56 Phoebe St
56 Phoebe St is in Kensington-Chinatown, on the City's Heritage Register. It added a second suite (such as a basement apartment) in 2026 and there are 3 planning proposals within 250 m. Osgoode Station is a 12‑minute walk.
Data as of Nov 8, 2026 · Every item lists its source
- Added a second suite (such as a basement apartment) (completed Feb 2026).
- It is listed on the Heritage Register, which flags heritage value without full designation.
- 3 planning proposals within 250 m: two in progress and one decided recently.
- Assaults, break-ins, robberies and thefts over $5,000 in Kensington-Chinatown were above the Toronto rate in 2025.
- Osgoode Station (Line 1) is about a 12-minute walk.
- The nearest elementary school is Ogden Junior Public School, 92 m away.
01What’s planned near 56 Phoebe St
3 planning proposals within 250 m (about a 3‑minute walk): two in progress and one decided recently. That's more than at most Toronto addresses (the typical address has 1).
In progress
- 1Minor variance184 Spadina Ave · 116 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 Dec 3, 2025. It has been appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (formerly the OMB), which will make the final decision.
To alter the development standards (as approved under Site Specific Zoning By-law 762-2023) for a new 14 and 15-storey hotel building (east tower fronting Spadina Avenue, and west tower fronting Cameron Street), connected by a one-storey…File A0646/25TEY · submitted Aug 25, 2025 - 2Second suite49 Grange Ave · 198 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.
To convert the basement and first storey from a personal service shop to a second dwelling unit.File A0728/21TEY · submitted May 7, 2021
Decided recently
- 3Laneway suite34 Sullivan St · 156 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 Aug 12, 2026.
To construct a new two-storey detached ancillary building containing two laneway suites with a second level south canopy, in the rear yard, abutting Orphanage Mews laneway on the north side, and North Sullivan East Huron laneway on the…File A0450/26TEY · submitted Jun 18, 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 56 Phoebe St
Police recorded 437 major crimes within 500 m of this address from Oct 2025 to Sep 2026. That's more than at almost all Toronto addresses. The table compares the neighbourhood's rates with Toronto's.
| Major crime | Near this addressreported within 500 m, last 12 months | Kensington-Chinatownper 100,000 residents, 2025 | Torontoper 100,000 residents, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assaults | 270 | 2,018 | 768Kensington-Chinatown is higher |
| Break-ins | 94 | 443 | 190Kensington-Chinatown is higher |
| Car thefts | 12 | 118 | 225Kensington-Chinatown is lower |
| Robberies | 33 | 193 | 79Kensington-Chinatown is higher |
| Thefts over $5,000 | 28 | 219 | 61Kensington-Chinatown is higher |
Thick bar: Kensington-Chinatown. 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 Kensington-Chinatown
03Getting around from 56 Phoebe St
The nearest subway station is Osgoode Station (Line 1), about a 12‑minute walk (0.8 km). Within a 5‑minute walk there are 12 TTC stops served by routes 510, 501, 504 and 505, with about 3,429 departures on a typical weekday. The nearest GO train station is Union Station GO, 1.4 km away, with 354 train stops on a weekday.
Source: TTC · Line 1 · about 12 min walk
Nearest stop: Spadina Ave at Sullivan St, plus 3 more stops for this route within 250 m.
Nearest stop: Queen St West at Spadina Ave, plus 1 more stop for this route within 250 m.
Nearest stop: Spadina Ave at Queen St West South Side.
Nearest stop: Dundas St West at Spadina Ave.
Source: GO Transit · 354 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 56 Phoebe St
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.
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: Cornerstone Preparatory School - Main Campus, Braemar College Private Secondary School, Ronald Mcdonald House, Westside Montessori Elementary School. Source: Ontario Ministry of Education (2026), EQAO results.
Within 500 m (about a 6‑minute walk): six licensed child care centres, two EarlyON centres, one privately owned public space and six shelters or respite sites.
33 Phoebe St · 136 spaces · toddler, preschool, kindergarten, school age · in the $10-a-day program · fee subsidies
308 Queen St W · 107 spaces · infant, toddler, preschool · in the $10-a-day program
75 Augusta Sq · 36 spaces · infant, toddler, preschool · in the $10-a-day program · fee subsidies
105 Grange Crt · free programs for children up to 6 and their caregivers
302 Spadina 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 56 Phoebe St
Source: Building Construction/Demolition Violations
0 building permits in the last 5 years. This includes a second suite (such as a basement apartment), completed Feb 2026. Permits show work the City approved; they don't show work done without a permit.
Source: Building Permits · 4 on record
It is listed on the Heritage Register, which flags heritage value without full designation. Owners must give the City 60 days' notice before demolition.
Source: Heritage Register
Permit history: 1 project from 4 permits
- Second suite (such as a basement apartment)New home · completed Feb 11, 2026
Proposed interior alterations to add one secondary suite in an existing semi-detached house. · 4 permits in this project (such as building, plumbing and heating) · Permit 19 130865
06Around the block
Stays of less than 28 days, like Airbnb. That's more than at almost all Toronto addresses.
Houses that rent individual rooms with shared kitchens or bathrooms. The City licenses them to enforce safety standards.
C2y Hair Salon (salon or personal services), Panda Wrap (take-out or food shop), La Marka Studios (salon or personal services), and 2 more.
Public space (458 m).
Wagner Green YMCA (249 m), Streets to Homes Assessment and Referral Centre (SHARC) (305 m), Sojourn House Hotel Program (422 m), and 3 more.
All new business licences nearby (5)
- C2y Hair Salon · Salon or personal services · 222 Spadina Ave · 143 m · licensed Oct 15, 2026
- Panda Wrap · Take-out or food shop · 222 Spadina Ave · 143 m · licensed Sep 9, 2026
- La Marka Studios · Salon or personal services · 162A Spadina Ave · 184 m · licensed Sep 3, 2026
- New York City Sliders · Restaurant or bar · 433 Queen St W · 201 m · licensed Aug 21, 2026
- Kung Fu Tea · Restaurant or bar · 264 Spadina Ave · 236 m · licensed Sep 2, 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 56 Phoebe 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 M5T, 0 of 85 home tap-water samples (0%) tested above Ontario's limit for lead (10 micrograms per litre). Across Toronto, 2.0% of samples did, so M5T is lower than the city overall. Health Canada recommends a stricter limit of 5 micrograms per litre: 1 samples here (1.2%) 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 · 85 tests, Feb 20, 2014 to Sep 11, 2026
Air Quality Health Index from Environment and Climate Change Canada's Toronto Downtown station, 2.8 km away, measured 6:00 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: Kensington-Chinatown
Kensington-Chinatown had 18,120 residents in 2021. The median household income was $62,000, lower than the typical Toronto neighbourhood ($85,000). 68% of households rent (typical neighbourhood: 46%). 44% of renters spend 30% or more of their income on housing. 24% of workers commuted by transit and 50% walked or cycled (typical neighbourhood: 26% and 5%). The most common first languages other than English and French are Mandarin (12.7%), Cantonese (10.9%) and Spanish (2.2%). 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 | 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 Kensington-Chinatown compares with Toronto’s 158 neighbourhoods →Archive photos from near this address: myaddressintoronto.com/address/56-phoebe-st#sec-history
