Construction has officially begun on Kennedy Green, one of Toronto’s most significant new housing developments and the largest co-op community launched in Canada in more than 30 years. Rising at 2444 Eglinton Avenue East, across from the Kennedy GO and TTC Station, the project will deliver 612 mixed-income co-op homes in its first phase and set the stage for a major new transit-oriented neighbourhood in Scarborough.
Kennedy Green replaces a former commuter parking lot with a multi-tower residential community supported by co-op principles, sustainable design strategies, and long-term affordability. Backed by partners CreateTO, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto, Windmill Development Group, and Civic Developments, the project moved through a remarkably fast 69-day approval window, illustrating the City’s push to streamline housing delivery.
Urban Toronto reports that the full master plan includes three residential towers ranging between 18 and 40 storeys. Phase one includes two towers dedicated to co-operative housing. A later 31-storey tower containing market housing will bring the full community to 919 total homes. Half of the units are planned as rent-controlled or affordable homes, providing much-needed options for families and individuals priced out of the Toronto market.
The residential program offers a broad mix of studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes. The project also includes new community space and street-level retail, supporting the goal of building a complete and walkable neighbourhood.
Kennedy Green is designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, with landscape design led by CCxA. The development meets Toronto Green Standard v4 Tier 2, signaling the City’s expectation that large-scale housing be delivered with advanced environmental performance in mind.
A key component of the sustainability strategy is a geothermal energy system. This system significantly reduces emissions while delivering efficient heating and cooling for the towers. As a first-of-its-kind implementation for a housing project of this scale in Toronto, the geothermal strategy demonstrates how innovative energy solutions can be integrated into dense, urban construction.
The development also follows the One Planet Living framework, prioritizing low-carbon construction methods, resilient stormwater strategies, and long-term operational sustainability. At street level, 332 square metres of retail and 474 square metres of community use space will help activate the public realm and improve walkability around the site.
Phase one construction is now underway, with completion expected in 2029. Because the site was previously used as surface parking, the development team benefits from a straightforward early construction stage, including fewer demolition requirements and easier access for heavy equipment.
A multi-year construction timeline will see foundational work, structural framing, mechanical and electrical installation, and envelope construction progress alongside major landscape and public realm enhancements. The project’s scale means precise coordination between trades, sustainability consultants, engineers, and project managers will be essential to keeping the schedule on track.
A project of this scope activates a wide network of skilled trades. Kennedy Green will employ workers across excavation, civil engineering, structural building, mechanical installation, and finishing stages. Key trades include:
• Excavation, grading, and site-servicing crews
• Caisson and piling contractors
• Concrete workers, formwork carpenters, and rebar installers
• Structural ironworkers and steel contractors
• Curtain wall installers and glaziers
• HVAC mechanics and sheet-metal workers
• Plumbers and pipefitters
• Electricians and low-voltage technicians
• Fire protection specialists
• Waterproofing and insulation crews
• Drywall installers, carpenters, and interior finishing teams
• Flooring, painting, and millwork trades
• Landscape contractors and hardscape specialists
• Project managers, safety officers, quality-control and commissioning teams
This combination of trades supports hundreds of job opportunities throughout construction and reinforces the importance of skilled labor in delivering large-scale, energy-efficient housing.
Kennedy Green demonstrates how public land, co-operative housing tools, and streamlined approvals can combine to create major impact. For Scarborough, the project introduces significant new housing supply at a time when affordability challenges remain acute.
As a transit-oriented development directly beside the Kennedy multimodal hub, residents will benefit from access to GO rail, the subway, the Eglinton Crosstown, and multiple TTC routes, reducing reliance on cars and creating a genuinely connected community.
The development also shows how sustainability and affordability can coexist. Between geothermal systems, low-carbon design standards, and co-op governance, Kennedy Green is positioned as a national model for future mixed-income housing communities.
Over the next several years, construction will progress through foundation work, structural completion, building systems installation, and interior finishing. The final stage will involve public realm improvements, retail build-outs, and turnover of community spaces.
By 2029, Kennedy Green will stand as one of Toronto’s most ambitious and forward-thinking approaches to building affordable homes at scale — and a defining example of what coordinated public and private sector collaboration can achieve.
DataBid is currently reporting on this project - 2444 Eglinton Avenue East Kennedy Co-ops Mixed-Use Development Scarborough - Toronto (0042011524)