More than 500 new condo towers are expected to join the Toronto skyline over the next six years, as the city desperately needs more housing. Environmental advocates are pushing for stricter standards to help prevent greenhouse gas pollution from these new buildings, but one advocate says even housing that meets the minimum building standards is better than no new housing at all.

“New condo buildings are necessary in many neighbourhoods to reduce the per-capita emissions of the people who live nearby,” says Phil Pothen, Ontario environment program manager for Environmental Defence.

“That’s because they will help many currently less-walkable neighbourhoods achieve densities that will support all the essentials within walking distance and allow people to go car-free.”

Having stricter green building standards is extremely important, Pothen adds, but even housing that doesn’t meet those benchmarks is still far preferable to not building any housing at all and forcing the people who would have lived in the area to move elsewhere.

Ashika Theyyil, media relations manager for the city, makes a similar case for creating denser neighbourhoods. “Buildings constructed in Toronto avoid potential sprawl, which reduces transportation emissions and helps to preserve the natural environment,” Theyyil says.

The City of Toronto expects roughly 90 projects will be completed per year over the next 10 years, though it points out that the likelihood and timing of these projects depends on the applicant or property owner.

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