Condos in Port Credit
Port Credit has always zealously guarded its small town character. For many years and up to the present day, any development proposals for highrise towers have been rigorously opposed by local residents and politicians. Port Credit condos have been a controversial topic for both NIMBYs and pro-development activists alike.
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Port Credit has a few distinct areas where condos are located. There are several luxury buildings on or near the shores of Lake Ontario, clustered near Hurontario St. There are a few in the heart of the old town. And there are a few near the Port Credit GO Station.
At the moment there is also a major new multi-year development called Brightwater, which is currently under construction at the western edge of Port Credit.
Brightwater is a master-planned community that will add several highrise towers to the mix, as well as townhouses, retail, and parkland.
While there have always been a few highrise condos and rental apartments in the area, in the past most were capped at about 12 storeys.
Tall Buildings in Port Credit
The height limits have gradually been increased. Two of the more recent condos, TANU, which was recently completed at 15 storeys, and Westport Condos, which is a 22 storey building currently under construction across from the Port Credit GO Station, are examples of this.
Today, however, there is something new happening in Port Credit, and it all stems from two things:
- huge pressure from population growth in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)
- the major transit presence of the Port Credit GO Station.
Port Credit has always been well positioned in terms of transit. For commuters, close access to Lakeshore Road W., Hurontario Street and the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW) has always been an attraction.
For transit riders, extensive bus service along Lakeshore Road and Hurontario St. has helped as well.
Finally and most importantly, the presence of train connections at Port Credit GO Station has been a major bonus for commuters to downtown Toronto.
Recently, upgrades to the GO train service, the pending addition of LRT service from the station, as well as changes to Ontario’s transit policies, have created a lot of pressure for development near the station.
The Hazel McCallion LRT is scheduled to add rapid light rail service to the Square One area and beyond to Brampton, starting service in 2024. The southern terminus of the LRT will be the Port Credit GO Station.
MTSA Designation
In the meantime, the Province of Ontario has enacted new legislation to intensify development near transit stations.
Ontario’s Major Transit Station Area (MTSA) legislation is now in effect, and it designates the area immediately surrounding the Port Credit GO Station as an MTSA area.
MTSA areas are recognized and designated as being open to development and intensification.
There are no height limit restrictions in the designated MTSA areas.
Quoting the province’s press release, “MTSAs are generally defined as the approximately 500- to 800-metre radius surrounding an existing or planned higher-order transit stop or station. MTSAs are areas intended to accommodate a substantial proportion of a municipality’s future residential and employment growth in order to encourage transit usage.”
An application by developer Edenshaw Developments has been filed under the new MTSA guidelines.
The application is for two tall towers, one at 40 storeys, and one at 42 storeys. The two towers would add 1139 new residences directly across the street from the GO Station. The address for the towers is tentatively 88 Park St. E.
Mississauga’s Planning and Development Committee has recommended that Mississauga Council reject the plan.
This is the first development proposal coming up for approval since the declaration of the area as an MTSA by the provincial government.
The Future
It will be interesting to see whether the project is given the go ahead by Mississauga City Council. Who calls the shots? The province or the city?
Interesting times indeed, and approval of the tall towers would definitely set a precedent for future towers near the GO station.
In the meantime, development pressures continue all over Port Credit, as they do all over the GTA. At the time of this writing, there are two condo towers that were recently completed. There are also four more that are currently under construction, and there are at least another seven that are in the planning stage. I think it’s fair to say that there will be more condos in Port Credit in the future.
List of Port Credit Condos
- TANU 21 Park Street East
- NOLA 8 Ann Street
- North Shore 1 Hurontario Street
- Port Elaine Place 50 Port St. E.
- The Regatta 65 Port St. E.
- The Regatta II 80 Port St. E.
- The Regatta III 70 Port St. E.
- 15 Elizabeth Street North
- The Royal Crest 66 High Street East
- 75 Maple Ave S.
- 49 Queen St. E.
- 39 Stavebank Road
Conclusion
In conclusion, Port Credit has long been admired for its small town, resort-like character. It is a popular place for both residents and visitors. Today we are seeing a tug-of-war with development, as the Greater Toronto Area grapples with an extreme housing shortage.
Single family homes in the area have skyrocketed in price, and condo living provides a (slightly) more affordable option. It will be interesting to see how things play out over the next few years.
We hope you have enjoyed our summary of Port Credit condos.
