The Battle Over 214-230 Sherbourne Street: Profit or People?

On balmy Sept 25th morning, a handful activists  gathered in front of Toronto City Hall, they included members from  230 Fight Back, No More Demoviction, All Saints Church Community Centre, and Street Health. Standing in front of a red and black banner emblazoned with the phrase:  "WE WON'T BE PUSHED OUT” speakers took turns calling for urgent action to combat the city’s housing crisis. For the activists, the issue was clear: this land was meant to provide a haven for Toronto’s most vulnerable. KingSett’s purchase signaled yet another victory for private interests at the expense of those struggling to survive.

 Dimitrije Martinovic – Local Journalism Initiative

They came to voice their outrage over the recent sale of 214-230 Sherbourne Street to KingSett Capital, a private equity firm notorious for flipping properties at a profit. This downtown property, located in an area rife with homelessness, addiction, and mental health struggles, had long been envisioned as affordable housing. However, instead of being purchased by the city, it was snapped up by KingSett, derailing hopes for a community-driven solution.

For years, activists and housing advocates have pushed for this property to be transformed into affordable housing. In 2021, the City of Toronto identified the site as a priority for development, earmarking it as a potential space for supportive housing units to address the urgent needs of the community. However, the city’s plans were dashed when KingSett Capital outbid the city for the property in a move that has angered activists and residents alike.

Following the speeches outside that group moved into Toronto City Hall chambers to attend a meeting of Toronto and East York Community Council. As council members met to discuss the property’s future, they were met with a wave of deputations from community members—17 impassioned voices, each pleading for the city to intervene.

The atmosphere was charged as residents, housing advocates, and community workers shared personal stories and data illustrating the urgent need for affordable housing. Many painted vivid pictures of what losing 214-230 Sherbourne would mean for the neighbourhood—fewer options for supportive housing, further gentrification, and the displacement of the city’s most vulnerable citizens.

In the coming months, the fate of the property will become clearer, and with it, the direction of Toronto’s housing policy. Will the city prioritize the needs of its low-income residents, or will profit continue to guide the city’s development? For now, 214-230 Sherbourne stands as a symbol of a city at a crossroads. The decisions made today will reverberate for years to come, affecting the lives of countless Torontonians.