Government building on First Avenue up for sale

Ministry of Infrastructure
News Release

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Ontario is selling eight government-owned buildings across the province, freeing up valuable taxpayers' dollars to be invested in health care and education.

Ontarians look to their government to provide services, not to be a landlord. The private sector can manage office space much better and at a lower cost. That's why, in keeping with the recommendations of the Drummond Commission, the government is moving forward with a plan to:

- sell and lease back eight buildings across the province

- reduce the amount of office space leased in Toronto.

The plan will protect jobs while ensuring that the public services Ontarians value remain strong, accessible and in our communities.

This initiative could generate upwards of $500 million in revenue. And over the next 25 to 30 years, it will generate an additional net savings of almost $300 million.

Moving away from owning office buildings and focusing on investing in what matters most to Ontario families is part of the McGuinty government's plan to eliminate the deficit.

QUICK FACTS

The Ontario government currently occupies 7.7 million square feet of space in Toronto in more than 100 buildings.
In Toronto, the realty plan would shrink the government's real estate footprint by about one million square feet, equivalent to 43 storeys of office space in the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower.

On the sale list are:

- Guelph: 1 Stone Road West

- North Bay: 200 First Avenue West

- Oshawa: 33 King Street (Michael Starr Building)

- Peterborough: 300 Water Street (Robinson Place)

- St. Catharines: 301 St. Paul Street (Garden City Tower)

- Sudbury: 159 Cedar Street

- Thunder Bay: 189 Red River Road

- Toronto: 222 Jarvis Street

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