🏢 Keys to the City: 175 Oak Street – A New Chapter in Regent Park’s Revitalization

Toronto’s Regent Park community continues to transform — not just with new buildings, but with new possibilities.

Located in the heart of one of Canada’s most well-known neighbourhoods, the newly completed 175 Oak Street brings 213 new rental units to the city’s core. Of these, 189 are Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) replacements for previous Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) tenants, while 24 are newly created affordable housing units, adding much-needed supply to a city in crisis.

And this isn’t just another high-rise — it’s a 15-storey building built for the future.

🏗️ Built for Families, Designed for Dignity

Developed by TCHC in partnership with The Daniels Corporation, 175 Oak is a family-focused building featuring one- to five-bedroom units. It recognizes the reality that many lower-income families are looking for more than just a place to live — they’re looking for a community to grow in.

The building includes 9,500 square feet of shared amenities, including study spaces, a terrace with a playground, community rooms, and a family room. These features are designed to foster interaction, support, and connection between residents.

♿ A Benchmark for Accessibility

Toronto has long spoken about the need for accessible housing — but 175 Oak walks the walk. It is now the most accessible TCHC building constructed in the first three phases of the Regent Park revitalization.

• 41 units (nearly 20%) meet or exceed Ontario Building Code accessibility standards

• 8 units go beyond those minimum requirements

• Wide corridors, accessible entryways, and thoughtful layouts ensure that seniors and people with disabilities can live with independence and dignity

This level of inclusivity in design should set a new baseline for public housing.

🌱 Healthy Living & Green Infrastructure

175 Oak Street is also TCHC’s first smoke-free building and features multiple health-forward and sustainability-focused features:

• Green roofs

• Rainwater harvesting

• LED lighting and bird-friendly glazing

• A satellite energy plant as part of the Regent Park District Energy System

This combination not only reduces emissions and long-term operating costs but supports a higher standard of living for residents.

🔄 Revitalization, Not Displacement

Since the Regent Park revitalization began in 2006, the goal has always been to move away from isolated, under-resourced housing blocks and toward mixed-use, mixed-income neighbourhoods.

So far, the revitalization has delivered:

• Over 1,400 RGI replacement units

• 400+ new affordable rentals

• Plus market units, parks, retail, and social infrastructure

With Phases 4 and 5 now underway in partnership with The Daniels Corporation, the future of Regent Park looks to be one of inclusion, investment, and resilience.

📣 Final Word: This Is What Progress Looks Like

Housing projects like 175 Oak Street prove that government-led, community-focused development is not only possible — it’s already happening.

But here’s the catch: while this project addresses part of the need, Toronto’s affordable housing waitlist remains over 80,000 households long. We must scale up. We must continue to revitalize, rezone, and reinvest. And we must ensure that the next 213 units come even faster than the last.

The blueprint is here. The city just needs to keep building.

🔑 Keys to the City is GTA Weekly’s weekly look at affordable housing solutions across the Greater Toronto Area. Published every Monday. Follow us @GTAWeeklyNews for more housing updates and solutions that work. #GTAToday #AffordableHousing #KeysToTheCity