Homes for Sale in The Waterfront, Toronto, ON

The Waterfront has less of a singular neighbourhood atmosphere — instead, it feels more like a broad area whose defining feature is its claim to the space closest to Lake Ontario. Condo developers were clearly eager to stake their claim to this territory too, as Waterfront condos dominate the skyline along Queens Quay. Situated along the shore of the lake, the Waterfront stretches from Bathurst all the way to the Don River.

As a result of its locale in the centre of the city, the ambiance is just as beachy as it is metropolitan. The Waterfront is sandwiched between the balmy shores and the Entertainment District, where residents can find major downtown Toronto attractions like the CN Tower, the Ripley’s Aquarium, the Scotiabank Arena, and the Rogers Centre. Also, nearby is the Lower Don Lands, home to a massive Asian supermarket, Tommy Thompson Park, and go karting and driving range on Polson Pier.

Residents of the Waterfront neighbourhood with children may frequent the aforementioned attractions, while others who purchase Toronto condos for sale here may prefer to avoid anything resembling a tourist hotspot. The latter group can likely be found dining at one of the neighbourhood’s exclusive and long-standing restaurants, such as Harbour Sixty Steakhouse or Pearl Harbourfront Chinese Cuisine.

The Redpath Sugar Building is another diversion that allows visitors to avoid getting lost in hordes of tourists: this little-known museum is found in an iconic building, which also happens to refine and store sugar at the same time. A visit to the LCBO on Queens Quay might also qualify as a daylong activity for some, since this location is one of the largest in the city — second only to the flagship at Yonge and Summerhill — picking out the perfect wine to bring to a dinner party might take longer than usual here.

Established by the Canadian government in 1972, the Harbourfront Centre takes up 10 acres of prime waterfront space. Here, visitors can find the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, a skating rink during the wintertime, and an outdoor stage for summer concerts by the water.

While visitors from near and far come to spend a day in the Waterfront whenever they can, residents living in the neighbourhood get to take real advantage of the efforts made by Waterfront Toronto. This organization was charged with revitalizing the neighbourhood, and is responsible for past projects like the Martin Goodman Trail, the improvement of public transit in the area, increasing the number of affordable residential developments, and building new parks.

Waterfront parks now line the neighbourhood, each offering striking views of the lake and the Toronto Islands. A couple of man-made beaches even dot the neighbourhood, including Sugar Beach and HTO Park. And thanks to the Martin Goodman Trail, residents living toward the east end of the Waterfront can easily walk or cycle to the west, and vice versa. The path has separate lanes for pedestrians and bicycles, and follows the lakeshore for 56 kilometers.

A lot of high-rise developments have popped up in the Waterfront in recent years, with the promise of more to come. That said, this isn’t an entirely new trend: some sizeable, well-established Waterfront condos located right on the lake have been around for decades. Harbour Square was built in 1976, and consists of over 500 units, while Harbourside, constructed 1980, is home to over 600 units. Recent developments have also contributed to the density of the neighbourhood: for example, there are over 1,000 units in the three buildings that make up the Waterclub complex, which was only built in 2005.

The impending Sidewalk Toronto is the talk of the town in the Waterfront. Created by Alphabet Inc. (Google’s parent company), this high-tech mixed-use pocket is being planned for the area known as ‘Parliament Slip,’ the most easterly part of the neighbourhood. Sidewalk Toronto will have plenty of residences, and its future inhabitants can expect self-driving technology, efficient and affordable housing, extreme sustainability, and data-based tools that make life as trouble free as can be.

Waterfront condos for sale attract a wide range of buyers, both in terms of price and age — from first time home buyers just breaking into the market with a 1 bedroom unit, to CEOs enjoying lakeside views from their sprawling penthouses.

Thanks to its central locale, anyone living in Waterfront condos can travel throughout the city with ease. Union Station is a short walk away, where VIA Rail trains, GO buses and trains, and the UP service to Pearson International Airport depart from. Union is also the closest subway station to the Waterfront, where one can hop onto trains heading north up the Yonge or University-Spadina line.

Streetcars heading north up major arterial roads like Spadina and Bathurst also come in handy for those without cars of their own. Drivers can make use of the Gardiner Expressway, which runs from east to west throughout the entire neighbourhood. Travelers heading toward the Toronto Islands can grab tickets and line up at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, and those heading out of town on a Porter flight can do so from the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

The Locals: Urbanites who can’t stand to live too far from a large body of water.

Code of Conduct: A day in the Waterfront might involve a trip to the art gallery, a picnic on the beach, or dim sum with a view.

What You’ll Find: An elongated neighbourhood spread out along the north shore of Lake Ontario.

What You Won’t Find: Dive bars, hip restaurants, or high-end boutiques.

The Homes: Condos, condos, and more Waterfront condos, with not a single-family home in sight.

Sealing the Deal: The unobstructed south-facing views.