253 Benson Ave
253 Benson Ave is in Wychwood. It's outside TRCA flood hazard areas and there are 3 planning applications nearby (one under review, one hearing on Sep 15, one waiting for a hearing date).
Data as of Nov 8, 2026 · Every item lists its source
- 3 building permits in the last 5 years.
- Outside TRCA flood hazard areas.
- 3 planning applications within 250 m: one under review, one hearing on Sep 15, one waiting for a hearing date.
01What’s planned near 253 Benson Ave
3 active planning applications within 250 m (about a 3-minute walk): one under review, one hearing on Sep 15, one waiting for a hearing date. That's about typical for Toronto (the typical address has 1).
In progress
- 1Consent (severance)1 Burlington Cres · 202 m awayCommittee of Adjustment · Consent (severance): permission to split a lot or change property lines
A public hearing is set for Sep 15, 2027 at TBA. Neighbours can send comments or speak at the hearing.
To obtain consent to sever the property into two residential lots.File B0050/26TEY · submitted Jul 23, 2026 - 2Minor variance5 Burlington Cres · 226 m awayCommittee of Adjustment · Minor variance: permission to bend a zoning rule, such as height, size or setbacks
The hearing was postponed. A new date hasn't been published yet.
File A0718/26TEY · submitted Sep 28, 2026 - 3Site Plan840 St Clair Ave W · 239 m awaySite Plan: City review of the design and layout of a new building
City planners are reviewing it. Residents can comment before a decision is made.
Site Plan Administrative Amendment to 13 233007 STE 21 SAFile 26 254526 STE 12 SA · submitted Oct 14, 2026
Development Applications and Committee of Adjustment Applications, City of Toronto. A proposal that covers several addresses is listed once. Decided: development files submitted in the last 4 years; Committee of Adjustment decisions in the last 2 years.
02Safety near 253 Benson Ave
Police recorded 55 major crimes within 500 m from Oct 2025 to Sep 2026: 27 assaults, 16 car thefts, 10 break-ins and 2 robberies. Per resident, in Wychwood in 2025, robberies and thefts over $5,000 were below it. Police place each incident at the nearest intersection, so these figures describe the area, not this address.
| Major crime | Near this addressreported within 500 m, last 12 months | Wychwoodper 100,000 residents, 2025 | Torontoper 100,000 residents, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assaults | 27 | 722 | 768Wychwood is about the same |
| Break-ins | 10 | 234 | 190Wychwood is about the same |
| Car thefts | 16 | 189 | 225Wychwood is about the same |
| Robberies | 2 | 26 | 79Wychwood is lower |
| Thefts over $5,000 | 0 | 33 | 61Wychwood is lower |
Thick bar: Wychwood. Thin grey bar: Toronto. Source: Toronto Police Service Public Safety Data Portal, Major Crime Indicators (Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026) and Neighbourhood Crime Rates. Reported incidents only; police place each incident at the nearest intersection. Five-year trends for Wychwood
03Getting around from 253 Benson Ave
The nearest subway station is St Clair West Station (Line 1), about a 22-minute walk (1.4 km). Within a 5-minute walk there are 10 TTC stops served by routes 512, 63 and 161, with about 2,238 departures on a typical weekday. The nearest GO train station is Bloor GO, 2.9 km away, with 68 train stops on a weekday.
Source: TTC · Line 1 · about 22 min walk
Nearest stop: St Clair Ave West at Winona Dr East Side.
Nearest stop: St Clair Ave West at Winona Dr West Side.
Nearest stop: St Clair Ave West at Arlington Ave West Side.
Source: GO Transit · 68 train stops on a weekday
TTC and GO Transit schedules for a typical weekday (Nov 11, 2026). Walking times are estimates.
04Schools and families near 253 Benson Ave
These are the closest public and Catholic schools by distance. They may not be the schools assigned to this address: school boards set their own attendance areas, so check with the Toronto District School Board or Toronto Catholic District School Board.
Share of students meeting the provincial standard; the red tick is the Toronto average. Private schools within 1 km: Uchenna Academy. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education (2026), EQAO results.
Within 500 m (about a 6-minute walk): five licensed child care centres, no EarlyON centres, no privately owned public spaces and no shelters or respite sites.
115 Winona Dr · 177 spaces · infant, toddler, preschool, kindergarten, school age · in the $10-a-day program · fee subsidies
115 Winona Dr · 16 spaces · preschool · in the $10-a-day program · fee subsidies
115 Winona Dr · 16 spaces · preschool · in the $10-a-day program
Source: City of Toronto Licensed Child Care Centres, EarlyON Child and Family Centres, POPS, and Daily Shelter Occupancy (Nov 6, 2026). Confidential shelter locations are not published.
05The building at 253 Benson Ave
Source: Building Construction/Demolition Violations
3 building permits in the last 5 years, for 1 project. For comparison, about 1 in 10 Toronto addresses had any permit in that time. Permits show work the City approved; they don't show work done without a permit.
Source: Building Permits · 4 on record
It isn't listed or designated on the City's Heritage Register.
Source: Heritage Register
Permit history: 2 projects from 4 permits
- Interior Alterations · completed Mar 14, 2025
Proposed interior alterations to exist'g dwelling. Work to include relocating stair and two doors, remove portion of interior wall, add powder room on ground flr, and add wall on second flr. · 3 permits in this project (such as building, plumbing and heating) · Permit 22 109866 - Back Water Valve (Sewer only) · completed Jul 14, 2017
Back Water Valve (Sewer only) · Permit 17 195969
06Around the block
Stays of less than 28 days, like Airbnb. That's more than at most Toronto addresses (the typical address has 2).
Houses that rent individual rooms with shared kitchens or bathrooms. The City licenses them to enforce safety standards.
Restaurant or bar.
Source: Short Term Rentals Registration, Multi-Tenant (Rooming) House Licences, and Business Licences and Permits (storefront types; owners’ personal names are never shown).
07Risks and environment at 253 Benson Ave
TRCA's maps show this address is outside the areas that could flood from rivers in a major storm (TRCA plans for a storm like Hurricane Hazel in 1954) and outside lake shoreline hazards. Basement flooding from overloaded sewers can still happen anywhere in the city.
Source: TRCA Regulation mapping 2025
In postal area M6G, 5 of 536 home tap-water samples (0.9%) tested above Ontario's limit for lead (10 micrograms per litre). Across Toronto, 2.0% of samples did, so M6G is lower than the city overall. Health Canada recommends a stricter limit of 5 micrograms per litre: 17 samples here (3.2%) were above it. These are voluntary tests, mostly from older homes, so they don't tell you about this house. Lead comes from old pipes and plumbing, not the City's treatment plants. If your home was built before the mid-1950s, you can get a free test kit by calling 311.
Source: Non Regulated Lead Sample · 536 tests, Feb 20, 2014 to Oct 15, 2026
Air Quality Health Index from Environment and Climate Change Canada's Toronto Downtown station, 2.8 km away, measured 2:00 PM EST Sunday 8 November 2026. Forecast high for the next 24 hours: 2 (low risk). The scale runs from 1 to 10+; 1 to 3 is low risk.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada · hourly
TRCA mapping is for screening, not site-specific decisions. Lead results are voluntary samples from homes in the postal area, not this address.
08The neighbourhood: Wychwood
Wychwood had 12,800 residents in 2021. The median household income was $86,000, about the same as the typical Toronto neighbourhood ($85,000). 50% of households rent (typical neighbourhood: 46%). 38% of renters spend 30% or more of their income on housing. 30% of workers commuted by transit and 18% walked or cycled (typical neighbourhood: 26% and 5%). The most common first languages other than English and French are Portuguese (4.5%), Spanish (3.6%) and Italian (3.3%). Source: 2021 Census; the next census was taken in 2026.
In October 2025, the average rent for a two-bedroom in a purpose-built rental building in the former City of Toronto was $2,457, up 6% from a year earlier. Across Toronto: $2,055. 3.2% of these apartments were vacant. These are averages paid by all tenants, including long-term ones, across a large area; new listings usually cost more.
| Average rent, October 2025 | Former City of Toronto | Change in a year | City of Toronto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,526 | +2% | $1,499 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,914 | +4% | $1,763 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,457 | +6% | $2,055 |
| 3 bedrooms or more | $3,195 | 0% | $2,361 |
Source: CMHC, Rental Market Survey (October 2025), purpose-built rental apartments. Adapted by My Address in Toronto.
How Wychwood compares with Toronto’s 158 neighbourhoods →09Quick answers about 253 Benson Ave
Is 253 Benson Ave in a flood plain?
No. TRCA maps it outside river flood and lake shoreline hazard areas. Basement flooding from sewers can still happen anywhere. Source: TRCA Regulation mapping 2025, as of Nov 8, 2026.
What is being built near 253 Benson Ave?
There are 3 active planning applications within 250 metres (one under review, one hearing on Sep 15, one waiting for a hearing date). The closest is at 1 Burlington Cres, 202 m away. Source: Development Applications; Committee of Adjustment Applications, as of Nov 8, 2026.
Has 253 Benson Ave been renovated?
Yes. The City has 4 building permits on record, 3 in the last 5 years. Source: Building Permits, as of Nov 8, 2026.
Is 253 Benson Ave a heritage property?
No. It isn't listed or designated on the City's Heritage Register. Source: Heritage Register, as of Nov 8, 2026.
How far is 253 Benson Ave from the subway?
The nearest station is St Clair West Station (Line 1), 1.4 km away (about a 22-minute walk). 10 TTC stops are within a 5-minute walk. Source: TTC and GO Transit schedules, as of Nov 8, 2026.
What schools are near 253 Benson Ave?
The closest are McMurrich Junior Public School, Winona Drive Senior Public School and Oakwood Collegiate Institute. These may not be the assigned schools; check with the school board. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education school information, as of Nov 8, 2026.
How much crime is there near 253 Benson Ave?
Police recorded 55 major crimes within 500 m from Oct 2025 to Sep 2026: 27 assaults, 16 car thefts, 10 break-ins and 2 robberies. Per resident, in Wychwood in 2025, robberies and thefts over $5,000 were below it. Police place each incident at the nearest intersection, so these figures describe the area, not this address. Source: Toronto Police Service, as of Nov 8, 2026.
When is garbage day at 253 Benson Ave?
Collection is on Thursdays. Green bin goes out every week; garbage and recycling alternate weeks. The next garbage pickup is Nov 19, 2026. Source: Solid Waste Collection Schedule, as of Nov 8, 2026.
Answers are generated from the data on this page and update when the data changes.
10From the archives
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