Ontario's police watchdog says it is investigating the death of a man who fell from a Toronto apartment balcony on Christmas morning after police tried negotiating with him.

The Special Investigations Unit says police went to an apartment building in the city's north end around 5:10 a.m. for a disturbance call.

The SIU says Toronto police officers found a man on an apartment balcony and tried to negotiate with him from a neighbouring balcony.

The watchdog says the man fell from the balcony at approximately 6:50 a.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Toronto police said earlier on Twitter that it received reports that a man had broken into an apartment unit in the area before he fell and died.

The SIU says two investigators and a forensic investigator have been assigned to the case and is asking anyone with information or video footage to contact them.