The Cost of 'Mixed-Use': When Luxury Towers Erase Affordable Groceries
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
The closure of the FreshCo at Dupont and Dufferin highlights a growing tension in Toronto: the trade-off between high-density housing and essential, low-cost food access.
For over a decade, the FreshCo at 1245 Dupont Street has served as a neighborhood staple for residents since its opening in the early 2010s. But as Toronto continues its push toward densification, the cost of living is being measured in more than just rent—it is being measured in the distance a working-class family must travel for affordable food.
As blogTO first reported, the FreshCo location at Dupont and Dufferin will permanently close its doors on Oct. 17, 2026. A representative from Sobeys confirmed to blogTO that the closure is the direct result of a redevelopment project transforming the site into housing.
The store is located within the Galleria Shopping Centre, which is being transformed by real estate developers Almadev into a massive mixed-use community known as Galleria on the Park. This 20-acre project is slated to include eight residential towers, an eight-acre park, a community centre, and various retail and office spaces.
While the promise of 'mixed-use' development suggests a balanced ecosystem, the reality often feels like a tax on those who cannot afford new luxury. When a discount grocer like FreshCo is removed to make room for residential towers, the neighborhood loses critical infrastructure. For those without vehicles, the loss of a local, budget-friendly store creates a 'food desert' effect, where the cost of basic sustenance increases because of geography.
There was a glimmer of hope in the planning stages. blogTO notes that a staff report from May 2018 indicated the FreshCo would stay open during the initial phases of redevelopment and that the store's owners intended to open a replacement grocery store before the existing building was demolished.
However, that promise has not translated into a concrete plan. When questioned by blogTO, the Sobeys representative did not confirm whether a new grocery store would actually replace the closing location.
As Almadev continues construction—with work already underway on the first two towers, the third tower (Galleria III), the park and community center—the community is left wondering if their daily food traditions are being traded for luxury condos. When the doors lock on Oct. 17, the residents of Dupont and Dufferin won't just be losing a store; they'll be losing the ability to afford their own neighborhood.