Canterbury Lawrence Park Townhomes: Rooftop Terraces at Bayview and Lawrence

Canterbury Lawrence Park is what I show buyers who want a Lawrence Park address and a house-sized floor plan, but do not want to buy, heat and maintain a detached house on its own lot. These are condo townhomes on Bayview just south of Lawrence, built by Tribute Communities, with private rooftop terraces and suites in the 1,670 to 2,055 sq ft range. The catch is the stairs, and I will be straight with you about them. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

A condo project that became a townhouse enclave

This site has a history worth knowing. In 2008 Cresford Developments marketed a condominium called Stratford here, designed by Joe Brennan with interiors by Brian Gluckstein. According to the UrbanToronto project thread, Cresford pulled it from the market in 2009, and by 2010 a sign on the land announced Tribute Communities’ Canterbury Towns instead.

That switch is why this stretch of Bayview has low-rise townhomes rather than a mid-rise block. For a buyer, it means you are part of a condominium corporation, but you live in something that feels much closer to a row house: your own front door, no shared hallways and no elevator lobby.

Toronto Life, featuring one of the homes, noted that very few condominiums have been built in Lawrence Park proper. I agree with that observation. If you want new-ish construction with a condo’s exterior maintenance in this part of midtown, the choice is thin, and that scarcity is part of what you are paying for.

Layouts: big floor plates, many levels, a roof of your own

Condos.ca records suites here between about 1,671 and 2,055 sq ft, which is the size of a family house rather than a condo suite. Current listings are three-bedroom-plus-den plans. The trade-off is vertical: the Toronto Life feature described a home spread across five levels once you count the rec room level and the rooftop.

The rooftop terrace is the feature people buy for. Tribute marketed these as having terraces overlooking Stratford Park and the surrounding ravines, and the featured home had a rooftop patio of roughly 500 sq ft. That is real outdoor space, private, and above the street, which is hard to find anywhere near Bayview and Lawrence for this price bracket.

Parking is underground, which keeps the lanes clear and the front elevations clean. The featured home had two spaces and a locker, but allocations vary by suite. Confirm exactly what parking and storage are deeded or assigned to the unit you are looking at, and whether the space can take an EV charger, before you firm up.

Be honest with yourself about the stairs. Five levels is wonderful for a family that wants separation between kids, guests and a home office. It is hard work for anyone with mobility concerns, and it is the main reason some downsizers walk away. I would rather you decide that at the first showing than after you move in.

The location, day to day

You are on Bayview just south of Lawrence Avenue East. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is across Bayview to the south-east, which makes this a natural fit for hospital staff who want a short commute Homes set back on Hargrave Lane will feel different from those fronting the avenue, so walk both and listen at different times of day.

Bayview is a busy arterial, and the homes facing it trade some quiet for the address. The upside of the location is the residential calm of the streets behind it and the ravine and parkland character that the area is known for.

Transit, schools and walkability are covered in the automatic data panel on this page, so I will not repeat them here. My advice is simply to drive or walk the route you would take every weekday at rush hour before you commit, because Bayview at Lawrence can be slow.

What the condo structure means for your monthly costs

Because there is no lobby, pool, concierge or elevator to run, townhouse corporations like this one tend to carry much lower fees per square foot than a high-rise of the same age. The listed amenities are modest: visitor parking and barbecues permitted, which is consistent with that.

What the fee covers here is not listed on condos.ca. In many townhouse corporations each owner pays their own heat, hydro and water, and the fee funds the underground garage, landscaping, snow clearing, roofs and exterior elements. Do not assume that applies here. Get the status certificate and read the inclusions line by line, along with the budget and the reserve fund study.

How to read pricing at Canterbury Lawrence Park

At the time of writing there is one townhouse for sale and one for lease. With a single active sale listing, there is no honest range to quote, and I do not publish individual listing prices or fees on these pages. The aggregate sale and lease results in the data panel are the better guide.

The useful comparison is not other condos. It is freehold semis and detached homes in Lawrence Park and Bedford Park, where a house of similar floor area costs considerably more and comes with its own roof, furnace and snow. Against that, Canterbury trades land and some privacy for lower upkeep and a newer build.

Because turnover in a complex like this is low, each sale can move perceived value a lot. If you are serious, ask me for the building sold report so we can look at the aggregates and price per square foot across the whole complex rather than anchoring on one listing.

Building specifications

Amenities at Canterbury Lawrence Park

There is no gym, pool or party room to speak of, and that is the point. Your amenity is your own rooftop and the extra square footage, and you are not paying through the fee for facilities you would never use.

Jatin’s honest take on Canterbury Lawrence Park

Canterbury Lawrence Park — frequently asked questions

Looking at Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.