Ray McCleary Towers retrofit keeps 160 seniors in homes while wrapping building in insulation

A major retrofit of Toronto's Ray McCleary Towers is allowing more than 160 seniors to remain safely in their homes while construction wraps the 1967 building in prefabricated insulation panels, dramatically reducing energy use and carbon emissions.

The project at 444 Logan Avenue in Toronto's east end is supported by federal funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and Natural Resources Canada. Workers are installing prefabricated panels created in Canada, essentially insulating the building from the outside while residents stay put — a first-of-its-kind approach meant to preserve affordable housing without displacing vulnerable people.

The retrofit aims to make the building net-zero, meaning it will produce no CO2 in providing housing. The work includes full building air conditioning, dehumidification, direct ventilation into each suite, structural repairs, safety upgrades, and rooftop solar panels. Expected completion is spring 2027.

WoodGreen Community Services, which operates the building as social housing, says the project could become a model for affordable housing across Canada as decades-old apartment buildings face aging infrastructure issues. To minimize disruption, a tenant representative works daily with the construction team, keeping residents informed of milestones.

"We have a tenant representative that works with the construction team one-on-one on a daily basis, so they actually know as much about the milestones and what is going on with the project as the people working on site," said Shad Mwarigha, vice president of housing growth, development and asset sustainability at WoodGreen Community Housing.

The retrofit also demonstrates that retrofitting an older building costs significantly less than demolishing it and building new—a crucial consideration as cities grapple with affordable housing shortages.