The Greater Weston Mount Dennis area (GWMD) is a cluster of seven distinct yet interconnected Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs) located in the former municipality of York along Weston Road. Today, ethnic and cultural diversity are defining features of its 91,000 residents. The area also maintains a vibrant network of owner-operated businesses and strong civic engagement. Many residents, including a growing number of newcomers, are drawn to the area for its relative affordability, access to green spaces, and multicultural amenities. With 75 buildings proposed and three new transit lines planned, lots of change is coming to the area.
This is the second part of a two-part blog series on the future transformation of Greater Weston Mount Dennis. The first explored how transit expansion projects would connect the area to the rest of the region. Here we focus on massive real estate redevelopments that will transform GWMD over the next few decades. To learn more about how United Way Greater Toronto, BMO and other private, public and community partners are working together to ensure the benefits of development flow to residents in surrounding neigbourhoods check out the Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity Initiative (ILEO).
Over 27,000 Proposed Residential Units
Catalyzed by major transit investments, GWMD is set to become a hotspot for private development. Currently, over 40 developers have active pre-construction development applications to build over 27,000 residential units in the area. Across 40 sites, With 75 buildings proposed in the GWMD neighbourhood, with significant development activity concentrated around three nodes at St. Clair, Eglinton, and Lawrence along Weston Road.
A significant development is the mixed-use project at 25 Photography Drive by Choice Properties, which includes seven high-rise buildings with a total of 2,356 units. This project will also provide 4,548 square metres of retail space at street level, and 4,034 square metres of privately-owned public space.
Another notable private development is the Westside Mall Redevelopment at 2400-2404 Eglinton Avenue by SmartCentres REIT, which plans to offer over 330,000 square meters of retail space and more than 47,000 square metres of parkland, including a central plaza with publicly accessible areas. Over 4,000 units are planned.
To respond to the growing demand of affordable housing, the Learning Enrichment Foundation (LEF) has proposed a 14-storey mixed-use affordable rental building at 1250 Weston Road. Known as the Mount Dennis Quilt, this redevelopment project aims to provide 175 affordable and market value rental units, including three floors of community and affordable rental space. Construction is expected to begin before 2026.
With over 27,000 units already planned and fewer than 500 units currently in construction, GWMD is at a critical juncture to determine how it will welcome tens of thousands of new residents while ensuring enough adequate housing, good jobs and economic opportunities. First, by preserving and increasing housing affordability, GWMD can remain accessible to both current and future residents on low to moderate incomes. Second, successful engagement and collaboration with the private and public sectors could also generate additional construction and development-related employment opportunities for the local community.
Improving the public realm
A key consideration for community investment is ensuring an area’s potential for growth and development that will result in improved quality of life for its residents. For GWMD, maintaining a balance between development and resident participation will be a focus in the upcoming decades with four additional projects, including the Weston LibraryExpansion Project (2 King St), the St Clair/Silverthorn Library Renovation and Expansion (1748 St Clair Ave W), the Mount Dennis Net Zero Early Learning Childcare Centre (1234 Weston Rd), and Dennis Avenue Community School (400 Rockcliffe Blvd). Read more about the community investment projects in the Greater Weston Mount Dennis Opportunity Brief.
The Opportunity
Investments in public transit coupled with redevelopment opportunities offer immense potential for the GWMD community regarding employment, business and economic opportunities in the area.
For several years, local organizations and residents have been working together to understand the community’s vision for inclusive development, which includes a desire to ensure the area’s future growth and development improves the quality of life for current and future residents. Community consultations like The Picture Mount Dennis Planning Framework have revealed concerns around ensuring small-scale independently owned businesses are protected and that the benefits of development can be shared with future, and existing residents of the community
There are still opportunities to influence aspects of the development. The Mount Dennis Community for All Action Plan and the The Weston in Gear Planning Study are both currently underway. New housing options, street-level retail space, and privately-owned public space all offer new potential for GWMD.
About Greater Weston Mount Dennis
Greater Weston Mount Dennis is an inner suburb west of Toronto and is comprised of seven neighbourhood improvement areas. GWMD consists of Weston, Mount Dennis, Rustic, Rockcliffe-Smythe, Beechborough-Greenbook, Keelesdale-Eglinton West and Weston-Pelham Park.
About the ILEO Initiative
To learn more about how United Way Greater Toronto, BMO and other private, public and community partners are working together to reduce gaps in economic prosperity in GWMD, check out the Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity Initiative (ILEO).