The Beaches Property Management

The Beaches occupies Toronto’s eastern lakefront, running along Queen Street East from Coxwell Avenue to Victoria Park Avenue, with the neighbourhood extending south to the waterfront and north toward Kingston Road. The area encompasses four distinct beaches along the lakefront: Woodbine Beach, Kew Beach, Scarboro Beach, and Balmy Beach. The neighbourhood is defined by its low-rise residential character, the Boardwalk along the lake, and a Queen Street East commercial strip that functions as a small-town main street within a major city. Successful The Beaches property management needs to take all that into consideration when working on rental and management on behalf of investors.

The neighbourhood falls under TRREB district E02 (Toronto E02) in the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board’s MLS system. Buttonwood Property Management, a Toronto property management company, has managed investment properties in The Beaches since 2011. Every tenancy we manage in the neighbourhood is subject to:

• Ontario Residential Tenancies Act

• Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO)

• Ontario Human Rights Tribunal

• Ontario Building Code

• Ontario Fire Code

• Vacant Home Tax (City of Toronto)

• CRA’s Non-resident Tax Withholding on Rental Income (NR4/NR6)

History of The Beaches

The area was first settled by the Ashbridge family, who arrived from Philadelphia in 1793. The sandy soil, steep slopes, and small creeks made the land unsuitable for large-scale farming, and properties were subdivided during the latter half of the 1800s as the Queen Street East streetcar line made the waterfront accessible to Torontonians looking for a resort destination.

The amusement park era defined the lakefront from the 1870s through the 1920s. Victoria Park operated from 1878 to 1906, Munro Park from 1896 to 1906, and Scarboro Beach Park from 1907 to 1925. Scarboro Beach Park, modelled after Coney Island’s Dreamland and Luna parks, was a major draw until escalating land values led to its sale to the city in 1925 and subsequent redevelopment for housing. Scarboro Beach Boulevard preserves the name.

The Beaches and East Toronto were annexed by the City of Toronto between 1908 and 1909. By the 1920s, the area had been subdivided for year-round residential development, establishing the low-rise, tree-lined streetscape that remains today. The naming of the neighbourhood has been debated for decades: the lakefront has four distinct beaches, leading to the plural “Beaches,” but a 2006 BIA poll found 58% of residents preferred “the Beach.” The City of Toronto officially categorizes the neighbourhood as “the Beaches.”

Residential Buildings in The Beaches

The Beaches is one of Toronto’s most consistently low-rise neighbourhoods. Residential condo construction is limited to boutique buildings of five storeys or fewer, reflecting the community’s heritage character and height restrictions.

• The Boardwalk (35 Boardwalk Drive). A 5-storey building containing 95 condo units, developed by Pemberton Group. Completed in 2001, situated north of Woodbine Beach. Suites range from 600 to 2,300 square feet.

• The Boardwalk II (9 Boardwalk Drive). A 5-storey building containing 98 condo units, developed by Pemberton Group. Completed in 2004 as the sister building to The Boardwalk, with a limestone, brick, and green-tinted glass facade.

• The Beach Condominiums IV (1733 Queen Street East). A 5-storey building containing 104 condo units, developed by Pemberton Group. Completed in 2003 as part of a five-building Beach Condominiums series.

• The Beach Condominiums I (1829 Queen Street East). A 4-storey building containing 48 condo units, developed by Pemberton Group. Completed in 1999 as the first phase of the Beach Condominiums complex.

• Waterworks Lofts (2362 Queen Street East). A 3-storey building containing 10 loft-style condo units. Completed in 2002 at the eastern end of Queen Street East, named for the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant across the street.

Buildings Under Construction

New development in The Beaches is constrained by the neighbourhood’s low-rise character and community-driven height restrictions.

• The Beach House Condos (1684 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON M4L 1G6). A 6-storey, 110-unit development by The Sud Group. Mixed-use with over 11,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Pre-construction.

• 847 Kingston Road (847 Kingston Road, Toronto, ON M4E 1R9). An 11-storey, 99-unit development by Gabriele Homes, designed by Teeple Architects. Mixed-use with retail at grade. Pre-construction, approved by City Council in early 2026.

Each new building adds rental inventory that requires professional oversight from day one. For landlords purchasing pre-construction units as investments, the management partner they select before occupancy will determine how the first year of tenancy unfolds.

Market Prices: Renting and Buying in The Beaches

What does it cost to rent or own in The Beaches? MLS activity tracked through TRREB district E02 provides a clear picture for investors evaluating yield against acquisition cost.

Rental prices. The average monthly rent for a condo unit in The Beaches sits at approximately $2,460 for a one-bedroom and $3,088 for a two-bedroom. The neighbourhood commands a premium of approximately 24% above the national average, driven by its waterfront access, walkability, and the quality-of-life profile that keeps tenants in place longer. Rents have softened approximately 3% year over year, less than the broader Toronto market correction.

Sale prices. The average condo listing price in The Beaches sits at approximately $983,000 in early 2026. That is well above the Toronto-wide condo average of approximately $627,000, reflecting the scarcity of condo inventory in a predominantly low-rise neighbourhood with strict height limits. For investors, The Beaches’ constrained development pipeline means less competition from new construction, which helps sustain both rental demand and resale value.

Current Listings Managed by Buttonwood

Buttonwood manages rental properties across The Beaches’ residential buildings, from established condos at The Boardwalk to boutique units along Queen Street East. Current availability changes throughout the year; visit the Buttonwood listings page for up-to-date inventory.

How Tenants Commute from The Beaches

Walk Score data rates The Beaches at 95 out of 100 for walkability (Walker’s Paradise), 89 out of 100 for transit (Excellent Transit), and 85 out of 100 for cycling (Very Bikeable).

Public transit. The Queen Street streetcar (route 501) is the primary east-west transit line, running through the heart of the neighbourhood from Neville Park Loop near Victoria Park Avenue to downtown and beyond. The 502 Downtowner streetcar supplements the 501, starting at Bingham Loop and travelling along Kingston Road to Queen Street East. Woodbine Station on Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth) is the closest subway connection, accessible via Woodbine Avenue.

Cycling. The Martin Goodman Trail runs along the waterfront through the neighbourhood, connecting to the broader Toronto waterfront trail network. The Boardwalk provides a dedicated lakefront cycling and pedestrian path.

Driving. Kingston Road provides east-west access, and the Gardiner Expressway is accessible via Coxwell Avenue or Lake Shore Boulevard from the western edge of the neighbourhood.

Schools in The Beaches

Families renting in The Beaches have access to TDSB schools within the neighbourhood.

Kew Beach Junior Public School (101 Kippendavie Avenue, JK-6) serves the central portion of The Beaches near Kew Gardens.

Balmy Beach Community School (14 Pine Avenue, JK-6) serves the eastern portion of the neighbourhood with approximately 400 students.

Malvern Collegiate Institute (55 Malvern Avenue, Grades 9-12) is one of Toronto’s oldest secondary schools, serving approximately 1,140 students from The Beaches, Upper Beaches, and surrounding areas.

Michael Garron Hospital (Toronto East Health Network, 825 Coxwell Avenue), a full-service community hospital, is located approximately 2.5 kilometres north of the Queen Street East commercial strip.

How Buttonwood Manages Beaches Properties

Tenant screening is where outcomes are determined. The process Buttonwood uses was developed across thousands of tenancies throughout the GTA since 2011, and the result is six evictions in that entire period for non-payment of rent. These phenomenal results are driven by proprietary tenant screening processes and procedures that Buttonwood perfected over time.

Once a qualified tenant is placed, management covers rent collection, maintenance coordination, lease renewal tracking, and annual rent increase notices issued under the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act. Property owners based outside Canada benefit from our non-resident tax compliance services, including CRA withholding obligations and NR4/NR6 reporting on rental income.

The Beaches’ rental market draws families, professionals, and long-term residents who choose the neighbourhood for its waterfront lifestyle, walkable commercial strip, and distinct community character.

Working with Beaches Landlords

Landlords who own a condo unit in The Beaches, whether at The Boardwalk, one of the Beach Condominiums buildings, or a boutique unit along Queen Street East, are managing an asset in one of Toronto’s most desirable waterfront neighbourhoods. The management partner they choose should reflect that.

Buttonwood delivers a value proposition that is affordable, carries the best reputation within the industry, and applies an uncommon level of expertise and ethical standard that both landlords and tenants deserve. More than 70% of our business comes through referrals.

• #1 Individual Associate – Units KW Canada 2025 – Top 5 Individuals (Keller Williams Portfolio Realty)
• Platinum Award 2024 (iPro Realty Ltd.)
• Platinum Award 2023 (iPro Realty Ltd.)
• Platinum Award 2022 (iPro Realty Ltd.)
• President’s Award 2021 (iPro Realty Ltd.)
• Platinum Award 2020 (iPro Realty Ltd.)
• President’s Award 2019 (iPro Realty Ltd.)
• Executive’s Club Award 2017 (Kingsway Real Estate Brokerage)
• 100 Percent Club Award 2016 (Kingsway Real Estate Brokerage)

Those are not marketing claims; they are measurable results over 14 plus years of rental and management services in The Greater Toronto Area.

A Neighbourhood That Rewards Careful Management

The Boardwalk, Woodbine Beach, Kew Gardens, the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, and the independent retail corridor along Queen Street East all contribute to a quality-of-life profile that draws tenants who stay. The Beaches’ appeal is rooted in its waterfront access and small-town residential character within a major city.

The neighbourhood’s strict height limits and constrained development pipeline mean rental inventory is expanding slowly. That scarcity supports both rental rates and occupancy for well-managed properties. Buttonwood has spent 14 years developing the processes that keep vacancy low and tenancy outcomes predictable across the GTA.

Our east-end portfolio extends beyond The Beaches. We manage investment properties in the Upper Beaches to the north, Leslieville to the west, and the Danforth to the northwest.

Contact Buttonwood to discuss management of your Beaches investment property. Whether you own a condo unit in one of the neighbourhood’s established buildings or a boutique unit along Queen Street East, we can provide a direct assessment of what your property requires.