Toronto

The Margin examined how Canadian churches are redeveloping their land, from Toronto’s Bloor Street United and a Unitarian church sale to a 57-storey tower at Vancouver’s First Baptist, noting that $15 billion in land changed hands as churches closed.

The Margin examined how Canadian churches are redeveloping their land, from Toronto’s Bloor Street United and a Unitarian church sale to a 57-storey tower at Vancouver’s First Baptist, noting that $15 billion in land changed hands as churches closed.

Toronto’s Berkeley Church, built in 1871 as a Wesleyan Methodist church and later an event venue, has been bought for $3.75 million, after its operator went into receivership, by a developer planning to restore and reopen it.

Toronto’s Danforth Baptist Church is being converted into an eight-storey building with 50 supportive homes for seniors, keeping its towers and facade, funded by federal and city programmes and a $4 million Sprott Foundation gift.

The conversion of Toronto’s former High Park Alhambra church into 70 condos went into receivership owing $42.2 million to Meridian Credit Union, with construction halted and most units already pre-sold.