MaRS West Tower

• Property Name: MaRS West Tower
• Status: Completed Development
• Location: Toronto Discovery District
• Construction Start: 2007
• Completion: 2014
• Total Floors: 20
• Total Usable Area: 780,000 SF
• Primary Uses: Office, Life Sciences / Wet Lab, Retail at Grade and Concourse
• University Ownership: 20%
• U of T Occupancy: Floors 13–16
• Development Partners: Province of Ontario, Ministry of Research and Innovation, MaRS, University of Toronto, Government of Canada
• Architect: B+H

• Premier Innovation Location – Situated in Canada’s leading health sciences and research corridor, surrounded by hospitals, academic institutions, startups, and investors.
• Flexible Commercial Space – Modern office environments designed for innovation-driven organizations, scale-ups, and institutional partners.
• Advanced Lab Infrastructure – Purpose-built life sciences and wet lab space supporting research, biotech, and commercialization activity.
• Retail at Grade – Street-level retail activates the public realm and enhances the neighbourhood experience.
• Integrated Ecosystem Access – Direct connection to one of North America’s most dynamic communities of researchers, founders, and industry leaders.
• Institutional Stewardship – Professionally managed operations that align long-term asset performance with public and academic interests.
• Lounges and Events Spaces – modern spaces with state-of-the-art technology and configurable furniture to make hosting large events easy.

A Creative Partnership Model

When the project required a new path to completion, the University of Toronto Real Estate Partnerships team helped structure a strategic co-ownership solution that brought together public and institutional partners with MaRS. This approach protected momentum on a major city-building development while securing long-term value for the University.

Benefits to the University of Toronto

• Secured ownership in a premier innovation asset without sole development risk.
• Delivered dedicated research and lab space in one of Canada’s most important commercialization hubs.
• Strengthened ties between academia, industry, and entrepreneurship.
• Created strategic real estate value through co-ownership.
• U of T researchers have direct access to downtown lab facilities.

Benefits to Toronto

• Advanced the growth of the Discovery District as a globally competitive innovation cluster.
• Attracted high-value employers, researchers, and investment to the downtown core.

• Activated the streetscape with retail uses and daily economic activity.
• Reinforced Toronto’s reputation as a destination for life sciences and technology growth.

Benefits to Canada

• Expanded national capacity for research commercialization and innovation.
• Supported the growth of Canadian biotech, health, and knowledge-economy sectors.
• Demonstrated how public institutions can collaborate to deliver transformational infrastructure.
• Helped create jobs, companies, and discoveries with global impact.

Environmental Social Governance

MaRS West Tower reflects leading environmental and operational standards through its commitment to sustainability and building performance.

• LEED Platinum Certified.
• BOMA BEST Platinum Certified.
• Energy-efficient building systems and sustainable design strategies.
• High-performance asset management supporting long-term resilience.
• Transit-oriented location that promotes low-carbon commuting and urban density.

Partners

• University of Toronto.
• MaRS.
• Government of Canada.
• B+H Architects.

Awards

PUG Awards – People’s Choice for Toronto Architecture

Media

MaRS West Tower is widely recognized as a defining piece of Toronto’s innovation landscape – an example of how strategic partnerships, institutional leadership, and thoughtful development can generate enduring economic and social value.