Touring Canada’s Tallest Mass Timber Building

Just a few minutes walk from Mimico GO Station, a striking new development is taking form in Etobicoke, offering a glimpse into the future of sustainable housing.

230 Royal York, a nine storey mid-rise housing project, will soon become Ontario’s tallest pre-fabricated mass timber residential building, boasting warm aesthetics and passive house-level efficiency.

Developed by Windmill Development Group in partnership with Leader Lane Developments, 230 Royal York is designed to act as a model to accelerate and modernize how Canada builds.

The design is a modern reimagining of Toronto’s post-war mid-rise, representing a scalable model for gentle density that is urgently needed across Canada. Constructed from glue-laminated timber columns and cross-laminated timber (CLT), the building eliminates over two-thirds of the concrete used in conventional midrise construction. Prefabricated by Vancouver-based Intelligent City and precision-built, the mass timber components enable construction crews to assemble the structure far faster — up to an entire floor per day. Adding to these benefits, construction with pre-fabricated mass timber is quieter, cleaner, and far less disruptive to the neighbourhood than traditional builds.

Inside, 230 Royal York’s exposed wooden ceilings and natural finishes will create a sense of calm and serenity rarely found in urban rental housing. The building is targeting zero carbon and LEED Platinum, combining an airtight envelope with an innovative geothermal energy system.

The 60 rental suites that will soon be available will include a mix of compact studios, one and two-bedroom units, plus larger family suites reserved for affordable housing as part of the City of Toronto’s rental replacement program. Each home is designed to prioritize livability and comes equipped with Juliet balconies and smart home systems.