Robert Maiolo, who put down a deposit for a condo he had hoped to be living in by now finds himself among a large group of people throughout the Greater Toronto Area these days.
Several planned condo developments have either been cancelled or stalled due to a variety of reasons, from a shaky real estate market to rising material costs.
But Maiolo, and nearly 200 others who bought into a Scarborough project nearly six years ago remain frustrated with what they call a lack of answers as to if their project will start and if not, when they’ll have the option to get their deposits returned.
“There doesn’t seem to be a lot of communication,” he said.
Maiolo put down money to secure a condo in The Borough condo development, slated to be built on a lot at the corner of Birchmount and Lawrence Avenue East in Scarborough.
“Me and my dad went in on the purchase with the intent to move into it,” he said. “That was nearly six years ago, today, there’s been no progress. There’s a car dealership that’s been there for almost 20 years and it’s still standing on that land and has not been knocked down.”
According to original plans, The Borough is set to be a two tower complex with more than 300 units.
“I think originally the goal was to break ground in late 2020. Obviously with the pandemic that didn’t happen,” Maiolo said. “Since then they kept saying in three months, in three months and now we’re in 2025.”
This planned project — one of several across the GTA — was hit with delays. Since 2024, 28 presale projects totaling 5,734 units were either put on hold, cancelled, placed in receivership, or converted to purpose-built rental according to Urbanation, which tracks new condo builds.
But Maiolo, and others, say the lack of communication from the developer is angering them the most.
He created a social media group for other buyers like him.
“Now we’re at almost 200 people. Many are posting, sending pictures of the building site saying, ‘Hey, they’ve still done nothing. I’ve emailed this person, nothing. I’ve email that person, nothing. What should we do?’”
Maiolo says many of the members are not investors but people who, for almost six years, were hoping to call the condo home.
“This is a home for a lot, a lot, a lot people. And they’ve been on hold with very little communication for six years.”
They asked Speakers Corner to get answers.
We reached out to the General Contractor of the site, G Group. A spokesperson said they are working on behalf of the owners of the development, listed as 2504639 Ontario Inc.
They said there are two phases to the project — while phase one was approved — the delay is due to phase two of the project, which they told us is facing permit delays.
“It was decided It would be more economically feasible and an enhancement to the overall Project if we could construct both Phase 1 and Phase 2 at the same time,” a spokesperson said. “Once Phase 2 is approved, the entire site will be relaunched and marketed as one site (Phase 1 and 2).”
We then reached out to Toronto city staff, who told us the delay is on the developer.
“A Pre-Application Consultation Meeting was held with City of Toronto Staff and the Applicant on August 1, 2024 to discuss the refinements to the proposal,” a City spokesperson said. “City Staff required the Applicant to update and resubmit a revised application to reflect the new proposal and changes related to built form, height and density.”
The spokesperson went on to say that application has yet to be received but a representative for the owner says they’re working on it.
“The developer has been working with the City to submit a full and complete amended Application which my client will do once it is in a position to fulfill all of the City requirements which is imminent according to my client,” said attorney for the owners, Lou Natale.
The development acknowledges frustration from buyers and say all will receive communication on how to proceed in the coming weeks.
“With the relaunch of the project, the existing purchasers of Phase 1 will be given the opportunity to remain as purchasers in a new and improved condo project and extend the closing date, or the purchasers can request the return of their deposits at the end of October, 2025,” a spokesperson said.
Maiolo says buyers are split on what they’ll do.
“The deposit you made in 2019 is not worth what it is today. The prices have gone up 30 percent, so okay you get your money back but where are you’re going to take it?” he asked.
“At the end of the day, I want the condo to be built, but my faith in their ability to do so for the price they said they would is pretty low.”
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