Long Branch is a vibrant neighbourhood in Southern Etobicoke. Named after a summer resort in New Jersey where Thomas J. Wilkie, a previous owner of the land, used to vacation with his family. In the not so far past, Long Branch was the perfect weekend getaway, an upscale cottage country named Sea Breeze Park and Long Branch Ave was originally named Sea Breeze Ave. That all changed when Mother Nature had other plans, Hurricane Hazel hit the east coast in 1954, causing flooding in the Great Lakes, and destroying well over a hundred homes. As the city grew, the weekend oasis turned into the mature community that Long Branch is today.
Long Branch is Etobicoke’s farthest western point of Toronto’s shoreline. The Toronto Golf Club & Marie Curtis Park, with its gorgeous public beach, pool and playground separates the neighbourhood from Mississauga to the West. The Canadian National Railway’s mainline is the border to the area of Alderwood in the North, while New Toronto, and Mimico are directly East.
Demographics & Socio-Economic
According to the 2021 census that was just completed the population of the community is just under 24,000 people.
The average household income is $107,971 just under the cities average of $120,000.
Middle & Upper Income families are the bulk of inhabitants already living in Long Branch with home ownership rates upwards of 63%.
Dominant languages spoken are English by over 60% of people, followed by Polish, Spanish, Italian, Cantonese & Tagalog.
Community: refers to the property’s Forward Sortation Area (FSA), the first 3 digits of the property’s postal code.: Source: GEOWAREHOUSE
Character
An array of Historic Lake side estates line the streets, from Tudor, to turn-of-the-century bungalows, to modern multiplexes. The majority of homes are single family detached and condos, with a good blend of semi detached, and townhomes mixed throughout the community. Many of the older homes have been replaced with more modern developments as it was once the more affordable lake front communities in the city, today prices are rising quickly as in most of the city. A strip of low rise commercial businesses along Lake Shore Boulevard offer an abundance of everyday services, from banks to medical offices to pet grooming boutiques. The area is attracting many of the large builders in the city, and with these new developments a renewal of businesses, culture and life.
Local Hotspots
Woody’s Burgers
850 Degree Pizzeria
Pulcinella Italian Kitchen
Buster’s, The Empanada Co.
George the Greek
Sloppy Joe’s
Fair Grounds Organic Coffee
Thrive Organic
Scoops N’More
Woodfire Sandwich Co.
The Fix + Co
Cake Star
Sushi Momo
Schools
Lakeshore Collegiate Institute
Micheline-Saint-Cyr Elementary School
Toronto Ouest
James S Bell Junior Middle School
Cawtha Park
Twentieth Street Junior School
The Holy Trinity Catholic School
Sainte-Marguerite d’Youville
Saint Frère Andre
St Josaphat Catholic School
Penguin Private School
Vincent Massey Academy
Major Parks
Marie Curtis Park
Long Branch Park
Birch Park
Transit & Getting Around
Long Branch is well catered by public transportation. The Long Branch Go Station, 501 and 508 streetcars and a number of buses operate out of the Long Branch Loop (Lake Shore Boulevard West).
Lake Shore is the main street in the neighbourhood and leads directly to downtown Toronto with about 20 minutes by care. Easy Access to Major Highways such as The Gardiner, QEW, and the 427 are also easily accessible.