Minto Longbranch East, 115-145 Long Branch Ave: Stacked Towns, Low Fees

Minto Longbranch East is where I point buyers who want more space than a condo tower can give them but are not ready for the price of a Long Branch house. These are stacked townhomes, not apartments in an elevator building, and that changes the fees, the layouts and the kind of buyer who is happy here. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Part of a 463-home community on former industrial land

Minto Longbranch was built on what SkyriseCities describes as an underused industrial site on Lake Shore Boulevard West, east of Browns Line, developed by Minto with Diamond Corp and Kilmer Group. Minto says the full community has 463 homes in two completed phases of stacked townhomes, with retail along Lake Shore.

Minto Longbranch East, at 115 to 145 Long Branch Avenue, is one condominium corporation within that community, with 126 suites. Minto’s page says the first phase was ENERGY STAR qualified and the second was certified LEED Silver. I could not confirm which phase this corporation belongs to, so ask the listing agent or check the status certificate if green certification matters to you.

The design is modern and urban, with flat roofs, private rooftop terraces and garden patios rather than a shared amenity floor. It is a real neighbourhood of low-rise homes, not a single building.

How stacked townhomes actually live

Condos.ca puts the suite range at about 981 to 1,583 square feet, which is roomy by Etobicoke condo standards. The current listings are two- and three-bedroom units. In a stacked town, one home sits on top of another, so a suite is usually two levels plus a rooftop terrace or a garden patio at grade.

That means stairs. The upper units typically have a long climb to the front door and then more stairs inside to the roof, and there is no elevator. For a young family or a couple moving from a tower, that is a fair trade for the space and the outdoor area. For anyone with mobility concerns, it is often a deal-breaker.

You also share walls and a floor or ceiling with neighbours, as in a condo, but without the concrete construction of a high-rise. Ask about sound between suites, especially if you are looking at a lower unit with another home above it.

Green features and individual meters

Minto lists a set of efficiency features for the community: high-efficiency heating equipment, extra wall insulation, a heat recovery ventilator for fresh air, low-VOC finishes, water-efficient fixtures, a rainwater cistern and ENERGY STAR appliances. Those features help keep your own utility bills down.

Minto also says each suite has its own meters for water and electricity. That explains why water is not in the maintenance fee here, unlike most high-rises, and it means you pay for exactly what you use. Ask to see a year of utility bills before you buy so you can budget accurately.

There is secure bike storage for residents and visitors, and the community has multi-stream recycling and organics. Small things, but they shape daily life in a low-rise community without a concierge.

Resale here, or pre-construction at Westshore?

Minto has been building in Long Branch for more than a decade, starting with its Southshore and Longbranch communities. In October 2023 it launched Westshore, a new townhome community in the same neighbourhood designed by BDP Quadrangle, with more than 500 homes planned over several phases.

Westshore’s first phase offers suites of about 472 to 1,282 square feet, with underground parking, elevator access and an internal corridor, which Longbranch East does not have. The trade-off is size and timing: Longbranch East’s suites are generally larger, and you can move in now and see exactly what you are buying, its fees and its reserve fund.

If you need an elevator, or want a smaller one-bedroom, Westshore may suit you better. If you want the most space for your money today and are fine with stairs, a resale at Longbranch East usually makes more sense, and it lets you avoid the closing delays and cost adjustments that come with any pre-construction purchase.

More space per dollar than a tower

Condos.ca puts the average at about $663 per square foot. That is well below what most Etobicoke condo towers trade at, and it is the main reason buyers look here: you get a larger suite with outdoor space for the price of a smaller tower unit.

The two listings for sale when I checked were asking roughly $800,000 to $880,000,. Their monthly fees were about $400 to $420, low for suites of this size because there is no pool, gym, concierge or elevator to fund. The fee covers common elements, building insurance, parking and air conditioning, according to condos.ca, while water and hydro are metered to each suite.

Low fees are good for your monthly budget, but make sure they are realistic. Read the reserve fund study and check that it plans properly for roofs, terraces, waterproofing and the underground parking, which are the big costs in a stacked-town community.

Building specifications

Amenities at Minto Longbranch East

There is no amenity floor. What you get instead is private outdoor space, visitor parking, barbecue permission and secure bike storage, and the lake, parks and Lake Shore shops are yours to use instead of a gym and party room. For many buyers that is the right trade, because amenities they never use are one of the main reasons tower fees climb.

Jatin’s honest take on Minto Longbranch East

Minto Longbranch East — frequently asked questions

Looking at Humber Bay Shores, Mimico, the Queensway and central Etobicoke more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.