214-230 Sherbourne was recently purchased by KingSett Capital, one of Canada’s largest investment firms. KingSett is proposing to build a 47 story condominium on the land. This will only serve to further displace some of the city’s most impoverished residents. 

The seven empty lots are located in one of Toronto’s oldest working-class neighbourhoods. Three houses that were located on the properties, operated as rooming houses for decades with only one left standing vacant. Community members in the Downtown East have been demanding that the city to expropriate 214-230 Sherbourne for more than a decade for the purpose of building much needed rent-geared-to-income units. 

Toronto is experiencing one of its worst housing crisis since the Second World War. It is estimated that this winter more than nine thousand people will be living in overcrowded city shelters on a nightly basis with thousands more left outside on the streets or other unsafe situations.

Last year Toronto recorded 221 homeless related deaths. Low-income residents and poor people in the Downtown East have all been affected by this housing crisis that has been in the making for decades. The intensifying gentrification of the Downtown East has only added to this crisis. KingSett’s proposal only serves to further displace Toronto’s poor residents.

We, the undersigned, are against any plans to further gentrify Downtown East. The City of Toronto has had an ongoing relationship with KingSett. We ask that the City began negotiations with KingSett to purchase 214-230 Sherbourne, or failing this that the city begin to expropriation immediately to build rent-geared-to-income at 214-230 Sherbourne.

For more information please contact 230 Fightback:

230fightback@proton.me