A community group is planning to host a public viewing of a World Cup soccer match on a vacant lot in downtown Toronto to draw attention to the city's housing crisis and ongoing dispute over a proposed luxury condominium development.
Event Details and Purpose
Gaetan Heroux, a community organizer with the group 230 Fightback, told the Toronto Sun that the event aims to shift some of the global spotlight from BMO Field to the area around Dundas and Sherbourne streets. "We want people to understand that while this (soccer tournament) is going on, 10 minutes away from the downtown you can see what is going on at Dundas and Sherbourne," Heroux said.
On Saturday, Heroux, housing activists, and community members plan to appropriate the privately owned vacant lot at 214-230 Sherbourne St. for a public viewing of the FIFA World Cup match between Qatar and Switzerland. The event will begin with a rally and community meal at Allan Gardens at 1 p.m., followed by a march to the vacant site near the southwest corner of Dundas Street East and Sherbourne Street.
"There will be speakers from across the city coming to talk about the housing issues they are experiencing in their communities," Heroux explained. "And then it is our intention to march to (the vacant lot) to have a community event around the World Cup and to bring attention to the fight that has been going on with the property itself since 2013."
The Property and Development Plans
The lot is owned by KingSett Capital, a private equity real estate investment firm with over $19 billion in assets under management, according to its LinkedIn page. The firm purchased the derelict property in 2022 for an undisclosed amount and has since kept it vacant. In October 2024, KingSett received city council approval to build a 47-storey residential tower with more than 600 suites. The planned amenities include a fitness centre, lounges, and a rooftop terrace with views of downtown Toronto.
The site has been a flashpoint for debate over affordable housing. Heroux noted that the neighbourhood has historically welcomed the homeless and unemployed since the mid-1800s. "The condo would cause irreparable harm to us," he said. "It affects the whole character of the neighbourhood; the affordability of the neighbourhood disappears."
Activists Demand Action
In early May, activists emailed KingSett to inform the company of their intention to use the lot and requested that the gate be opened. Heroux said the company has not responded. The Toronto Sun contacted KingSett on Tuesday afternoon for comment on the planned event, but the firm declined to comment. Toronto Centre Councillor Chris Moise was also contacted multiple times but did not respond.
Heroux emphasized that the housing crisis is severe, as seen through encampments across the city. "We all know the city has a serious housing crisis seen through the encampments and all that kind of stuff," he said. "We decided that we would bring FIFA to our neighbourhood and talk about what is going on."
When asked whether the timing was tied to the global attention on Toronto for the World Cup, Heroux replied, "We have been fighting for that piece of property for over 13 years. This is what we do. If FIFA had not been there, we still would have had it. The fact that FIFA is here and the fact that more than a $1 billion is being spent to hold this circus in the city while people are suffering, that alone resonates. It is a lot of money to spend on something that very few people will have access to other than watching on TV."
