CreateTO

What CreateTO does

CreateTO is the City of Toronto's municipal real estate agency, established in 2018 through the amalgamation of Build Toronto and the Toronto Port Lands Company to consolidate the strategic management of City-owned property. The agency oversees one of North America's largest municipal real estate portfolios, encompassing 8,446 properties, 6,976 buildings, and more than 105 million square feet across 11 asset classes, with a collective value of approximately $27 billion. CreateTO applies a city-wide strategic lens to portfolio optimization, affordable housing delivery, waterfront revitalization, civic infrastructure, and heritage stewardship, serving the City of Toronto's 68 Divisions, Agencies, and Corporations as its captive internal client base.

Core activities center on portfolio governance, development management, and partnership procurement rather than product commercialization. Active projects include the Bloor-Kipling transit-oriented community (2,700+ homes and a new Etobicoke Civic Centre), 2444 Eglinton Avenue East (Canada's largest co-op housing development in a generation, ~919 homes), Parkdale Hub, Port Lands transformation, 610 Bay Street, and the Amsterdam Bridge rehabilitation. Technical scope is anchored by a city-wide real estate governance model, community-benefit frameworks (10% social hiring, diverse procurement obligations), and a district energy agreement with Enwave delivering Toronto's first near-zero emissions community at Bloor-Kipling. The agency has accumulated design recognition including the 2025 Green Good Design Award and 2025 Future House Award for 2444 Eglinton.

As a City of Toronto local board, CreateTO does not generate commercial revenue or operate a traditional pricing model. Funding flows from the City budget, and value creation is measured through public outcomes: a Strategic Plan 2023-2027 targeting $2.5 billion in unlocked land value, 10,000 affordable housing units, and $66 million in annual cost savings over a ten-year horizon. Competitive procurement is conducted via MERX (RFP/RFQ), and major projects are delivered through co-development partnerships with private developers (Kilmer-Tricon, Collecdev-Markee, Windmill, Civic Developments), non-profits (Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto, Neighbourhood Land Trust), and public partners (Waterfront Toronto, federal government). Federal participation was formalized via a $2.55 billion housing agreement in March 2025.

Name

CreateTO

Legal name

CreateTO

Website

https://createto.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CreateTO is the City of Toronto's municipal real estate agency, managing an ~$27 billion portfolio of 8,446 City-owned properties and delivering affordable housing, civic infrastructure, and waterfront revitalization for the City's 68 Divisions, Agencies and Corporations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Real Estate Management

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), Sustainable Cities, Urban Development & Green Infrastructure (BPADALAL), Urban Planning & Master Planning (BPAHAKAD)

Keywords

• Municipal real estate management
• Affordable housing development
• Civic infrastructure projects
• Portfolio asset management
• Public sector procurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Development Services: CreateTO generates value through land value unlocking, cost savings for the City, and delivery of affordable housing. As a City agency, they do not operate on commercial revenue but rather create public value through strategic real estate management and development.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CreateTO is the City of Toronto's real estate agency, providing centralized strategic planning, portfolio management, and development services for one of North America's largest municipal real estate portfolios (8,446 properties, 6,976 buildings, 105 million+ square feet, ~$27 billion in collective value). Its offerings include affordable housing development (Housing Now Initiative, Bloor-Kipling, Parkdale Hub, 2444 Eglinton), civic infrastructure (Etobicoke Civic Centre, Amsterdam Bridge), waterfront revitalization (Port Lands, Leslie Lookout Park, Villiers Island), and heritage preservation (Old City Hall), delivered through partnerships with private developers, non-profits, and other government agencies.

Product overview

CreateTO is Toronto's City real estate agency managing one of North America's largest municipal property portfolios ($27 billion, 8,446 properties, 6,976 buildings). The organization operates as a unified real estate development and management agency rather than a technology platform. Its offerings include housing development programs (Housing Now Initiative, Bloor-Kipling, Parkdale Hub, 2444 Eglinton), civic infrastructure projects (Etobicoke Civic Centre), waterfront revitalization (Port Lands, Leslie Lookout Park), heritage preservation (Old City Hall), and infrastructure improvements (Amsterdam Bridge). Core services include strategic real estate management, portfolio optimization, development services, property and asset management, and procurement. These projects are delivered through partnerships with private developers, non-profit organizations, and other government agencies, with CreateTO serving as the City's central point for real estate vision, expertise, and implementation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Real Estate Management Centralized real estate governance and oversight providing strategic planning and decision-making for Toronto's $27 billion real estate portfolio including 8,446 properties and 6,976 buildings across 11 asset classes. For City of Toronto Divisions, Agencies and Corporations.
• Housing Now Initiative City-led program identifying approximately 100 city-owned sites for affordable housing development within mixed-income, mixed-use, transit-oriented communities. Targets 10,000 affordable housing units over 10 years.
• Bloor-Kipling Development A major transit-oriented community development delivering over 2,700 homes, a new Etobicoke Civic Centre, new City park, and dynamic mix of amenities at the heart of Etobicoke Centre. Includes Toronto's first near-zero emissions community via district energy agreements with Enwave.
• 2444 Eglinton Avenue East Co-op Development Canada's largest co-op housing development in a generation, delivering approximately 919 homes including 612 rent-geared-to-income, affordable and market rent-controlled co-operative homes. Achieved a 69-day rezoning approval record.
• Parkdale Hub A multi-phase development delivering housing, community services, and cultural spaces in the Parkdale neighbourhood, led by the Neighbourhood Land Trust. Includes a 16-storey West Block delivering 175 new homes at 1337 Queen Street West.
• 610 Bay Street Redevelopment Redevelopment of the decommissioned Toronto Coach Terminal site into a mixed-income, mixed-use development including affordable housing and spaces for health science and biomedical sectors. Being developed by Kilmer Group and Tricon Residential.
• Etobicoke Civic Centre A state-of-the-art civic hub featuring over 508,000 square feet of accessible public-facing space including municipal offices, council chamber, child care, library, health clinic, recreation centre, and civic square.
• Port Lands Development Transformation of Toronto's waterfront into a sustainable and inclusive community, including the Leslie Lookout Park, Basin Media Hub, and future Villiers Island (Ookwemin Minising) development. Spans over 400 acres of City land.
• Leslie Lookout Park The first major public space in Toronto's regenerated Port Lands, featuring forested dunes, an artificial beach, and a 13.5-metre lookout tower with views of the Ship Channel and downtown Toronto.
• Amsterdam Bridge Rehabilitation Comprehensive rehabilitation of the steel cable footbridge at Harbourfront Centre, gifted by Amsterdam in 1974, completed to restore pedestrian connectivity and preserve its distinctive design.
• Old City Hall Future Uses Analysis Strategic analysis to guide the long-term vision for the historic Old City Hall National Historic Site following the relocation of provincial and city courts in 2025.
• Procurement Services Open, fair, competitive and transparent procurement process using Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Quotes (RFQ), and pre-qualified supplier rosters via MERX electronic tendering service.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.5 billion in land value to be unlocked within 10 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Neighbourhood Land Trust (NLT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Toronto's first community land trust selected to lease and develop Parkdale Hub – West Block, a 16-storey development delivering 175 new homes at 1337 Queen Street West.
• The Spanier Group (with CBRE, Turner & Townsend, Artuitive Group, Bespoke Collective)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2025Selected to provide real estate advisory services for Old City Hall future uses analysis. The Spanier Group brings deep industry expertise and market insight, delivering forward-thinking, evidence-based recommendations including market analysis, vision development, and financial modeling for identifying highest and best use scenarios.
• MonumentalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2025Leading public consultation and engagement for Old City Hall project. Monumental brings equitable city-building expertise, creating thoughtful solutions to complex urban challenges, centring social equity and community voices. Work includes stakeholder relationships, creative engagements, and prototyping future uses.
• Kilmer Group and Tricon Residential (Kilmer-Tricon)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024Selected as preferred proponents for redevelopment of 610 Bay St. and 130 Elizabeth St. sites (historic Toronto Coach Terminal). Also developing Block One at Bloor-Kipling (5207 Dundas Street West) delivering 725 new rental homes including 218 affordable units.
• Collecdev-Markee DevelopmentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2024Strategic partnership for affordable rental development at 275 Merton Street in Davisville Village, delivering 494 new rental homes including 148 affordable rental homes.
• Civic Developments, Windmill Developments, and Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Development partners for 2444 Eglinton Avenue East project - Canada's largest co-op housing development in a generation, delivering approximately 919 homes including 612 affordable co-op homes. Achieved 69-day rezoning approval record.
• Adamson Associates Architects, Henning Larsen Architects, and PMA Landscape ArchitectscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017Winning design team from international design competition for new Etobicoke Civic Centre selected in 2017. Design and business plan approved by City Council in 2017.
• Harbourfront CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Amsterdam Bridge rehabilitation project at Toronto's central waterfront. Bridge was gifted by Amsterdam in 1974 and reopened in 2026 after comprehensive rehabilitation led by CreateTO.
• Henriquez Partners Architects (with CCxA landscape)coreTechnology or IntegrationWorld-class architecture team designing the unique honeycomb-inspired building at 2444 Eglinton, inspired by Ontario flint corn. Design won 2025 Green Good Design Award and 2025 Future House Award.
• Enwave Energy CorporationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict energy provider for Bloor-Kipling development, enabling Toronto's first near-zero emissions community through the Etobicoke Civic Centre and all development blocks.
• Doug Dixon & AssociatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal structural engineering practice with extensive experience on Toronto's iconic bridge structures, supporting Amsterdam Bridge assessment and rehabilitation.
• Waterfront TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with City of Toronto and Waterfront Toronto on Villiers Island (renamed Ookwemin Minising) public meetings and future waterfront development planning.
• City of Toronto Divisions, Agencies and Corporations (68 served)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient base of 68 City divisions, agencies and corporations receiving real estate solutions from CreateTO to optimize use of City assets.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NYC Economic Development Corporation: Municipal economic development and real estate agency that manages city-owned land, delivers affordable housing, and runs large mixed-use redevelopment projects in New York City. Comparable mandate to CreateTO: strategic portfolio management, public-private partnerships, and affordable housing delivery for a major North American city.
• Waterfront Toronto: Tri-government municipal development corporation that partners with CreateTO on Port Lands transformation and Villiers Island (Ookwemin Minising). Both entities lead large-scale urban redevelopment on behalf of public-sector owners using mixed-use, mixed-income, transit-oriented models — a closely aligned mandate and operating model.

Emerging players

• Places for London (formerly Crossrail Places): Transport for London's property development arm that delivers transit-oriented, mixed-use communities on publicly-owned land. Closely comparable to CreateTO's Bloor-Kipling and transit-oriented community work, with similar affordable housing requirements and long-dated development pipelines.
• By & Havn (Copenhagen): Copenhagen's municipal urban development company (now merged into Københavns Kommune) that historically redeveloped harbour-front and underutilized city land. Comparable to CreateTO's Port Lands work — large-scale waterfront transformation on publicly-owned land with mixed-income, climate-aligned outcomes.

Others

• Tricon Residential: Canadian rental housing developer partnered with CreateTO (via Kilmer-Tricon) on 610 Bay Street and Bloor-Kipling Block One. Not a peer in the same business model, but a key execution partner whose strategy and pipeline directly affect CreateTO's delivery on large multi-block projects.
• Kilmer Group: Real estate development partner (with Tricon) preferred by CreateTO on 610 Bay Street and Bloor-Kipling. Comparable only in that it operates as a developer counterpart on large mixed-use transit-oriented projects that CreateTO enables on city-owned land.
• Toronto Port Lands Company: Predecessor entity to CreateTO responsible for Port Lands management, merged with Build Toronto in 2018. Its 400+ acres of City land now fall under CreateTO, making it a historical peer whose mandate is now absorbed by the subject.
• Infrastructure Ontario: Crown agency that manages and develops provincial real estate and infrastructure assets. While not a direct operating peer, it shares the public-sector real estate development mandate in Ontario and is a useful comparator for governance and capital deployment models for municipal-owned assets.
• Build Toronto: Predecessor entity to CreateTO that was merged with the Toronto Port Lands Company in 2018. Historically comparable municipal real estate development mandate; now consolidated into CreateTO and useful only as a historical reference point.

Regional players

• San Francisco Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure: Successor agency to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency that manages city-owned land and delivers affordable housing and mixed-use development. Comparable municipal real estate redevelopment mandate, but operates in a different U.S. regulatory and market context than CreateTO.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_createto
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@createto7812/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/createto
• Instagraminstagram.com/_createto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CreateTO