5 Frith Rd: 1971 Tower Near Jane and Sheppard With Hydro and Heat In

5 Frith Road is one of the lowest-priced ways to own a full-size suite in North York, and the fee is the reason to look closely. At about $1.11 per square foot it seems steep until you notice it pays your hydro, heat, water and parking. Whether that is a bargain depends entirely on the health of a corporation that has been running since 1971. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

An early condominium, with a 1970s amenity list

The corporation number tells you a lot. YCC-36 was registered in May 1971, only a few years after Ontario introduced condominium ownership, which places this building among the first wave of condos in the old Borough of North York.

Buildings from that era were usually designed around a central plant that heats every suite, and often supplies its electricity too. That is why the fee here includes hydro, an arrangement you will almost never see in a building put up after the 1990s.

At 11 storeys and 120 suites, it is also smaller than many towers of its generation. A smaller owner base means fewer people sharing the cost of each repair, which is worth keeping in mind when you read the budget.

Condos.ca lists an outdoor pool, a sauna, a gym, a party room, a car wash bay, barbecue permission, visitor parking and a security system. For a building this size, that is a generous list, and the outdoor pool and car wash are the kind of extras newer buildings rarely include.

The trade-off is that every one of those facilities has to be maintained and eventually rebuilt. An outdoor pool shell, deck and filtration system are real reserve fund items, so check where they sit in the study.

Bigger suites than new construction

The one-bedroom suites on the market sit in the 700 to 799 square foot band. In a new tower, that is two-bedroom territory. Two-bedroom plans here are larger again, though not every listing states the size.

Expect a wide range of condition. Some suites will still have original kitchens and bathrooms, while others have been renovated. Older electrical panels, plumbing and windows are the items to ask about specifically, and you should price any work into your offer.

If you plan a renovation, ask the management office for the corporation’s rules on flooring and plumbing changes before you buy. In concrete buildings of this age, hard flooring usually needs an approved underlay.

Comparing the all-in fee fairly, as an owner or an investor

The simplest test is total monthly cost. Take the fee here, then take a newer building’s fee and add its hydro, its heating or cooling bill and a parking charge, all from actual bills rather than estimates. Only then compare.

On the current listings, a 750-square-foot suite here pays roughly $830 a month in fees, everything included. A newer suite of the same size at $0.65 per square foot would pay about $490 before utilities and parking. The gap is real, but it is much smaller than the headline numbers suggest, and the older suite is usually larger.

The second test is direction. Ask management for the fee history over the last five years and for any planned increases. A building that has raised fees steadily and modestly is usually healthier than one that held them flat and then needed a large jump.

Investors look at 5 Frith because of the low purchase price. An all-inclusive fee is attractive to tenants, since one rent covers their utilities, but the owner carries the cost if energy prices rise.

Model the rent against the full fee, property tax and a vacancy allowance before you buy, and confirm the corporation’s leasing rules in the declaration. The panel on this page shows rents and the owner and renter mix.

Jane and Sheppard, and what is changing

Frith Road is a short residential street off Jane Street near Sheppard Avenue West. The area is largely apartment towers and post-war houses, with plazas along Jane for daily shopping and Highway 400 close for drivers.

The biggest change nearby is transit. Line 6 Finch West opened on 7 December 2025, running east-west along Finch Avenue north of here, and the Line 1 subway extension added stations to the northeast in 2017. The panel on this page shows the actual walking times to the nearest stations.

Pricing and the all-inclusive fee

Three suites were for sale when I checked, asking from $279,900 to $378,800. That is entry-level pricing for an owned suite anywhere in Toronto.

Fees on those listings ranged from $817 to $1,075 a month, which works out to about $1.11 per square foot. Before you compare that with a newer building, add back what it covers: hydro, heat, water and a parking space. A newer one-bedroom paying $0.65 per square foot plus its own hydro and a parking charge narrows the gap considerably.

The real risk is the direction of the fee, not today’s number. In an all-inclusive building, fees move with energy prices and with major repairs. Ask for the last three years of budgets to see how fast fees have risen. For actual trades, see my building sold report.

Building specifications

Amenities at 5 Frith Condos

A summer pool, a sauna and a car wash bay in a 120-suite building is more than most buyers expect at this price. Ask whether the pool opens every season and whether any facility has been closed for repairs, because you pay for amenities whether or not they are open. For a family without a cottage, an outdoor pool a few steps from home is a real part of summer, and the car wash bay is a small convenience you will use more often than you expect.

Jatin’s honest take on 5 Frith Condos

5 Frith Condos — frequently asked questions

Looking at Downsview, Weston, York University Heights, Rexdale and northwest Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.