The Condominium Act classifies five types of condominium corporations (alone or in combination). These are:
You will need to determine which type of condominium corporation you wish to establish before filing your application. You should also consider applying for Zoning Applicable Law Certificate Program (ZAP) review that will identify any features of your proposal that do not comply with the Zoning By-law.
The Condominium Act (Section 9(2)) states that an application for condominium is processed in the same way as a Plan of Subdivision under Section 51 of the Planning Act, with necessary modifications.
This Act grants the City the authority to regulate the division of land and/or buildings through Plans of Condominium. This authority is used to regulate division of land and/or buildings into parcels or units that may be sold as part of a condominium corporation. It is also used to ensure that the rights of future owners are protected and that any interests or obligations in favour of the City are transferred from you to the future owners.
There are several types of Condominium applications offered by the City of Toronto which include:
All submissions must include a covering memo listing all submitted materials along with the Submission Checklist.
The process for submitting a planning application to the City is as follows:
The City of Toronto offers several streams to review your application. Majority of applications will fall into either a Routine or Technical Review stream which depend on whether your proposal has been previously reviewed under a Site Plan Control application. Amendment and Exemption applications have their own review streams.
Routine streamed applications are meant for certain applications that have been recently reviewed under a Site Plan Control application. This section outlines the steps the City will undertake to review your application and provides important milestones so you can monitor the progress of your application through the review process.
Criteria for this stream includes:
After receiving your submission (which includes all application requirements and payment), the City will issue a written decision as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete in accordance with the City’s minimum application requirements (refer to the Complete Application Decision section below).
The Toronto Official Plan provides the City the statutory authority to require information studies and plans for submitting a complete application beyond the prescribed requirements of the Planning Act. The City will consider your application to be “complete” when it includes all of the minimum application requirements.
Within 30 days of making your submission (including payment), you will be advised in writing as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete.
Submitting a complete application to the City will allow for a more efficient and comprehensive review of all materials and will mark the beginning of time period under the Planning Act for the City to make a decision on the application.
The City will consider your application to be “incomplete” if it does not meet the minimum application requirements. Incomplete Application Notifications will be accompanied by a list of outstanding information and/or material that must be submitted for your submission to be determined to be complete.
If you disagree with the City’s determination of whether the submission is incomplete or if the City does not make a decision on the completeness of the submission within 30 days, the Planning Act allows you to file a motion for directions to request the Ontario Land Tribunal determine whether the information and material have in fact been provided; or whether a requirement was reasonable.
You are encouraged to submit all outstanding information and material as one comprehensive package. The application circulation and review process will only begin once a complete application is made to the City.
Your application will be reviewed by the assigned planner for detailed review and comment.
The planner assigned to your application will provide a response for you to consider as you revise your proposal.
In response to the comments on your initial submission, you may be asked to revise your proposal and/or provide additional information and material. Revised and/or additional information and material should be discussed with the planner. When you are ready to resubmit your application, contact a Planning Consultant to request a secure link (GoAnywhere service) where you can upload your materials. You cannot use the Application Submission Tool to resubmit.
You must include a covering letter with all resubmissions that clearly indicates how and where your proposal has been revised and, if appropriate, why any requested revisions were not made.
This step in the process may involve:
These steps may be repeated until your application is finalized.
City Council has delegated approval authority for Plans of Condominium, with the exception of rental residential conversions, to the Executive Director, Development Review and their designates. The Executive Director will issue draft approval of your application, with any appropriate conditions attached.
The Planning Act provides an appeal process once the City approves your Plan of Condominium. The City will issue a notice within 15 days of the Executive Director’s draft approval. After this notice has been issued, there is a 20-day period within which a party can appeal this approval to the Ontario Land Tribunal. If no appeal is submitted, the approval is deemed to be in effect.
A similar appeal procedure applies should the City refuse your application.
If no appeal is submitted, approval of your Plan of Condominium is deemed to be in effect on the day that it was passed. You can begin to satisfy the conditions of draft approval and work towards the registration of your Plan of Condominium.
A number of conditions may be imposed in the Notice of Decision for draft plan approval that must be cleared prior to the issuance of final approval.
The following are standard conditions and instructions on how they may be cleared.
The Planning Act provides an appeal process to the Ontario Land Tribunal should the applicant / owner oppose Draft Approval Conditions or manner of clearance once the City approves your Plan of Condominium.
Technical Review streamed applications are proposals that require additional input from commenting partners. This section outlines the steps the City will undertake to review your application and provides important milestones so you can monitor the progress of your application through the review process.
Criteria for this stream are:
After receiving your submission (which includes all application requirements and payment), the City will circulate your application to City divisions and external agencies and issue a written decision as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete in accordance with the City’s minimum application requirements (refer to the Complete Application Decision section below).
The Toronto Official Plan provides the City the statutory authority to require information, studies and plans for submitting a complete application beyond the prescribed requirements of the Planning Act. The City will consider your application to be “complete” when it includes all of the minimum application requirements.
Within 30 days of making your submission (including payment), you will be advised in writing as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete.
Submitting a complete application to the City will allow for a more efficient and comprehensive review of all materials and will mark the beginning of time period under the Planning Act for the City to make a decision on the application.
The City will consider your application to be “incomplete” if it does not meet the minimum application requirements. Incomplete Application Notifications will be accompanied by a list of outstanding information and/or material that must be submitted for your submission to be determined to be complete.
If you disagree with the City’s determination of whether the submission is incomplete or if the City does not make a decision on the completeness of the submission within 30 days, the Planning Act allows you to file a motion for directions to request the Ontario Land Tribunal determine whether the information and material have in fact been provided; or whether a requirement was reasonable.
You are encouraged to submit all outstanding information and material as one comprehensive package. The application circulation and review process will only begin once a complete application is made to the City.
Your application will be circulated to a number of City Divisions and/or Agencies for detailed technical review and comment.
Depending upon the circumstances of your property, external agencies may also be asked to comment on your proposal. Refer to the External Agencies, Boards and Commissions web page for a list of external agencies.
The planner assigned to your application will coordinate responses from the circulation. These responses will be forwarded for you to consider as you revise your proposal.
In response to the comments on your initial submission, you may be asked to revise your proposal and/or provide additional information and material. Revised and/or additional information and material should be discussed with the planner. When you are ready to resubmit your application, contact a Planning Consultant to request a secure link (GoAnywhere service) where you can upload your materials. You cannot use the Application Submission Tool to resubmit.
You must include a covering letter with all resubmissions that clearly indicates how and where your proposal has been revised and, if appropriate, why any requested revisions were not made.
This step in the process involves:
These steps may be repeated until your application is finalized.
City Council has delegated approval authority for Plans of Condominium, with the exception of rental residential conversions, to the Executive Director, Development Review and their designates. The Executive Director will issue draft approval of your application, with any appropriate conditions attached.
The Planning Act provides an appeal process once the City approves your Plan of Condominium. The City will issue a notice within 15 days of the Executive Director’s draft approval. After this notice has been issued, there is a 20-day period within which a party can appeal this approval to the Ontario Land Tribunal. If no appeal is submitted, the approval is deemed to be in effect.
A similar appeal procedure applies should the City refuse your application.
If no appeal is submitted, approval of your Plan of Condominium is deemed to be in effect on the day that it was passed. You can begin to satisfy the conditions of draft approval and work towards the registration of your Plan of Condominium.
A number of conditions may be imposed in the Notice of Decision for Draft Approval that must be cleared prior to the issuance of final approval.
The following are standard conditions and instructions on how they may be cleared.
Vacant Land Condominium are reviewed under the Technical Stream. Additional steps are required for this type of Corporation. This section outlines the steps the City will undertake to review your application to create a Vacant Land Condominium. It also provides important milestones so you can monitor the progress of your application through the review process.
After receiving your submission (which includes all application requirements and payment), the City will circulate your application to City divisions and external agencies and issue a written decision as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete in accordance with the City’s minimum application requirements (refer to the Complete Application Decision section below).
Within 14 days of submission, you will be required to post a sign on the subject property in accordance with the procedures outlined in the application form.
The Toronto Official Plan provides the City the statutory authority to require additional information, studies and plans for submitting a complete application beyond the prescribed requirements of the Planning Act. The City will consider your application to be “complete” when it includes all of the minimum application requirements.
Within 30 days of making your submission (including payment), you will be advised in writing as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete.
Submitting a complete application to the City will allow for a more efficient and comprehensive review of all materials and will mark the beginning of the time period under the Planning Act for the City to make a decision on the application.
For Vacant Land Condominium applications, within 15 days of your submission being deemed complete, the City Clerk will also issue a formal Notice of Application to the public in the newspaper, in accordance with the Planning Act.
The City will consider your application to be “incomplete” if it does not meet the minimum application requirements. Incomplete Application Notifications will be accompanied by a list of outstanding information and/or material that must be submitted for your submission to be determined to be complete.
If you disagree with the City’s determination of whether the submission is incomplete or if the City does not make a decision on the completeness of the submission within 30 days, the Planning Act allow you to file a motion for directions to request the Ontario Land Tribunal determine whether the information and material have in fact been provided; or whether a requirement was reasonable.
You are encouraged to submit all outstanding information and material as one comprehensive package. The application circulation and review process will only begin once a complete application is made to the City.
Your application will be circulated to a number of City Divisions and/or Agencies, Boards and Commissions for detailed technical review and comment.
Depending upon the circumstances of your property, external agencies may also be asked to comment on your proposal. For example, if your property is close to a watercourse, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority will be asked for their input and/or approval (a service for which the TRCA charges). If your property is next to a rail line, the appropriate rail authority will be asked to comment. Refer to the External Agencies, Boards and Commissions web page for a list of external agencies that may be asked to comment on your application.
Although not required by the Planning Act, and it is rare for these applications, staff may hold a meeting with the local community on your Vacant Land Condominium application. The meeting is organized by Community Planning staff and usually attended by the Ward Councillor.
The community consultation meeting:
The planner assigned to your application will co-ordinate responses from the circulation along with any comments received from the Ward Councillor and the local community. These responses will be forwarded for you to consider as you revise your proposal.
In response to the comments on your initial submission, you may be asked to revise your proposal and/or provide additional information and material. Revised and/or additional information and material should be discussed with the planner. When you are ready to resubmit your application, contact a Planning Consultant to request a secure link (GoAnywhere service) where you can upload your materials. You cannot use the Application Submission Tool to resubmit.
You will be asked to include a covering letter with all resubmissions that clearly indicates how and where your proposal has been revised and, if appropriate, why any requested revisions were not made.
This step in the process involves:
These steps may be repeated until your application is finalized.
The Planning Act requires that the City to hold a public meeting when considering applications for Vacant Land Condominium. The public meeting takes place at the meeting of one of the four Community Councils considering your proposal
Once your application has been finalized, the City will issue a formal notice of the public meeting. The City also requires that you post the date and time of the public meeting on the sign erected on the property.
City staff will prepare and submit a Report with recommendations on your application to Community Council. At the public meeting, members of Council will consider the staff report and provide a public forum for debate on the merits of your application. You have an opportunity to present and respond to questions about your proposal and the public can write in or attend to make their views known before Community Council makes a recommendation on your application.
Community Council are empowered to make recommendations on your application to City Council. City Council has delegated the approval authority for Vacant Land Condominium to the Executive Director, Development Review and makes recommendations to the Executive Director based on the input of the Community Council.
City Council has delegated approval authority for Plans of Condominium, with the exception of rental residential conversions, to the Executive Director, Development Review and their designates. The Executive Director will issue draft approval of your application, with any appropriate conditions attached.
The Planning Act provides an appeal process once the City approves your Plan of Condominium. The City will issue a notice within 15 days of the Executive Director’s draft approval. After this notice has been issued, there is a 20-day period within which a party can appeal this approval to the Ontario Land Tribunal. If no appeal is submitted, the approval is deemed to be in effect.
A similar appeal procedure applies should the City refuse your application.
This section outlines the steps the City will undertake to review your application to convert an existing rental property to condominium tenure. It also provides important milestones so you can monitor the progress of your application through the review process.
Rental Conversion Applications are reviewed through the Technical Stream. Like Vacant Land Condominium applications, additional steps are required for this application type.
City Council has retained the authority to make decisions on Rental Residential Conversion applications involving buildings with six or more rental units and less than six rental units if requested by the Ward Councillor.
In addition to Plan of Condominium approval, these proposals may also require approval by City Council of both a Rental Housing Demolition and Conversion application under Section 111 of the City of Toronto Act and an Official Plan Amendment application.
In the interim, for further information on review procedures regarding Rental Housing Demolition and Conversion applications, please contact Policy staff at communitypolicy@toronto.ca.
After receiving your submission (which includes all application requirements and payment), the City will circulate your application to City divisions and external agencies and issue a written decision as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete in accordance with the City’s minimum application requirements (refer to the Complete Application Decision section below).
The Toronto Official Plan provides the City the statutory authority to require information, studies and plans for submitting a complete application beyond the prescribed requirements of the Planning Act. The City will consider your application to be “complete” when it includes all of the minimum application requirements.
Within 30 days of making your submission (including payment), you will be advised in writing as to whether the submission is complete or incomplete.
Submitting a complete application to the City will allow for a more efficient and comprehensive review of all materials and will mark the beginning of time period under the Planning Act for the City to make a decision on the application.
The City will consider your application to be “incomplete” if it does not meet the minimum application requirements. Incomplete Application Notifications will be accompanied by a list of outstanding information and/or material that must be submitted for your submission to be determined to be complete.
If you disagree with the City’s determination of whether the submission is incomplete or if the City does not make a decision on the completeness of the submission within 30 days, the Planning Act allows you to file a motion for directions to request the Ontario Land Tribunal determine whether the information and material have in fact been provided; or whether a requirement was reasonable.
You are encouraged to submit all outstanding information and material as one comprehensive package. The application circulation and review process will only begin once a complete application is made to the City.
Your application will be circulated to a number of City Divisions and/or Agencies for detailed technical review and comment.
Depending upon the circumstances of your property, external agencies may also be asked to comment on your proposal. Refer to the External Agencies, Boards and Commissions web page for a list of external agencies.
City Council has directed that the local community, including existing tenants, be consulted on Rental Residential Conversion applications involving buildings with six or more rental units and less than six rental units if requested by the Ward Councillor. This meeting is organized by Planning staff and usually attended by the Ward Councillor.
The City will, at least 14 days before the meeting, issue notice of the meeting to tenants of the subject building by mail and to the general public by placing an advertisement in the local community newspaper. You will be requested to pay for the cost of providing notice of the meeting.
The community consultation meeting:
The planner assigned to your application(s) co-ordinates responses from the circulation along with any comments received from the Ward Councillor and local community. These responses will be forwarded for you to consider as you revise your proposal.
In response to the comments on your initial submission, you may be asked to revise your proposal and/or provide additional information and material. Revised and/or additional information and material should be discussed with the planner. When you are ready to resubmit your application, contact a Planning Consultant to request a secure link (GoAnywhere service) where you can upload your materials. You cannot use the Application Submission Tool to resubmit.
You will be asked to include a covering letter with all resubmissions that clearly indicates how and where your proposal has been revised and, if appropriate, why any requested revisions were not made.
This step in the process involves:
These steps may be repeated until your application is finalized.
City Council has retained the authority to make decisions on Rental Residential Conversion applications involving buildings with six or more rental units and less than six rental units if requested by the Ward Councillor. City Council has also directed that a public meeting be held to consider all such applications. This meeting is usually held at the appropriate Community Council or, if the application has City-wide significance, the Planning and Housing Committee. Once your application has been finalized, the City will issue the notice of the public meeting.
City staff will prepare and submit a Report with recommendations on your application(s) to Community Council. At the public meeting, members of Council will consider the staff report and provide a public forum for debate on the merits of your application(s). You have an opportunity to present and respond to questions about your proposal and the public can write in or attend to make their views known before Community Council makes a recommendation on your application(s).
For Rental Residential Conversion applications involving buildings with six or more rental units and less than six rental units if requested by the Ward Councillor, Community Councils and the Planning and Housing Committee are empowered to make recommendations on your application to City Council for final decision. Based on these recommendations, City Council may approve or refuse your application to convert rental residential buildings to condominium tenure.
Should City Council approve your application, it will direct the Executive Director, Development Review to take any action necessary to give effect to that decision, including the provision of appropriate conditions.
Among other conditions, you may be required to undertake a Comprehensive Reserve Study, which may include:
The Planning Act provides a process to appeal City Council’s decision should your Rental Residential Conversion application be approved.
The City will issue a notice within 15 days of the Executive Director’s draft approval. After this notice has been issued, there is a 20-day period within which a party can appeal this approval to the Ontario Land Tribunal. If no appeal is submitted, approval of your Plan of Condominium is deemed to be in force on the day that it was passed. You can begin to satisfy the conditions of draft approval and work towards the registration of your Plan of Condominium.
A similar appeal procedure applies should the City refuse your application.
This section outlines the procedure to determine if your changes to your registered Plan of Condominium is exempt from municipal review.
Minor changes to a registered Condominium Plan may be exempt from municipal review if they meet the following criteria:
Within 30 days of your submission (which includes all application requirements and payment), you will receive a written notification as to whether the City has received all the necessary information and materials to commence the application review process. You are encouraged to submit all outstanding information and material as one comprehensive package.
The planner assigned to your application will verify that sufficient information has been provided for you to consider in case you need to revise your proposal.
In response to the feedback on your initial submission, you may be asked to revise your proposal and/or provide additional information and material. Revised and/or additional information and material should be discussed with the planner. When you are ready to resubmit your application, contact a Planning Consultant to request a secure link (GoAnywhere service) where you can upload your materials. You cannot use the Application Submission Tool to resubmit.
You will be asked to include a covering letter with all resubmissions that clearly indicates how and where your proposal has been revised and, if appropriate, why any requested revisions were not made.
City Council has delegated approval authority for Plans of Condominium, with the exception of rental residential conversions, to the Executive Director, Development Review and their designates. The Executive Director will issue a Notice of Exemption confirming that the City of Toronto does not require a detailed review of your proposal and that you may proceed to register your plans with the Land Registry Office.
*Words in bold are defined in the Glossary of Terms.