545 Lake Shore Boulevard West
A landmark Art Deco media complex on Toronto’s waterfront, once home to pioneering Canadian television and music services, now reimagined for the city’s cultural future.
At a glance
This harbourfront landmark at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Lake Shore Boulevard has been a nexus for Canadian broadcasting since the late twentieth century. Designed by Toronto architects Chapman and Oxley, the Art Deco structure originally served a food manufacturer but evolved into one of Canada’s most influential media facilities.
History
Completed in 1927 as the Crosse and Blackwell Building for the British food products company, this structure was designated a heritage property by Toronto in 1973. Following restoration, it became the CFMT Building in 1979, housing the multicultural television station CFMT-TV. Sister station CJMT-TV joined in 2002. Both stations, operating as Omni Television under Rogers Media, broadcast from here until relocating to Yonge-Dundas Square on October 19, 2009.
The building also launched YTV on September 1, 1988—the service remained until its move to Jefferson Avenue in late November 1990. Rogers Media maintained operations here until selling the property to developer Canderel on April 13, 2017.
What you see
The Art Deco design reflects the geometric and streamlined aesthetics of the 1920s. Chapman and Oxley’s facade speaks to the period’s industrial modernism while the building’s harborside location gives it commanding prominence along Toronto’s evolving waterfront.
Cultural significance
This building stands as a monument to Canadian broadcasting history. CFMT-TV pioneered multicultural programming in Toronto; YTV launched a music-video service that shaped Canadian youth culture; Omni Television continued that legacy of diverse, community-focused broadcasting. The structure embodies the city’s transition from industrial manufacturing to media production—a shift that defined late-twentieth-century Toronto.
Key facts
- Country: Canada
- City: Toronto
- Coordinates: 43.636417, −79.39899
- Completed: 1927
- Original purpose: Crosse and Blackwell food products manufacturing
- Heritage designation: Toronto, 1973
- Architects: Chapman and Oxley
Practical information & getting there
The building sits at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Lake Shore Boulevard West, directly accessible from Toronto’s waterfront promenade. Public transit connections serve the area via the King Street West streetcar and nearby transit nodes. As of 2017, the property is undergoing redevelopment and may not be open to the public; verify current access before visiting.
Sources & resources
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