40 Bay Mills Blvd: A 1978 Scarborough Condo Where Hydro Is in the Fee

40 Bay Mills Boulevard is a building people tend to find by accident, usually because a friend lives there. It is a 1978, 13-storey building of 119 suites near Sheppard and Warden, and its fee covers almost everything, including hydro and air conditioning. That simplicity is the appeal, and it is also the thing you need to understand before you buy. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

An all-inclusive fee, and what that really means

Condos.ca lists eight things in the fee: cable TV, air conditioning, common elements, heat, hydro, building insurance, parking and water. In practice that means your monthly condo payment is close to your whole housing bill, apart from internet, contents insurance and property tax.

That is a real advantage for anyone on a fixed income or a tight budget. Your summer cooling and winter heating do not swing your costs, and there are no separate utility accounts to open.

The other side is that you are sharing the building’s energy bill with 118 other suites. When hydro and gas rates rise, the fee rises with them, and owners who keep their suites cool all summer are being subsidised by those who do not. Ask the manager for the last three years of fee increases and what drove them.

The all-inclusive model also affects how you renovate. If you add a second fridge, a hot tub on the balcony or space heaters, the building pays for that power. Many all-inclusive buildings have rules about appliances for exactly that reason, so read them before you plan changes.

A small building, with the benefits and limits that brings

At 119 suites over 13 storeys, this works out to around nine suites per floor on average. That is a building where neighbours recognise each other and where the board is drawn from a small pool of owners.

Small buildings tend to be quieter, with fewer move-ins and less elevator traffic. The trade-off is that every large repair is split among fewer owners, so a new roof or a garage repair lands harder per suite than it would in a 400-suite tower.

There is a penthouse level, and the suites I have seen listed run from standard floors up to the top. I do not have reliable suite-size data for the building, so measure the suite you are considering and compare it on price per square foot with care.

What a 1978 building needs from its owners

A building approaching 50 years old is in the window where original systems come due. The heating and cooling plant, which here serves every suite because it is in the fee, is one of the most important items. Ask when it was last replaced or overhauled and what the reserve fund study says about it.

Windows, balcony slabs and railings, the roof, the parking garage membrane and elevator modernisation are the other big-ticket items in buildings of this age. None of them is a reason to walk away. Each one is a reason to see a reserve fund that has planned for it.

If the reserve fund study shows major work coming and the fund looks thin, expect either fee increases or a special assessment at some point. The status certificate will tell you whether one has been levied or is being considered.

What the amenities say about the building

The amenity list is modest: a party room, a meeting room, a rec room, a sauna, visitor parking, a security guard and security system, and BBQs permitted. That last point matters more than it sounds, because many buildings ban balcony barbecues.

Confirm the current barbecue rules, including whether they apply to balconies or to a shared outdoor area, before you buy a grill. Rules are set by the board and can change.

A sauna in a building this size is a small luxury, and it is also equipment that needs maintenance and eventual replacement. It is a minor reserve fund line, but it is worth seeing on the list.

For transit, schools, stores and parks around Sheppard and Warden, the data panel on this page has the specifics.

Pricing: judge it on the total monthly cost

When I checked, there were no suites for sale here and two for rent. That is common in small, older all-inclusive buildings, where long-term owners stay put because their monthly costs are predictable.

For a buyer, low turnover cuts both ways. It suggests owners are content, but it also means fewer recent sales to compare against, and you may wait months for the right suite. If this is the building you want, set up an alert and be ready to move when something lists.

With nothing for sale when I checked, I cannot give you a current asking range, and I do not have a reliable building-wide price per square foot. Use the 12-month sold data in the panel and ask me for a building sold report if you are close to an offer.

When you compare this building with others, compare the total monthly cost, not the fee alone. Add your own estimate for hydro, heat and air conditioning to the fee of any building where those are separate, then set that against the fee here.

A higher fee at 40 Bay Mills can still be cheaper overall than a lower fee somewhere else. It depends on the suite size and how much energy you use.

Building specifications

Amenities at 40 Bay Mills Boulevard Condos

This is a building with the basics and a sauna, not a resort package. The security staff and the permission for barbecues are the two features residents notice most in daily life. If you want a pool or a full gym, you will need to look elsewhere or budget for a membership.

Jatin’s honest take on 40 Bay Mills Boulevard Condos

40 Bay Mills Boulevard Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at Agincourt, L’Amoreaux, Milliken, Dorset Park and Wexford in Scarborough more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.