Toronto social housing complex opens after 18 years of vacancy due to flooding
The 17-unit Etobicoke townhouse complex was redesigned and renovated for $9.7 million with a new flood-mitigation system. Tenants could move in as soon as August.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Update — July 28, 2026: Toronto Community Housing accepted all 10 recommendations from the city's auditor general on Monday to improve its repair tracking and project prioritization as the agency faces a potential funding crisis when federal support expires in 2027. The organization estimates it needs $4.5 billion for repairs between 2026 and 2035 but has only $1.5 billion in planned funding, potentially leaving up to 54 per cent of its roughly 1,300 buildings in critical condition without new federal support.
A Toronto Community Housing complex in Etobicoke is being readied to welcome tenants nearly two decades after flooding from a nearby creek forced residents out.
The 17-unit townhouse complex at 50 Torbolton Drive stood empty since 2008, when recurring flooding and mould became untenable. Federal and city funds unlocked through the National Housing Strategy in 2018 allowed the housing provider to revitalize the property for $9.7 million — far less than the cost of building new affordable housing.
Design manager Adam Pelissero led the project and found the building was still in good structural condition despite years of vacancy. The key innovation was simple: the team blocked off the basement and filled it with gravel, allowing floodwater to pass beneath the building — a flood-mitigation method inspired by gabion baskets Pelissero observed in Nova Scotia.
The redesigned complex meets strict energy efficiency requirements. Toronto Community Housing says tenants could move in as soon as August, with priority given to families with children with disabilities. Rent for the three-bedroom units will be set at 30 per cent of the household's income.
Federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson toured the site Thursday to mark the revitalization.
