Crane and erection work has begun at 11 Brock Avenue, a major milestone for the City of Toronto's first affordable housing development built directly through the city's public housing model. The SvN-designed project, which stands four stories tall in Parkdale, is also the first in the city to use mass timber for supportive housing and introduce 42 income-controlled rental units for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
“This is a first for Toronto, the city's first affordable housing project built using the public developer model and using mass timber construction,” Mayor Olivia Chow said this morning at an event celebrating the milestone. “At 11 Brock Avenue, we’re working to build homes faster and greener, with the support people need to succeed.”
Mayor Olivia Chow speaks at 11 Brock Avenue, image via twitter.com/cityoftoronto
The public developer model, adopted by city council in 2024, gives Toronto a direct role in providing affordable housing on its own land. With this approach, the city sets housing goals and expedites approvals. 11 Brock Avenue is the first project in this context, with further locations at 35 Bellevue Avenue, 405 Sherbourne Street, 150 Queens Wharf Road and 1113-1117 Dundas Street West to follow.
The 4-story, 19.02 m high project 11 Brock will consist of 42 residential units, divided into 34 studios and 8 one-bedroom apartments. Each apartment will have its own kitchen and bathroom, complemented by shared amenities such as laundry, a shared kitchen and space for resident programming. Built from prefabricated solid wood, the project has no parking but can accommodate 50 bikes, ultimately exceeding Toronto Green Standard requirements.
All 42 houses at 11 Brock Avenue are rent-controlled and capped at 30% of tenants' income or social assistance housing benefit. The building is intended for people exiting homelessness or facing housing insecurity. The supports are intended to promote long-term stability. The building is managed by the Parkdale Activity Recreation Center (PARC), which has provided housing and integrated services to the community for over 40 years.
“These homes are more than just housing units; residents have access to supports that help them live independently, connect with each other and fully participate in the community so they don't have to overcome challenges alone,” said Barbara Domenech, executive director at PARC.
Looking southeast at the site in September 2025, image by Rdaner, UrbanToronto Forum contributor
The project contributes to Toronto's goal of creating 18,000 new supportive homes by 2030 and is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on emergency response. Supportive housing is significantly less expensive, costing an average of about $2,500 per month, compared to $7,500 for shelter use and $14,000 for hospital stays. By expanding this housing stock, the city aims to relieve strained services while providing residents with stable, long-term solutions.
“Our government is working closely with communities to combat homelessness. This important project, funded by the Government of Canada, will quickly create 42 units of much-needed housing for Toronto's most vulnerable residents – and for those at risk of or experiencing homelessness,” shared the Honorable Karim Bardeesy, Member of Parliament for Taiaiako'n-Parkdale-High Park with.
Looking northeast at 11 Brock Avenue, designed by SvN for the City of Toronto
The city purchased the 11 Brock site from the province in 2019 for $3.25 million, paving the way for redevelopment as public housing. Construction is supported by $21.6 million in federal funding through the Rapid Housing Initiative, in addition to city contributions that include over $3.4 million in incentives, fee waivers and property tax abatements. The city is pushing the province to renew its $48 million annual commitment to existing housing and add $16 million annually starting in 2026 to fund new projects.
“With a developing housing crisis, we know now more than ever that we need housing options for all Torontonians,” said Councilor Gord Perks (Parkdale-High Park), Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee.
The project broke ground at the end of 2024 and completion is now scheduled for fall 2026.
UrbanToronto will continue to monitor the progress of this development, but in the meantime you can learn more in our database file linked below. If you'd like, you can join the discussion in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the designated area on this page.
* * *
UrbanToronto's research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe – from proposal to completion. Other services include instant reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from the first application.