Timber House by Adjaye Associates is pegged to be one of the largest residential mass-timber buildings in Canada

Partnership unites local and international talent to deliver needed affordable housing and public spaces, speeding Toronto’s recovery 

Waterfront Toronto picked Dream Unlimited Corp. (Dream) and Great Gulf Group, known as Quayside Impact Limited Partnership, for developing the Quayside site in downtown Toronto.

Among the highlights of the winning submission from Dream and Great Gulf were proposals to create:

• 800+ affordable housing units, more than doubling the affordable housing Waterfront Toronto has brought to the waterfront, with many delivered in earliest stages to address an urgent need.
• New public spaces, including a two-acre forested green space, plus a significant urban farm atop one of Canada’s largest residential mass timber buildings.
• A landmark cultural destination and multi-use arts venue that brings together space for the performing arts, Indigenous-centered cultural celebrations and flexible education spaces.
• Exemplary low-carbon development and innovations, making Quayside the first all-electric, zero-carbon community at this scale;

Visionary world-class architecture that will raise the bar on design across the entire neighbourhood and create a visually striking focal point on Toronto’s waterfront.

“We set out to make Quayside the kind of community that meaningfully improves the lives of its residents, neighbours and visitors. The proposal from Dream and Great Gulf will make a real difference in the lives of those who live near the waterfront or come to visit, by creating affordable rental housing, extensive public spaces, and new jobs and business opportunities,” said George Zegarac, Waterfront Toronto President and Chief Executive Officer. “Thanks also to all of the proponent teams, whose talent, hard work and passion for city building was clear in their submissions,” added Zegarac.

“The opportunity to develop Quayside with Waterfront Toronto is the perfect development at the perfect time. Dream and Great Gulf regard our activities in real estate as a canvas on which we can make our communities more inclusive, sustainable and healthier. With Quayside, Waterfront Toronto has created the greatest opportunity for impact development in the country, and we believe that the Partnership is ideally suited to deliver on this opportunity,” said Michael Cooper, Chair, Quayside Impact Limited Partnership.

Additional highlights: 

• Lead developers with a proven ability to deliver on their commitments, together with a team of world-class architects and expert local partners including The Bentway, Centre for Social Innovation, Crow’s Theatre, George Brown College, Rekai Centres and WoodGreen Community Services
• Five towers plus one of Canada’s largest residential mass timber buildings
• Affordable housing delivered in each development phase with market housing, with an emphasis on family-sized units
• Community care hub offering a range of programs and services to support aging-in-place, recreation and wellness for all residents
• 2-acre (0.8 hectare) community forest providing a network of car-free green spaces for residents and visitors
• Open space network designed to be barrier-free and accessible for all ages and abilities
• Canada’s first all-electric, zero-carbon master plan (3.4 million square feet) and a variety of sustainability innovations
• Strong social and workforce benefits, advancing employment, business and capacity-building opportunities for Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving communities.

Quayside will be “the first all-electric, zero-carbon community at its scale.” George Zegarac, president of Waterfront Toronto, said they set out to make the district “the kind of community that meaningfully improves the lives of its residents, neighbors, and visitors.”