In the spring of 2007, Toronto was ranked as one of the best places in Canada to buy real estate. A centre for scholarship, employment and tourism, more people are flocking to live here every year, but space is getting tight. Very tight.
Downtown Toronto is stretching to its breaking point with new condominium developments sprouting up like weeds. In the last few years some 17 000 units have been built. It seems like every week, another parking lot, old resturant or struggling corner store is scrapped for the sake of another shiny glass condo.
U of T’s campus is surrounded by developing real estate, the most recent example of which is on the north side of Bloor street where construction is set to begin on a high tower, replacing storefronts and restaurants. All these units may be necessary for our city’s growing population, but how much is too much?
The architecture of condominiums is generic, and is now clogging our skyline. Construction cranes and hard hats have filled our city and coupled with garish work sites and giant pits perforating the downtown core, they are quickly turning Toronto into a concrete jungle.
Pedestrians must navigate construction blocks and parking lots, clogging traffic. Tall, dominating towers create hideous shadows and often block out natural sunlight. Moreover, in erecting all these condos we are creating residential areas devoid of natural green spaces and backyards. However, there are more than just cosmetic criticisms of condominiums in Toronto. Increasingly, condo builders are responding to a newer, larger market. Once reserved for the rich, condos are coming down in price and are being built more cheaply. Often environmental sustainability suffers on this account. Rushed and inexpensive construction sites often do not incorporate green roofs, solar power, or energy saving tools as they would increase fees for tenants, making units less and less sellable.
While Toronto has a vested interest in building more housing, city landmarks and neighbourhood hang outs are often targets of construction. Toronto landmarks are at risk of being built over to create more housing. Even our beloved CN Tower competes for attention in the skies with the bevy of condos surrounding it. Toronto must limit the number of new developments in downtown Toronto to save its cultural integrity and pedestrian traffic. Condos might be classy and sophisticated, but only in small doses.
