Toronto's $13M Women's Center Overrun: Council Push for Inquiry

A Toronto City project to turn an old charity building into a women's resource center has

seen massive cost overruns. The spot at 233 Carlton Street East, once home to the keel

burgers free the children, is still empty after five years. Renovation bills have jumped

to $13,500,000 from an original $3,700,000, while the city has showed out over $2,000,000

in rent, officials now eye a late 2026 opening. The deal started back in 2019 with a 10-year

lease totaling $6 million, approved quietly under delegated rules since it fell. Under

$10 million total at the time, no council or community say was needed then, but costs

exploded, and freedom of information docs exposed the hikes earlier this year, catching

local leaders off guard. Toronto Center counselor Chris Moezy has fired up, calling the overruns

unacceptable. His office kept hearing promises of a 2023 opening that never happened. Now

he's pushing an inquiry, a council motion, unruled tweaks to force reports on any project

topping $10 million in overruns. The building, owned by the keel burger parents, drew heat

from the start amid a charity scandal tied to federal grants. A 2020 review cleared the

lease as fair, citing its transit-friendly spot near an existing center. Delays stem from

construction crunches, surprise site issues, and elevator parts holdups blocking full access.

City staff say work continues despite the rain and headaches, but Moezy also wants options

like buying or taking the property. With questions piling up, Toronto's watching how council

tackles this ballooning tab next. Local news, powered by AI, this is Canada News Today.

I'm Corey with the story.