Published 10 September 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
The Queensway’s case is practicality: groceries, restaurants, gyms, services and big-box retail at street level, quick access to both the Gardiner and Highway 427, young efficient buildings, and generally more usable square footage per dollar than the waterfront towers a kilometre south. The case against is equally concrete: it is a busy arterial, the buildings are young enough that reserve funds are thin and fees will rise faster in percentage terms, there is no subway, and there is enough comparable inventory that resale requires discipline. Which side wins depends on which side of the street the unit faces and which building it is in.
The case for
1. Everything is on the street
This is the corridor’s real advantage and the one people underrate until they live somewhere without it. Groceries, pharmacies, banks, coffee, restaurants, gyms, hardware and big-box retail run along the Queensway itself. A large share of a week’s errands are a walk rather than a drive, which in a car-dependent part of the city is genuinely unusual.
2. Two highways, not one
Both the Gardiner Expressway and Highway 427 are close, and there are several routes to each. That matters more than it sounds: a corridor with one congested spine behaves very differently from one with options, particularly if your commute is west, north, or to the airport rather than downtown.
3. Young buildings
Most of the condominium stock here dates from roughly 2015 onward. Modern systems, modern insulation, efficient plans, no immediate capital work, and no legacy of deferred maintenance. Fees are lower on paper partly because of that youth.
4. More square footage per dollar
You are not paying a lake view premium and you are not funding a pool and a guest suite. Compared with Humber Bay Shores at a similar price, a Queensway unit typically delivers more usable space.
5. It is still changing
The corridor has been redeveloping steadily, and the retail and restaurant mix has improved markedly over the past decade. That is an argument for buying into it rather than after it.
The case against
1. It is an arterial road
The Queensway carries real traffic, and that is not a detail. Which side of the street the unit faces, how high it is, whether the bedroom fronts the road, and how the building is set back all change the experience substantially. Two units in the same building can be very different products on this variable alone.
2. Reserve funds are young
A low fee in a five-year-old building is not evidence of good management; it is arithmetic. The reserve fund is still accumulating, the budget has not been tested by a full operating cycle, and the first reserve fund study update typically raises the required contribution. Expect faster percentage increases here than in an established corporation.
3. No subway
Surface routes serve the corridor and connect toward the subway, but there is no station at the door. If your life depends on rapid transit rather than a car, Islington City Centre or Mimico GO answer that better.
4. Comparable inventory
There are a lot of similar units in similar buildings here. As a buyer that is choice and negotiating room. As a seller it means your unit competes directly with several others at any given time, and presentation and pricing discipline matter more than they would in a corridor with scarce stock.
Thinking about buying or selling here?
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Jatin Dua, Broker of Record — RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with another brokerage.
The checks that separate a good purchase from an average one
- Which side of the street, and how high. Stand in the bedroom with the window open, at a busy hour. This is the single most important thing you can do.
- The reserve fund, against the building’s age. Ask specifically: how old is the corporation, has the first reserve fund study update happened, and what did it do to the required contribution?
- Three years of fee history. A young building whose fees have already jumped twice is telling you something the headline number is not.
- Construction deficiency litigation. Newer corporations sometimes pursue claims against the builder. Ask whether the corporation is party to any proceedings.
- What the fee includes, and what is separately metered. Add estimated utilities before comparing against an all-inclusive older building.
- Parking and locker status. Newer buildings have tighter parking ratios; confirm owned, exclusive use or rented, and where.
- What is proposed nearby. The corridor is still developing. Find out what is zoned or under application on adjacent parcels before you pay for a view or for quiet.
- The plan itself. Efficient does not always mean well designed. Check that every bedroom has a real exterior window and that corridor is not eating your square footage.
Who the corridor suits
| It suits you if | It does not if |
|---|---|
| You want to walk to groceries, a gym and a restaurant | You want a waterfront or a park at your door |
| You drive, and your commute is west, north or to the airport | You depend on rapid transit rather than a car |
| You would rather have square footage than a view | A view is what you are buying |
| You do not want to pay monthly for a pool | You will genuinely use an extensive amenity package |
| You are comfortable choosing exposure carefully to manage road noise | Any arterial traffic noise is a deal-breaker |
| You will read a reserve fund study on a young corporation | You want a building with a long, proven track record |
Costs
The Queensway is inside the City of Toronto, so both the provincial land transfer tax and the Toronto Municipal Land Transfer Tax apply and neither can be financed. On a $650,000 unit that is $9,475 provincially and $9,475 municipally — $18,950 in cash. Budget 3% to 4% of the purchase price in cash overall on a resale, covering legal fees, disbursements, title insurance, the status certificate and its review, a reserve fund contribution of roughly two months of common expenses, and adjustments. First-time buyers can claim up to $4,000 provincially and up to $4,475 municipally, subject to eligibility.
On a new build here, the First-Time Home Buyers’ GST/HST Rebate may also be available — up to $50,000 where the value is at or below $1 million, with an agreement entered into on or after 27 May 2025. That is by far the largest relief available and it is worth confirming with an accountant before signing.
TRREB reported an average Etobicoke sale price of $1,049,793 across 243 sales in August 2026 across all property types; Queensway condominium apartments generally trade well below that figure.
A one-hour due diligence routine
- Stand in the bedroom with the window open at 5:30 p.m. on a weekday.
- Walk to the nearest grocery store and time it.
- Drive your actual commute at your actual hour.
- Ask the listing brokerage for three years of fee history and the fee inclusions.
- Ask whether the corporation is party to any litigation, and whether any special assessment is levied or contemplated.
- Confirm parking and locker status in writing.
- Have a lawyer read the status certificate and report on the reserve fund in plain English.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Queensway a good place to buy a condo?
It is, for a specific buyer: someone who wants retail and services at street level, drives, values square footage over a view, and does not want to fund an extensive amenity package monthly. It is not, for someone who depends on rapid transit, wants a waterfront at their door, or is intolerant of arterial road noise. Which side of the street the unit faces matters as much as the building.
Is The Queensway too noisy for a condo?
It depends entirely on the unit. Which side of the street it faces, what floor it is on, whether the bedroom fronts the road, and how far the building is set back all change the experience substantially. Two units in the same building can be very different on this. Stand in the actual bedroom with the window open at a busy hour before deciding.
Why are Queensway condo fees low?
Because the buildings are young, so reserve fund contributions are still in early accumulation, and because utilities are usually separately metered so they appear on your own bills rather than in the fee. Both are arithmetic rather than evidence of good management. Expect faster percentage increases from that low base, particularly after the first reserve fund study update.
Is there a subway on The Queensway?
No. Surface transit serves the corridor and connects toward the subway, but there is no station at the door. The corridor’s transport advantage is road access — both the Gardiner Expressway and Highway 427, with multiple route options. If rapid transit is essential to you, Islington City Centre or the Mimico GO corridor answer that better.
How does The Queensway compare with Humber Bay Shores?
The Queensway generally gives more usable square footage per dollar, lower fees and retail at street level. Humber Bay Shores gives the waterfront, the views and a large amenity package, at a higher fee and with a building envelope facing lakefront weather. Both are inside the City of Toronto so closing costs are identical. Choose on how you actually spend a week.
What should I check in a newer Queensway building?
The age of the corporation, whether the first reserve fund study update has happened and what it did to the required contribution, three years of fee history, whether the corporation is party to any construction deficiency litigation, exactly what the fee includes and what is separately metered, parking and locker ownership status, and what is proposed on adjacent parcels.
Is it easy to resell on The Queensway?
There is a lot of comparable inventory, which helps buyers and demands discipline from sellers. Your unit competes directly with several similar ones at any given time, so presentation, photography and realistic pricing matter more here than in a corridor with scarce stock. Exposure and which side of the street you face also carry through to resale.
Can I get the GST rebate on a new Queensway condo?
Possibly, and it is worth checking carefully. The First-Time Home Buyers’ GST/HST Rebate is up to $50,000 where the home’s value is at or below $1 million, phasing out to nil at $1.5 million, with the agreement of purchase and sale entered into on or after 27 May 2025. Most new Queensway condominiums sit under the $1 million threshold. Confirm eligibility with an accountant before signing.
Sources
- Condominium Act, 1998 — status certificates and the prescribed fee cap, reserve funds and reserve fund studies. Accessed 10 September 2026.
- City of Toronto — Municipal Land Transfer Tax — the Toronto brackets and the first-time buyer rebate. Accessed 10 September 2026.
- Toronto Transit Commission — surface routes serving The Queensway. Accessed 10 September 2026.
- TRREB Market Watch, August 2026 — the Etobicoke average sale price of $1,049,793 across 243 sales. Accessed 10 September 2026.
Related reading
- The Queensway vs Humber Bay Shores
- Every Etobicoke condo building, by area
- The GST rebate for first-time buyers of new Etobicoke condos
- Condo maintenance fees in Etobicoke, explained
- Ten things no one tells you about The Queensway and Stonegate
About the author — Jatin Dua, Etobicoke real estate agent
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway in Etobicoke, with more than four years of active GTA transactions and over $100M in sales volume. My office is on this street, which is precisely why the drawbacks above are stated as plainly as the advantages.
Reach me at connect@jatindua.com or 833-330-1925.