Toronto is known for its ‘work hard, play hard’ attitude, but a new cache of coworking spaces are bringing these spheres together under one roof.
Creatives in Canada’s biggest metropolis – one of our ‘cities to watch in 2018‘ – are ditching the sterility of a serviced office and seeking out hybrid hubs that cater to their business, as well as their personal interests. Sited in former factories and warehouses, these professional playgrounds offer wellness classes, networking and social events, from concerts to pot-lucks. Here are seven of Toronto’s best coworking spaces.
East Room, Riverside
East Room was conceived by antique dealers Derreck and Sam Martin for creatives working across art direction, branding, graphic design and fashion. Interiors are soft industrial, with high ceilings, wooden floors, painted brick and Crittall-style windows. Furniture meanwhile is sourced from the pair’s antiques business, and is all for sale. The Toronto coworking space’s basic membership package starts at $250 a month, and includes unlimited access to tables in the facility’s lounge area, as well as monthly concerts and talks.
50 Carroll St, Toronto, ON M4M 3G3
Workplace One, Queen West
Toronto might not be known as a ‘pretty’ city, but it is home to a handsome stock of warehouses and industrial spaces that are being reborn as coworking spaces and tech hubs. Case in point is Workplace One at Queen Street West and Bathurst. It features lofty timber ceilings, raw brickwork and huge floor plates. It’s also close to Graffiti Alley, which (as its name suggests) is a playground for the city’s street artists. Coworking membership at Workplace One starts from $225/month, and there are multiple locations in Toronto.
51 Wolseley Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1A4
Project Spaces, King West
Catering for ‘hackers, hustlers and hardworking creators of all kinds,’ Project Spaces was set up in 2011 and currently has two locations in the city. Its hub on the corner of King and Bathurst is the biggest, and takes over the top floor of a 120-year-old building – stripped back to reveal its bare beauty – in the city’s downtown. Lounge access starts from $250 per month, with a dedicated desk costing between $395-$450 per month. Perks at the Toronto coworking space include health and dental plans, as well as unlimited tea and coffee – and the building is accessible 24/7, whatever your deadline.
73 Bathurst Street, 4th floor, Toronto, ON M5V 2P6
Love Child Social House, Bathurst St
Toronto’s latest coworking club also moonlights as a nightclub, blending work and play in industrial surrounds. Love Child Social House’s interiors reflect its name, with heart-shaped motifs running throughout, paired with plenty of pastel pink, neon signs and velvet seating. Memberships are available on a monthly basis, or as a daily $15 pass for those that aren’t ready to sign up for the long haul. The bar opens at 11am – for anyone with a difficult day ahead – and members will have access to an ongoing events programme. After 7pm, non-members can also enjoy the space, which hosts live bands, as well as other events.
69 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M5V
Shecosystem, Koreatown
Shecosystem is a female-centric coworking space for women, trans and non-binary people that puts an emphasis on wellness. Opened in November 2016, the 1,650-square-foot space offers desks, a lounge area, a studio space, a kitchen and meeting rooms – all with a pastel-coloured twist. Yoga and meditation are also on offer, while childcare facilities are in the works… Packages range from a $20 daily coworking pass to $200 for an unlimited monthly membership.
703 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6G 1L5
Centre for Social Innovation, The Annex
The Centre for Social Innovation – founded in 2004 – is a network of Toronto coworking spaces, each housing nonprofits, charities and social ventures. Its Annex hub is situated in a five-storey brick-and-beam building, constructed before 1920. It’s been completely renovated, and features timber-panelled ceilings, wooden floors and open spaces including a café that serves locally sourced food. CSI offers a mix of private desks and shared spaces, and the upper floors offer incubation spaces that are designed for companies launching bigger projects. Flexible hot desk packages start from $125 per month, while a dedicated desk will set you back $450 per month.
720 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M5S 2R4
WeWork, Entertainment District
It was just a matter of time before the coworking mega-giant fixed its eyes on Toronto. WeWork’s first outpost in the city is a whopping 60,000 sq ft space on Richmond Street West. Opened during the summer, the 100-year-old building features exposed brick and expansive windows across the six-storey structure, and hosts up to 1,000 users. As a nod to the city’s beloved baseball team, neon artworks designed using the Blue Jays font appear on each level, with a Drake-inspired artwork on the sixth floor, naturally. Each also has a ‘living room’ space with sofas and tables, and a communal kitchen with beer on tap. Telephone booths are dotted throughout, along with meeting rooms, and a programme of talks and events tailored to its community of users. A dedicated desk at the Toronto coworking space starts from $700 per month.
240 Richmond Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1V6
Read next: The 7 best coworking spaces in New York
