new-home buyers bY CHRIS MARKOVICH
Lifetime Developments and Pinedale Properties XO Condos, Toronto
5
Tribute Communities Linx, Toronto
7
LJM Developments LJM Tower, Hamilton
11 Heathwood Homes Eleven Altamont, Toronto
13 United Lands S2 at Stonebrook, Mississauga
15 Losani Homes Waterworx, Hamilton
16 Kingdom Developments KSquare, Toronto nexthome.ca 3
#TransitCity
GO TransiT It’s time to get GO-ing by John ChiCk
If you travel to world-class
cities such as New York, Tokyo or London, something you’ll see beyond a vast network of subways is also an extensive commuter rail system. Connecting suburbs and exurbs to the urban core – and existing municipal rapid transit lines – is a no-brainer, and is something Metrolinx and GO Transit have been in the process of upgrading for some time. With residential density set to continue increasing along major transit corridors, let’s take a look at a couple of future GO expansion proposals around the Greater Golden Horseshoe that could remake neighbourhoods and/or spur growth:
Proposed Caledonia GO station - interchange with Line 5 (Eglinton) There are currently seven TTC stations that provide direct transfer to GO train service. Once the Line 5 Caledonia TTC station opens in 2021, plans could make it another direct transfer, with construction of an intersecting GO train station on the Barrie line. The benefit to this is substantial. Suppose one lives in Aurora, but works at Yonge and Eglinton. Instead of taking the train all the way to Union Station and then the subway north, the person will transfer at Caledonia and head eastward on the subterranean LRT. But the transit hub could also create a new “Junction” of sorts. 4 #TransitCity | Summer 2019
There is already apartment and condominium development alongside traditional housing in the area, but expect that to increase. “The Transit-Oriented Development Program will leverage valuable real estate assets to attract third party investment to build transit infrastructure, such as stations,” says Amanda Ferguson, Metrolinx Senior Advisor of Media Relations Issues, Communications & Public Affairs. “In exchange for the opportunity to develop in and around Metrolinx properties, Metrolinx will look to offset capital and gain long- or short-term revenue.” At the present time, the GO corridor is still one track, and twinning is required. But while the area west of Caledonia and Eglinton is a major construction zone next to a vast plaza parking lot now, it could look much different in 20 years. Pearson Airport Transit Hub Nicknamed “Union Station West”, the idea for a major rail hub next
to Pearson Airport is to relieve pressure on the downtown hub where it’s needed. Metrolinx research indicates there are almost 450,000 people travelling from the western GTA each day to the east. Many travel downtown, but more than double the number of commuters travel across the “northern and midtown arcs” of the region. The airport, as its own national and international hub, makes perfect sense as a location. “We are beginning our work with the (Greater Toronto Airports Authority) to look at potential rail connections to Pearson International Airport from the Kitchener corridor, as well as improving ground transportation to and from the airport and the airport employment area,” Ferguson says. That’s another important tie-in: The Kitchener line is in the process of moving to increased all-day service, and will connect with Line 5 Eglinton once that LRT line is ready in 2021. In that case, another commuter rail corridor will have seamless integration with the TTC.
#TransitCity
T.O.’s TranspOrTaTiOn TransformaTion Toronto grew by more than 77,435 people between July 2017 and July 2018, according to a new study by Ryerson University’s Centre for Urban Research and Land Development. The city now boasts North America’s fastest-growing population, and the Greater Toronto Area as a whole has the second-fastest growing population in a metropolitan area in North America. Most Torontonians will happily tout their city’s benefits, but most would agree that they’re feeling some growing pains. Housing demand here is high, leaving the wallet light relative to the suburbs. But life in this world-class city is arguably worth the cost. Toronto is a hot spot for a number of reasons — employment, economy, lifestyle and the cache of a coveted 416 address. Commute times are conspicuously absent from the list. Toronto was actually named worst commuter city in North America. To ease the headaches of infrastructure that no longer meets users’ needs, the province of Ontario unveiled a new transit plan last spring, with four key priorities.
1. The OnTariO Line: Doubling down on the original proposed Downtown Relief Line, the Ontario Line will run from Ontario Place to the end of the line at Don Mills and Eglinton, with about 15 stations in between, including at Queen/Spadina and King/Bathurst, Pape, Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park, before reaching the end of the line - all on a single TTC fare. The estimated cost of the 16-kilometre line is $10.9 billion, with completion slated for 2027. 2. The Line 2 easT exTensiOn: The three-stop, 6.2-kilometre, $5.5-billion extension of the Scarborough subway will extend from Kennedy Station to Scarborough Centre, via Eglinton Avenue, Danforth Road and McCowan Road. Construction is expected to start in 2020 and completed in 2026/2027. 3. The YOnge nOrTh subwaY exTensiOn: A 7.4-kilometre extension to push the Yonge line from Finch station in Toronto to Richmond Hill Centre, with five new stops. It will be built in conjunction with the Ontario Line, and the province will foot the $5.6-billion bill. 4. The egLinTOn CrOssTOwn wesT exTensiOn: Part of the SmartTrack Program, the $4.7-billion line would offer direct access to Pearson Airport by 2031. …continued on page 10
6 #TransitCity | Summer 2019
Simcoe
#TransitCity Map Transit-Friendly Developments
ELEVEN ALTAMONT 11 Altamont Rd., NorthYork Heathwood Homes
York
S2 AT STONEBROOK Southdown Rd & Lakeshore Rd W, MIssissauga United Lands
VAUGHAN METROPOLITAN CENTRE TRE RE
HELEN
Waterloo
HWY 400
The Kingsway Tridel
HUMBER COLLEGE
FINCH WEST
KITCHENER
Y HW
Peel
BRESLAU
40 7
CONESTOGA
HWY 401
GATEWAY TERMINAL
PEARSON P
MOUNT DENNIS RENFORTH
FAIRWAY
BLOORB L LANDSDOWNE LLA ANDS ND N DS DSD D SD S D
KIPLING COOKSVILLE GO
Y
HW
WATERWORX 575 Woodward Avenue, Hamilton Losani Homes
MILTON
7 40
Wellington
OLD ST. CLAIR WESTON
LIBERTY VILLAGE
WINSTON CHURCHILL
G RD R GARDINER CLARKSON
Halton
OAKVILLE
EXHIBITION EXH EXHI PORT CREDIT
W
QE LJM TOWER 2782 Barton St. E., Hamilton LJM Developments
Bloor St W, Toronto Plaza
Hamilton *Not to Scale **Locations are approximate
Q QEW WEST HARBOUR GO
McMASTER
CONFEDERATION EASTGATE
HAMILTON GO CENTRE
GRIMSBY
Map Illustration by Alice Wu and Lauren Reid-Sachs s
ALLANDALE WATERFRONT INNISFIL Stouffville Pemberton NEWMARKET MULOCK LINCOLNVILLE
HWY 4404
BLOOMINGTON KING CITY
YONGE
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Menkes
HWY 407
FINCH EAST
AGINCOURT GO A LAWRENCE EAST
Toronto
SCARBOROUGH CA TOWN CENTRE
MARTIN ROAD
OSHAWA GO
MAIN BLOOR
LINX Danforth & Main, Toronto Tribute Communities
DANFORTH GERRARD EAST HARBOUR
XO CONDOS King & Dufferin, Toronto Lifetime Developments and Pinedale Properties University & Dundas, Toronto Davpart
ST. CATHARINES
COURTICE
KENNEDY
SPADINA
SPADINA
THORTON RITSON
HWY 40 4011
EGLINTON
BAY
Durham
DON MILLS SHEPPARD ORIOLE
CEDARVALE
STOUFFVILLE STOU
UNIONVILLE
LANGSTAFF
FINCH
K SQUARE CONDOS Kennedy & Sheppard Toronto Kingdom Developments
Niagara NIAGARA FALLS GO
Lake Ontario
GO TTC LRT Bus Rapid Transit UP Express New GO Stations Proposed GO Stations nexthome.ca  9
#TransitCity
…continued from page 6
The CiTY Of TOrOnTO has sOme addiTiOnaL TransiT priOriTies, inCLuding: The smarTTraCk sTaTiOns prOgram: A heavy rail
infrastructure of six new stations on the Stouffville, Lakeshore East and Kitchener GO corridors, with rush-hour service every six to 10 minutes. The project will begin procurement and construction this year, with completion in 2025. The bLOOr-YOnge CapaCiTY imprOvemenT prOjeCT:
Includes the construction of an additional platform at Yonge Station on Line 2, modifications to Line 1’s Bloor Station platform, improving passenger circulation, ventilation systems, and the construction of a new substation. a pLaCe TO grOw
It’s all good news for Toronto dwellers and visitors. It’s great news for property owners. “There is no question that access to transit is one of the biggest considerations for everyone buying real estate nowadays, whether they are end-users or investors,” says Barbara Lawlor, CEO of Baker Real Estate in Toronto. From a real estate perspective, the new transit corridors represent a great deal of convenient and potentially lucrative home-buying opportunities. Lawlor isn’t the only one who sees housing on the horizon. Developers, too, have their eye on the transit lines, some of which are a decade away. Lifetime Developments has claimed its place along the new Ontario Line, with XO Condos coming soon close to the proposed new subway station at King and Bathurst. “We expect the announced subway extension 10 #TransitCity | Summer 2019
to increase housing demand in the many neighbourhoods benefitting from this expansion,” says Lifetime Developments’ Principal Brian Brown. As demand for an area grows, so too do prices. Brown points to the Sheppard East line and extension into Vaughan. “Housing demands and values both rose dramatically due to the convenience and the commuting options an adjacent subway stop immediately provides.” Transit lines have long been a magnet for developers, because it’s what buyers want. “The development industry has always had success with new communities on or near any transit system,” notes Samson Fung, VicePresident of Marketing at Tridel. Fung points to Tridel’s upcoming Auberge community: “Beyond the amazing park across the street being a driver for homebuyers, the new Eglinton LRT is just as alluring.” The transit plan is great news for existing property owners or those who are ready to buy now. But those hoping to buy here later should prepare to pay substantially
more. Lawlor’s best buying advice: “Get in now, while the plan is still in the works. Once it’s under construction, real estate prices are bound to rise.” Ultimately, steady price increases signal healthy housing demand, often supported by a strong local economy. The more desirables a community has - a park, a school or the subway - the greater value it holds. And in a city like Toronto, access to transit tops the must-have list - and developers know it. To support developers in their mission to build homes and communities people want to live in, the province has made changes to its A Place to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe to encourage building close to transit. “The changes will also streamline planning for new development in major transit station areas,” Bob Nichols, Senior Media Liaison Officer at the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, tells New Home + Condo Guide. Nichols points out changes to the Planning Act that, if proclaimed, “would facilitate the supply of …continued on page 12
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#TransitCity
transit-friendly
TRANSIT-FRIENDLY PROPERTIES
p r O p e r T i e s
kingdOm deveLOpmenTs KSquare Condos Kennedy+Sheppard, Toronto ksquarecondos.com Transit: Agincourt GO Station, Ellesmere LR. Future access to Line 2 east extension from Kennedy Station and a proposed SmartTrack station. #TransitCity Score: A+
heaThwOOd hOmes Eleven Altamont Townhomes Yonge+Finch, Toronto heathwood.com/altamont/ Transit: Walk to TTC Finch Subway on Line 1. Easy access to Line 4 (the Sheppard Line). A prime central location to future inter-regional transit around the GTA and GGH. #TransitCity Score: A+
LifeTime deveLOpmenTs & pinedaLe prOperTies XO Condos King+Dufferin, Toronto xocondos.com Transit: King and Dufferin streetcar access to Line 1 and 2; Exhibition GO Station. Five minutes from future SmartTrack and Ontario Line at King and Bathurst. #TransitCity Score: A+
…continued from page 10
affordable housing in areas that are generally subject to growth pressures, higher housing demand, and in proximity to higher order transit.” “You can see what that means for new development,” says Bob Finnigan, partner at Herity Heathwood Homes, the developer behind the soon-to-be launched Eleven Altamont townhome development, at Yonge and Finch in North York. “Multiple highrises are going up around these TTC access hubs, allowing residents to access the TTC and utilize the high-speed transit to get to work or play. As the city grows, access to public transit will only become more important.” While we can only guess how the new transit plan will impact property values, the lifestyle boost is as good as guaranteed. But if it’s ROI that you seek, keep your eyes on those “register now” new-home and condominium communities while you still can. 12 #TransitCity | Summer 2019
TribuTe COmmuniTies Linx Danforth+Main, Toronto linxcondo.com Transit: Steps to Main Station on Line 2 and 506 streetcar, GO Transit Danforth station. Future access to Line 2 east extension from Kennedy Station to Scarborough Centre. #TransitCity Score: A+
uniTed Lands S2 at Stonebrook Southdown+Lakeshore, Mississauga s2condos.ca Transit: Steps to Clarkson GO Station and nearby access to Oakville VIA Rail. MiWay Bus Rapid Transit connects inter-regionally and is part of a bigger BRT plan to connect municipalities #TransitCity Score: A+
#TransitCity
TransiT opens transit friendly the GGH
TRANSIT-FRIENDLY PROPERTIES
properties
Chris markoviCh
New-home buyers are discovering that their search area keeps getting bigger, and with the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) expanding into the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), there are more choices than ever for buyers of all ages and stages. With massive investments in transit across the region, staying connected to urban centres for work and play is fast, convenient and comfortable, giving buyers options that are easier on the pocketbook while offering everything they are looking for in terms of lifestyle, investment potential and reduced expenses. In areas such as Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, Etobicoke and in Durham Region to the east of downtown Toronto, homebuyers are finding complete and affordable transit-connected communities featuring plenty of amenities — not surprisingly, these homes have good resale value due to their increasing popularity, too. Metrolinx is committed to a more connected GGH and now operates services along the Hamilton to Toronto corridor to get people where they want to go in record time. In addition to the Hamilton GO Centre and West Harbour GO, the new Confederation GO Station in Stoney Creek will connect to Union Station and will have ample parking for commuters. 14 #TransitCity | Summer 2019
We’re noticing that more young families and couples are realizing the possibilities that the Hamilton Metropolitan Area has to offer. Toronto downsizers are finding new excitement in Hamilton, including a revitalized waterfront, chic downtown, vibrant cultural scene and, of course, affordable newhome and condo communities. Long seen as that hard-working city glimpsed from the Burlington Skyway on the way to Niagara, Hamilton has truly transformed into the new hot place to live and play. Low rents and home prices initially attracted the arts community to its urban core, followed by young people who were being priced out of the sizzling downtown Toronto real estate market. The rest, as they say, is history. Hamilton real estate prices have increased substantially in the past five years and the trend is not expected to stop anytime soon. Due to the combined result of continued outflows from Toronto and high immigration numbers, the Metropolitan Hamilton Area population of approximately 750,000 is forecast to increase by 46 per cent by 2041 — in my opinion, it’s a solid long-term real estate investment opportunity. Find the home of your dreams in one of the GGH’s many transitconnected communities. You’ll never look back.
Chris Markovic is the Division President of PMA Urban. He has worked in real estate development in sales and marketing since 1993. Visit pmabrethour.com for more information.
Losani Homes Waterworx, Urban Towns Woodward Avenue and Barton Street East, Hamilton LosaniHomes.com Transit: Existing nearby bus and GO routes and future access to new Centennial Pkwy GO Station and the Light Rail Transit project will provide connectivity to other lines. #TransitCity Score: A+
LJm DeveLopments LJM Tower 2782 Barton Street East, Hamilton LJMTower.ca Transit: Nearby access to Centennial Parkway GO station and the B-Line Light Rail Transit project through Downtown Hamilton providing connectivity to A-Line, L-Line, S-Line, and T-Line. #TransitCity Score: A+
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All Renderings are concept only. All prices are subject to change. E.&.O.E