Toronto’s Quayside redevelopment has taken a new turn. A resubmission of the master plan for the Quayside multi-tower project in the East Bayfront has now been filed, with major changes in tower heights, phasing, and unit types. The updated proposal places greater emphasis on rental housing, affordability, and community activation, signaling a shift in priorities for one of Toronto’s biggest waterfront redevelopment projects. The revisions will undergo zoning amendments and site-plan review as the city and development partners proceed toward approval.
Rethinking Tower Heights & Unit Mix
Under the revised plans, one of the most striking changes is the scaling back of a previously proposed tall tower. The 70-storey design has been replaced with two shorter towers, distributing density more evenly and reducing visual impact. Similarly, in the updated site plan for Building 2, height is slightly reduced (from about 188 m to ~183.9 m) and many of the units shift from condominium to purpose-built rental units (638 condos → 576 rentals) as part of a move to accelerate rental housing delivery.
The reallocation of affordable units is another key adjustment: affordable housing is being relocated to other blocks (1B, 1C) while amenity space is expanded to support community life.
Phasing, Design, & Public Realm Changes
The resubmission restructures phasing, deferring the release of additional condos and frontloading rental and affordable housing. This helps the project respond faster to urgent affordable housing needs. On the design front, the number and form of towers are rethought to create a more cohesive skyline and better transitions to surrounding streets.
Public realm enhancements remain central. The plan continues to propose a Community Forest, expanded green spaces, and publicly accessible plazas. The ground level will include retail and activation to bridge the waterfront with the city’s existing neighborhoods.
You can also check our blogs about A Closer Look at Mile & Creek: Milton’s New Mid-Rise Condo Community and Global Real Estate Investments: Top Foreign Markets Canadian Investors Are Watching in 2025 (Dubai, USA, Vietnam).
Context: Quayside & Its Ambitions
Quayside is a 4.9 hectare waterfront site at Parliament Street, part of the larger East Bayfront vision. Developed by Quayside Impact (Dream Unlimited + Great Gulf), the project aims to blend sustainability, mixed-income housing, and public spaces to reorient Toronto toward Lake Ontario.
The original plan envisioned both condos and rentals, but with rising pressure on housing affordability, stakeholders are pushing to accelerate the purpose-built rental and affordable housing components.
Implications & Challenges Ahead
These revisions reflect a shift in development strategy under growing political and public pressure to prioritize housing that’s attainable, not speculative. Converting condo units to rentals can simplify approvals and align with municipal goals to ease housing shortages. However, such changes also raise financial and logistical challenges—developers may need to restructure financing, and zoning hurdles may emerge.
On the design side, balancing density, architectural quality, and neighborhood integration is delicate. The reduced heights help, but the success will depend on how well the project scales down at street level, how it treats public spaces, and how it interacts with local infrastructure. The conversion to more rental units must dovetail with operations and long-term management plans.
Public consultation will be critical. Residents, design review panels, and the City will weigh in on how these towers relate to heritage, shadowing, views, and public amenity value. The development also needs to ensure seamless connections to transit, cycling infrastructure, and neighborhood fabric.
Final Thoughts
The resubmission of Quayside’s multi-tower plan marks a critical inflection point for Toronto’s waterfront redevelopment. By downscaling tower height, converting condo units to rental, and repositioning affordable housing across blocks, the new proposal seeks to meet both market demand and social necessity. If approved, it could set a precedent for how large waterfront projects manage density, affordability, and public realm from the onset.
Yet the path ahead is not simple. The project must navigate complex zoning reviews, design scrutiny, community feedback, and financial restructuring. The quality of execution will matter: the success of this plan hinges not just on numbers, but on how these towers live, breathe, and connect within the city fabric. For Toronto watchers, developers, and investors, the Quayside resubmission offers a fascinating case study in adaptive urban housing strategy.
