52 Hickson St
52 Hickson St is in Little Portugal. There are 4 planning proposals within 250 m, including a 7‑storey building with 19 homes and shops (under review). Streetcars stop 127 m away.
Data as of Nov 9, 2026 · Every item lists its source
- A 7-storey building with 19 homes and shops is under review, 241 m away (1744 Dundas St W).
- Streetcar 505 stop 127 m away; the nearest subway is 1.2 km.
- The nearest elementary school is Shirley Street Junior Public School, 116 m away.
- Nothing is on record for the building itself: no permits, orders or heritage listing.
- Lead in tap-water samples is higher than average in postal area M6K.
01What’s planned near 52 Hickson St
4 planning proposals within 250 m (about a 3‑minute walk): three in progress and one decided recently. That's more than at most Toronto addresses (the typical address has 1).
In progress
- 1Laneway suite94 St Clarens Ave · 83 m awayCommittee of Adjustment · Minor variance: permission to bend a zoning rule, such as height, size or setbacks
The Committee of Adjustment refused it on Aug 20, 2025. It has been appealed to the Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB), which will hold its own hearing and make the final decision.
To construct a new two-storey ancillary building (including a basement walkout with one laneway suite), in the rear yard, abutting the laneway. The second storey will be cantilevered on the south side.File A0497/25TEY · submitted Jun 30, 2025 - 2Laneway suite52 A St Clarens Ave · 139 m awayCommittee of Adjustment · Minor variance: permission to bend a zoning rule, such as height, size or setbacks
The City has received it. A hearing date hasn't been set yet.
To alter the existing two-storey townhouse dwelling by constructing a front walkout basement. The existing rear one-storey detached ancillary building (laneway suite) containing one dwelling unit will be maintained and unaltered. There…File A0779/26TEY · submitted Oct 22, 2026 - 37-storey building · 19 homes and shops1744 Dundas St W · 241 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 Approval application for a new 7-storey mixed-use building comprised of 107 m² non-residential gross floor area at grade and 1201 m² residential gross floor area above. A total of 19 residential dwelling units and 2 at grade…File 20 111505 STE 09 SA · submitted Feb 3, 2020 · City record and how to comment
Decided recently
- 4Minor variance15 Wyndham St · 249 m awayCommittee of Adjustment · Minor variance: permission to bend a zoning rule, such as height, size or setbacks
The Committee of Adjustment approved it on Sep 23, 2026.
To construct a one-storey ancillary building (art workshop), including a green roof, in the rear yard (abutting Mechanic Avenue).File A0576/26TEY · submitted Jul 31, 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 52 Hickson St
Police recorded 77 major crimes within 500 m of this address from Oct 2025 to Sep 2026. That's more than at most Toronto addresses (the typical address has 40). The table compares the neighbourhood's rates with Toronto's.
| Major crime | Near this addressreported within 500 m, last 12 months | Little Portugalper 100,000 residents, 2025 | Torontoper 100,000 residents, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assaults | 51 | 727 | 768Little Portugal is about the same |
| Break-ins | 18 | 180 | 190Little Portugal is about the same |
| Car thefts | 2 | 120 | 225Little Portugal is lower |
| Robberies | 3 | 33 | 79Little Portugal is lower |
| Thefts over $5,000 | 3 | 49 | 61Little Portugal is about the same |
Thick bar: Little Portugal. Thin grey bar: Toronto. Source: Toronto Police Service Public Safety Data Portal, Major Crime Indicators (Oct 2, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026) and Neighbourhood Crime Rates. Reported incidents only; police place each incident at the nearest intersection. Five-year trends for Little Portugal
03Getting around from 52 Hickson St
The nearest subway station is Lansdowne Station (Line 2), about a 18‑minute walk (1.2 km). Within a 5‑minute walk there are 8 TTC stops served by the 505 and 506 streetcars and the 47 bus, with about 2,594 departures on a typical weekday. The nearest GO train station is Bloor GO, 1.3 km away, with 68 train stops on a weekday.
Source: TTC · Line 2 · about 18 min walk
Nearest stop: Dundas St West at Brock Ave, plus 1 more stop for this route within 250 m.
Nearest stop: Lansdowne Ave at Dundas St West, plus 1 more stop for this route within 250 m.
Nearest stop: College St at Brock Ave.
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 child care near 52 Hickson St
The closest public and Catholic schools. They may not be the ones assigned to this address; check with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) or Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB).
Elementary schools
Share of Grade 6 students meeting the provincial standard. Toronto: 87% reading, 54% math.
Secondary schools
Share of students who passed the Grade 10 literacy test on their first try. Toronto: 84%.
The red tick on each bar is the Toronto average. Private schools within 1 km: Academy Of Enlightened Minds. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education (2026), EQAO results.
Within 500 m (about a 6‑minute walk): two licensed child care centres and three EarlyON centres.
38 Shirley St · 103 spaces · toddler, preschool, kindergarten, school age · in the $10-a-day program · fee subsidies
93 Margueretta St · 133 spaces · toddler, preschool, kindergarten, school age · in the $10-a-day program · fee subsidies
38 Shirley St · free programs for children up to 6 and their caregivers
1196 College St · free programs for children up to 6 and their caregivers
66 Sheridan Ave · free programs for children up to 6 and their caregivers
Source: City of Toronto Licensed Child Care Centres and EarlyON Child and Family Centres.
05The building at 52 Hickson St
No building permits, building orders, heritage listing or short-term rental registration are on record for this address. About 90% of Toronto addresses also had none in the last 5 years.
06Around the block
Stays of less than 28 days, like Airbnb. That's more than at 95% of Toronto addresses.
Houses that rent individual rooms with shared kitchens or bathrooms. The City licenses them to enforce safety standards.
Mac's Cigar Store (take-out or food shop), Tea for U (restaurant or bar), Marias Sports Bar 1135 (restaurant or bar), and 5 more.
All new business licences in Little Portugal (8)
- Mac's Cigar Store · Take-out or food shop · 1625 Dundas St W · 105 m · licensed Oct 20, 2026
- Tea for U · Restaurant or bar · 1465 Dundas St W · 519 m · licensed Oct 20, 2026
- Marias Sports Bar 1135 · Restaurant or bar · 1135 College St · 400 m · licensed Oct 6, 2026
- The Dirty Laundry · Sidewalk café · 1186 Queen St W · 1147 m · licensed Oct 6, 2026
- 5 Stripes Coffee · Take-out or food shop · 234 Brock Ave · 175 m · licensed Sep 19, 2026
- Freshco · Take-out or food shop · 22 Northcote Ave · 1068 m · licensed Sep 17, 2026
- Restaurant Charme · Restaurant or bar · 1434 Dundas St W · 577 m · licensed Sep 16, 2026
- Florette Restaurant · Restaurant or bar · 1168 Queen St W · 1188 m · licensed Aug 23, 2026
Source: Short Term Rentals Registration, Multi-Tenant (Rooming) House Licences, Business Licences and Permits (storefront types; owners’ personal names are never shown), POPS, and Daily Shelter Occupancy (Nov 6, 2026). Confidential shelter locations are not published.
07Risks and environment at 52 Hickson St
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 M6K, 8 of 251 home tap-water samples (3.2%) tested above Ontario's limit for lead (10 micrograms per litre). Across Toronto, 2.0% of samples did, so M6K is higher than the city overall. Health Canada recommends a stricter limit of 5 micrograms per litre: 17 samples here (6.8%) 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 · 251 tests, Mar 10, 2014 to Oct 2, 2026
Air Quality Health Index from Environment and Climate Change Canada's Toronto Downtown station, 4.4 km away, measured 4:00 AM EST Monday 9 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: Little Portugal
Little Portugal had 15,485 residents in 2021. The median household income was $86,000, about the same as the typical Toronto neighbourhood ($85,000). 57% of households rent (typical neighbourhood: 46%). 44% of renters spend 30% or more of their income on housing. 29% of workers commuted by transit and 26% walked or cycled (typical neighbourhood: 26% and 5%). The most common first languages other than English and French are Portuguese (12.0%), Cantonese (3.8%) and Spanish (3.0%). Source: 2021 Census; the next census was taken in 2026.
Rents aren't published for single neighbourhoods. Across central Toronto (the old City of Toronto, before the 1998 amalgamation), a two-bedroom in a purpose-built rental building averaged $2,457 a month in October 2025, up 6% from a year earlier. The Toronto average was $2,055. The vacancy rate was 3.2%. These averages include long-term tenants; new listings usually cost more.
| Average rent, October 2025 | Central Toronto | Change in a year | 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, central Toronto (the old City of Toronto, before the 1998 amalgamation). CMHC doesn’t publish rents for single neighbourhoods. Adapted by My Address in Toronto.
How Little Portugal compares with Toronto’s 158 neighbourhoods →Archive photos from near this address: myaddressintoronto.com/address/52-hickson-st#sec-history
