JULY 23, 2024

Dear reader,

At this time a week ago, there’s a good chance that you were on your way home, stuck in an apocalyptic traffic jam, praying that your basement was still dry. Last Tuesday’s flood reminded me of two things: that Toronto needs to do everything it can to protect itself from the rising threat of floods, and—counterintuitively—that we must also do all we can to protect the water that surrounds and penetrates our city.

Lake Ontario acts as a massive carbon sink, and the rivers and creeks that define our neighbourhoods both cool the air and provide habitat to essential wildlife. From the Toronto Islands to the Humber River to the new Port Lands (which dutifully survived its first major deluge), we want to live by the water—for its natural beauty and therapeutic power.

Some of us even want to live right on top of the water, as evidenced by Curb Appeal’s featured post this week. At two storeys and 1,400 square feet, it’s one of only 25 float homes allowed in Ontario, and it buoys right at the base of the Scarborough Bluffs. Welcome to the life aquatic.

Also in today’s newsletter: a classic Parkdale Victorian going for $2.5 million. Plus, a never-occupied rental with a ski simulator. Visit torontolife.com or subscribe to our print edition for all of our real estate coverage and more.

- Barry Chong, city and real estate editor

Toronto’s quirky float homes were originally single-storey units built in 2000 as a ploy to attract VIPs for the would-be 2008 Olympics. But, after losing the bid to Beijing, the city sold them off, and an aquatic gated community was born. Today, the residences are accessible via private boardwalk, cared for by a tight-knit group of hydrophilic owners. Take the tour.

Here’s a four-bedroom, two-bathroom detached sitting on a leafy Parkdale street. It’s got a sunroom, heated floors, an antique ensuite, fancy iron fencing and a saltwater pool in the big backyard.

This $4,250, 950-square-foot apartment at Queen and Mutual has never been occupied. It comes with Italian-made cabinets and a suite of wild amenities, including a ski simulator and a Raptors court.

In the latest issue: dispatches from the canine wars. Plus, inside the making of LSL, the $680-a-head uptown restaurant everyone’s talking about; a night owl’s guide to dining out after midnight; a Q&A with the city’s new WNBA boss; and more. Still not receiving Toronto Life at home? Subscribe today.

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