New Toronto Venue in Jeopardy Due to Unsafe Building Conditions

"We’re left considering walking away, despite everything we’ve invested," wrote Mercy on Gerrard

BY Alex HudsonPublished Jun 6, 2025

Earlier this year, a new East Toronto venue called Mercy on Gerrard prepared to launch inside the former location of the Grand Gerrard Theatre. Now, however, the operators have spoken out to accuse the building's owner of being a "slumlord," saying that they might not be able to open due to the poor condition of the building.

This week (June 2), Mercy on Gerrard shared a post on Instagram detailing many of the building's issues, including leaks and electrical problems. The post reads, "We are unable to proceed with opening our business due to the state of the building. Major issues like a leaking roof, faulty plumbing, unsafe electrical work, and HVAC problems have been ignored. Our landlord refuses to fix anything, instead pushing for us to get insurance — something that's impossible with the building in its current condition."

The post continues, "We were promised an existing liquor license, a finished bar, and completed floors. Instead, we've spent our own money, time, and energy trying to make this dream a reality."

The operators of Mercy on Gerrard wrote that they are "considering walking away, despite everything we've invested." Despite the venue being a passion project, they argued that "our responsibility is the safety of our future patrons," and that this isn't possible under the building's current conditions.

See the post below. Previously, the venue raised over $35,000 as part of a GoFundMe campaign, and it has already completed the installation of a new sound and lighting system.

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