The Condominium Act classifies five types of condominium corporations (alone or in combination). These are:
You should determine which type of condominium corporation you wish to establish before filing your application. You should also consider applying for a Preliminary Project Review and/or a Zoning Certificate review that will identify any features of your proposal that do not comply with the Zoning By-law.
Section 9(2) of the Condominium Act 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. Section 9(2) of the Condominium Act 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/obligations in favour of the City are transferred from you to the future owners.
If you wish to divide your land into lots, blocks or units which can be sold, you must apply for one of the following:
To ensure the City’s interests are met and to appropriately assess the merits and technical aspects of your proposal, the City requires submission of a number of information items with your application(s).
These are outlined below as Submission Requirements (those that will be required for the majority of applications).
A pre-application consultation meeting is recommended to assist in determining which of these requirements must be provided as part of your initial application submission in order for it to be considered a complete application.
The City will endeavour to review your application and render a decision within the STAR (Streamlining the Application Review) target timelines. The City’s commitment to the STAR target timelines will only begin once a complete application submission is received.
The level of detail required for most of the reports/studies listed below can vary, depending on the nature of your property and your proposal. In some cases, a single-page letter from a qualified expert will be adequate, while in other situations a major study will be necessary. The requirement and scope of any reports/studies can be assessed during your pre-application consultation meeting.
All submissions must include a covering memo indicating all submitted materials along with either the Planning Application Checklist OR the Pre-Application Consultation Checklist received from your Pre-Application meeting.
You are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Pre-Application Consultation as it will save you time and money as you proceed through the review process.
Speak to the Planning Consultant at your local district office before you complete and submit your application(s). The Planning Consultant will provide preliminary information and may also direct you to speak with other appropriate staff involved in development review. This will be followed by a more formal Pre-Application Consultation meeting arranged through a Planner.
The purpose of a Pre-Application Consultation is to identify key issues, required approvals, supporting drawings and reports and studies that will be required for your formal submission to achieve complete application status in accordance with the Planning Act and the Toronto Official Plan.
Following the meeting, you will receive a completed Planning Application Checklist that will confirm what information and materials you need to include in your formal application submission.
After receiving your application and application fees, the City will:
The Toronto Official Plan provides the City the statutory authority to require information, studies and plans for a complete application submission beyond the minimum requirements of the Planning Act. The City will consider your application(s) to be “complete” if it meets the complete application submission requirements of the Planning Act and Toronto Official Plan.
Within 30 days of payment of the application fee, you will be advised in writing as to:
A complete application submission will allow a more efficient and comprehensive review of all supporting material by the City and will trigger the following:
The City will consider your application(s) to be incomplete if it does not meet the complete application submission requirements of the Planning Act and Toronto Official Plan. Incomplete Application(s) Notifications will be accompanied by a listing of outstanding information and/or material that must be submitted for your application to be considered complete.
The Planning Act provides an administrative process that allows you to appeal the City’s decision on your application completeness within 30 days after receipt of a negative notice by filing a motion for directions to have the Local Planning Appeal Body determine:
You are encouraged to submit all outstanding information and material as one comprehensive package. The City will process all applications to the greatest extent possible, however, the City’s STAR target timeline commitments for review of your application will only commence once a complete application is submitted.
Your application will be circulated to a number of City Divisions and/or Agencies, Boards and Commissions for detailed technical review and comment. A complete application submission allows staff to undertake a more comprehensive review of your proposal and will help to reduce overall processing times.
The STAR process targets the first internal comments be provided to the City Planning Division within six (6) weeks of the initial application submission.
Depending upon the circumstances of your property, various external agencies may also be asked to comment on your proposal. Refer to the External Agencies, Boards and Commissions 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 Standard or Phased Plans of Condominium application. The meeting is organized by Planning staff and usually attended by the Ward Councillor.
The meeting provides staff an opportunity to outline the planning process to the local community and provide you an opportunity to publicly present your proposal. It also provides the local community an opportunity to comment on the proposal. This input is taken into account by City staff when discussing revisions to your proposal.
Technical review of your application will continue during this process.
The Planner assigned to your application(s) coordinates responses from the circulation and any comments from the public and the Ward Councillor. These responses are then forwarded to you for the purpose of revising your proposal.
While the Planner may provide you with early responses from City divisions, the STAR process targets the Planner to give you a response within seven (7) weeks of your application submission.
In response to the comments on your initial submission, you may be required to revise your proposal and/or provide additional information and material. Revised and/or additional information and material should be discussed, co-ordinated and submitted to the Planner.
Please Note:
It is during this step that the value of Pre-Application Consultation and the submission of a complete application is realized. The time and cost incurred by you from additional cycles of revisions and resubmissions can be significantly reduced by these actions.
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 Chief Planner. The Chief Planner will issue draft approval of your application, with any appropriate conditions attached.
The Planning Act provides an administrative and appeal process once the City approves your Plan of Condominium.
A similar administrative and 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.
You are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Pre-Application Consultation as it will save you time and money as you proceed through the review process.
Speak to the Planning Consultant at your local district office before you complete and submit your application(s). The Planning Consultant will provide preliminary information and may also direct you to speak with other appropriate staff involved in development review. This will be followed by a more formal Pre-Application Consultation meeting arranged through a Planner.
The purpose of a Pre-Application Consultation is to identify key issues, required approvals, supporting drawings and reports and studies that will be required for your formal submission to achieve complete application status in accordance with the Planning Act and the Toronto Official Plan.
Following the meeting, you will receive a completed Planning Application Checklist that will confirm what information and materials you need to include in your formal application submission.
After receiving your application and application fees, the City will:
The Toronto Official Plan provides the City the statutory authority to require information, studies and plans for a complete application submission beyond the minimum requirements of the Planning Act. The City will consider your application(s) to be “complete” if it meets the complete application submission requirements of the Planning Act and Toronto Official Plan.
Within 30 days of payment of the application fee, you will be advised in writing as to:
A complete application submission will allow a more efficient and comprehensive review of all supporting material by the City and will trigger the following:
Within 15 days of your application being deemed complete, the City will also issue a formal Notice of Application to the public in the newspaper, confirming receipt of your application in accordance with the requirements of the Planning Act and Toronto Official Plan.
The City will consider your application(s) to be incomplete if it does not meet the complete application submission requirements of the Planning Act and Toronto Official Plan. Incomplete Application(s) Notifications will be accompanied by a listing of outstanding information and/or material that must be submitted for your application to be considered complete.
The Planning Act provides an administrative process that allows you to appeal the City’s decision on your application completeness within 30 days after receipt of a negative notice by filing a motion for directions to have the Local Planning Appeal Body determine:
You are encouraged to submit all outstanding information and material as one comprehensive package. The City will process all applications to the greatest extent possible, however, the City’s STAR target timeline commitments for review of your application will only commence once a complete application is submitted.
Your application will be circulated to a number of City Divisions and/or Agencies, Boards and Commissions for detailed technical review and comment. A complete application submission allows staff to undertake a more comprehensive review of your proposal and will help to reduce overall processing times.
The STAR process targets the first internal comments be provided to the City Planning Division within six (6) weeks of the initial application submission.
Depending upon the circumstances of your property, various external agencies may also be asked to comment on your proposal. Refer to the External Agencies, Boards and Commissions 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 Standard or Phased Plans of Condominium application. The meeting is organized by Planning staff and usually attended by the Ward Councillor.
The meeting provides staff an opportunity to outline the planning process to the local community and provide you an opportunity to publicly present your proposal. It also provides the local community an opportunity to comment on the proposal. This input is taken into account by City staff when discussing revisions to your proposal.
Technical review of your application will continue during this process.
The Planner assigned to your application(s) co-ordinates responses from the circulation and any comments from the public. These responses are then forwarded to you for the purpose of revising your proposal.
While the Planner may provide you with early responses from City divisions, the STAR process targets the Planner to give you a response within nine (9) weeks of your application submission.
In response to the comments on your initial submission, you may be required to revise your proposal and/or provide additional information and material. Revised and/or additional information and material should be discussed, co-ordinated and submitted to the Planner.
Please Note:
It is during this step that the value of Pre-Application Consultation and the submission of a complete application is realized. The time and cost incurred by you from additional cycles of revisions and resubmissions can be significantly reduced by these actions.
This step in the process involves:
These steps may be repeated until your application is finalized.
The Planning Act requires the City to hold a Public Meeting to consider all applications for Common Elements and Vacant Land Plan of Condominium. This responsibility has been assigned to the four Community Councils or, if the application has City-wide significance, the Planning and Growth Management Committee.
Once your application has been finalized, the City will issue a formal notice of the Public Meeting in the newspaper in accordance with requirements of the Planning Act. If formal notice is not published in the newspaper, the City will require that you post the date and time of the Public Meeting on the sign erected on the property.
A Final Report that contains staff recommendations on your application is prepared for Community Council. The purpose of the Public Meeting is to consider the staff report and provide a public forum for debate on the merits of your application. You will have an opportunity to present your proposal, the public can write in or attend to make their views known and Community Council has the opportunity to evaluate your application.
Community Councils and/or Planning and Growth Management Committee are empowered to make recommendations on your application to City Council. City Council has delegated the approval authority for Common Elements and Vacant Land Plans of Condominium to the Chief Planner, and makes recommendations to the Chief Planner based on the input of the Community Council and/or Planning and Growth Management Committee.
City Council has delegated approval authority for Plans of Condominium, with the exception of rental residential conversions, to the Chief Planner. The Chief Planner will issue draft approval of your application, with any appropriate conditions attached.
The Planning Act provides an administrative and appeal process once the City approves your Plan of Condominium.
A similar administrative and appeal procedure applies should the City refuse your application.
If no appeal is submitted, the 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.
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 target timeline milestones in the STAR (Streamlining the Application Review) process so you can monitor the progress of your application through the process.
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 Community Policy staff at communitypolicy@toronto.ca.
You are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Pre-Application Consultation as it will save you time and money as you proceed through the review process.
Speak to the Planning Consultant at your local district office before you complete and submit your application(s). The Planning Consultant will provide preliminary information and may also direct you to speak with other appropriate staff involved in development review. This will be followed by a more formal Pre-Application Consultation meeting arranged through a Planner.
The purpose of a Pre-Application Consultation is to identify key issues, required approvals, supporting drawings and reports and studies that will be required for your formal submission to achieve complete application status in accordance with the Planning Act and the Toronto Official Plan.
Following the meeting, you will receive a completed Planning Application Checklist that will confirm what information and materials you need to include in your formal application submission.
After receiving your application and application fees, the City will:
The Toronto Official Plan provides the City the statutory authority to require information, studies and plans for a complete application submission beyond the minimum requirements of the Planning Act. The City will consider your application(s) to be “complete” if it meets the complete application submission requirements of the Planning Act and Toronto Official Plan.
Within 30 days of payment of the application fee, you will be advised in writing as to:
A complete application submission will allow a more efficient and comprehensive review of all supporting material by the City and will trigger the following:
The City will consider your application(s) to be incomplete if it does not meet the complete application submission requirements of the Planning Act and Toronto Official Plan. Incomplete Application(s) Notifications will be accompanied by a listing of outstanding information and/or material that must be submitted for your application to be considered complete.
The Planning Act provides an administrative process that allows you to appeal the City’s decision on your application completeness within 30 days after receipt of a negative notice by filing a motion for directions to have the Local Planning Appeal Body determine:
You are encouraged to submit all outstanding information and material as one comprehensive package. The City will process all applications to the greatest extent possible, however, the City’s STAR target timeline commitments for review of your application will only commence once a complete application is submitted.
Your application will be circulated to a number of City Divisions and/or Agencies, Boards and Commissions for detailed technical review and comment. A complete application submission allows staff to undertake a more comprehensive review of your proposal and will help to reduce overall processing times.
The STAR process targets the first internal comments be provided to the City Planning Division within eight (8) weeks of the initial application submission.
Depending upon the circumstances of your property, various external agencies may also be asked to comment on your proposal. Refer to the External Agencies, Boards and Commissions page for a list of external agencies that may be asked to comment on your application.
Rental Residential Conversion applications involving buildings with six or more rental units and less than six rental units, if requested by the Ward Councillor are presented to Community Council or the Planning and Growth Management Committee (if the application has city-wide significance) for review and direction through a Preliminary Report. This report provides an early opportunity to raise and discuss any issues of concern, recommends direction on the extent of community consultation and indicates the expected timing for a final report to City Council.
Technical review of your application will continue during this process.
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 meeting provides staff an opportunity to outline the planning process to the local community, provide you an opportunity to publicly present your proposal. It also provides the local community an opportunity to comment on the proposal. This input is taken into account by City staff when discussing revisions to your proposal.
The STAR process assumes this meeting will be held within two months from the date that Community Council considers the Preliminary Report.
The City will, at least 14 days before the meeting, issue notice of the meeting to:
You will be requested to pay for the cost of providing notice of the meeting.
The Planner assigned to your application co-ordinates responses from the circulation, political input received through the consideration of the Preliminary Report and any public comments. These responses are then given to you for revising your proposal.
While the Planner may provide you with early responses from City divisions, the STAR process targets the Planner to give you a response within nine (9) weeks of your application submission.
In response to the comments on your initial submission, you may be required to revise your proposal and/or provide additional information and material. Revised and/or additional information and material should be discussed, co-ordinated and submitted to the Planner.
Please Note:
It is during this step that the value of Pre-Application Consultation and the submission of a complete application is realized. The time and cost incurred by you from additional cycles of revisions and resubmissions can be significantly reduced by these actions.
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 Growth Management Committee. Once your application has been finalized, the City will issue the notice of the public meeting as directed through the Preliminary Report.
A Final Report containing staff recommendations on your application is prepared for Community Council or Planning and Growth Management Committee. The purpose of the Public Meeting is to consider the staff report and provide a public forum for debate on the merits of your application. You will have an opportunity to present your proposal, the public can write in or attend to make their views known and Community Council and/or Planning and Growth Management Committee has the opportunity to evaluate your application.
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 Growth Management 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 Chief Planner 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 an administrative and appeal process should City Council approve your Rental Residential Conversion application.
A similar administrative and appeal procedure applies should the City refuse your application(s).
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.