The agenda for the Planning and Housing Committee on July 5, 2022 has been released, and the Multiplex Final Proposals Report, Major Streets Interim Report and Neighbourhood Retail and Services Phase 1 Final Report are now available for viewing.
Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods is a City of Toronto initiative to facilitate more low-rise housing in residential neighbourhoods to meet the needs of our growing city. The City is working to expand opportunities for “missing middle” housing forms in Toronto, ranging from duplexes to low-rise walk-up apartments. All of these housing types can be found in many parts of Toronto today, but they are also limited in where they can be newly built. Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods is one solution among a range of City initiatives to increase housing choice and access and create a more equitable, sustainable city.
Priority projects endorsed by Council to be advanced:
More information and opportunities for input will be posted as these projects and other parts of the work program move forward.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review and comment on our draft Official Plan Amendment for Multiplexes.
The Multiplex Team is preparing a Proposals Report for the July 5, 2022 meeting of Planning and Housing Committee. We will report on:
Consultations on the Official Plan Amendment and zoning directions will continue through the Fall of 2022. We anticipate bringing forward our recommended Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendments in early 2023.
The Local Consultation team is also pleased to share the draft Official Plan Amendment to expand local retail and commercial uses in lands designated as Neighbourhoods across the city and the Draft Zoning-by-law Amendment for Local Home occupations.
Current Official Plan policies permit existing uses to be maintained in Neighbourhoods but limits the ability of new ones to be established, including by restricting their location to Major Streets on Map 3 and requiring a Zoning By-law amendment. This has contributed to a steady decline of these uses over time.
By way of the draft Official Plan Amendment, the team proposes that the policy be updated and simplified to support the creation of new Neighbourhood amenities. As with other Official Plan policies, the Zoning by-law will continue to provide direction on appropriate uses, locations, and other performance standards.
Currently the Zoning By-law 569-2013 permits several types of home-based work City-wide. These are referred to as “Home Occupation” and are defined as “a business use within a dwelling unit, where the dwelling unit is the principal residence of the business operator”.
The R zone – which is generally only found within the former City of Toronto boundaries- is the most permissive in terms of home occupation. There are many home occupation uses that are only permitted in the R zone such as small medical offices, and personal services such as hair and beauty services, dressmaking, and tailoring. As a first step, we propose to equalize these permissions across all residential zones in the City, as outlined in the draft zoning by-law amendment.
Join the EHON team this Spring, as we engage on a number of key initiatives to expand housing options in neighbourhoods. We will be providing a number of opportunities for you to share your thoughts and questions with city staff – pick the one most convenient for you.
Date | Time | Event | Webinar Details |
April 5, 2022 | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | EHON Public Meeting – North York district | Join link: https://toronto.webex.com/toronto/j.php?MTID=m858889d93a386e899d231f093f9af7fa Webinar number: 2453 750 8141Webinar password: NorthYork (66784967 from phones)Join by phone +1-647-484-1598 Canada Toll (Toronto)Access code: 245 375 08141 |
April 6, 2022 | 1:00-3:00pm | Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) with EHON Staff | Hosted on r/toronto |
April 7, 2022 | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | EHON Public Meeting – Scarborough district | Join link: https://toronto.webex.com/toronto/j.php?MTID=m3e193c03958a972f2816437a8d10d8c7 Webinar number: 2456 805 7004Webinar password: Scarborough (72272676 from phones)Join by phone +1-647-484-1598 Canada Toll (Toronto)Access code: 245 680 57004 |
April 12, 2022 | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | EHON Public Meeting – Etobicoke York district | Join link: https://toronto.webex.com/toronto/j.php?MTID=mbbda43541350d80bff51b04fe183733b Webinar number: 2468 305 9813Webinar password: Etobicoke (38624265 from phones)Join by phone +1-647-484-1598 Canada Toll (Toronto)Access code: 246 830 59813 |
April 13, 2022 | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | EHON Public Meeting – Toronto East York district | Join link: https://toronto.webex.com/toronto/j.php?MTID=mad3b8b73318c83980ce476abd029999f Webinar number: 2466 107 3251Webinar password: toronto (8676686 from phones)Join by phone +1-647-484-1598 Canada Toll (Toronto)Access code: 246 610 73251 |
April 20, 2022 | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | Multiplex + Local Commercial Meeting – Citywide meeting | Join link: https://toronto.webex.com/toronto/j.php?MTID=mf4b14adbd21430dbd3bb2c046a9a10f5 Webinar number: 2450 410 4692Webinar password: Toronto (8676686 from phones)Join by phone +1-647-484-1598 Canada Toll (Toronto)Access code: 245 041 04692 |
April 21, 2022 | 1:00 – 2:30 pm | Multiplex + Local Commercial Meeting – Citywide meeting (same content as April 20th meeting) | Join link: https://toronto.webex.com/toronto/j.php?MTID=mcd810b3e150b5687099901dd7a74af1f Webinar number: 2454 006 3574Webinar password: Toronto (8676686 from phones)Join by phone +1-647-484-1598 Canada Toll (Toronto)Access code: 245 400 63574 |
April 27, 2022 | 7:00 – 8:30 pm | Twitter Space | Hosted on @CityPlanTO |
MM9.36 – Expanding Housing Options in Toronto – Tackling the Missing Middle and the “Yellowbelt”
PH9.4 – Focusing On Building Design Improvements
PH 15.6 – Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods
PH 20.3 – Beaches-East York Pilot Project
PH 25.15 – Garden Suites – Proposals Report
Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods: Multiplex Study – Interim Report (November 2021)
Neighbourhood Change and Intensification Bulletin (November 2021)
Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (July 2020)
Missing Middle – Summary of Advice from the Planning Review Panel (December 2019)
Survey of Registered Community Associations (June 2020)
City Planning Presentation to Planning and Housing Committee (July 13, 2020)
Townhouse and Low-Rise Apartment Guidelines
Changing Lanes: The City of Toronto’s Review of Laneway Suites
The Official Plan and Zoning By-law work together to implement the City’s vision for future land use and development:
The following graphics show how much of the City of Toronto’s total area is in each Official Plan land use designation and Zoning By-law zone category. One square represents one percent of the City of Toronto’s area.
Official Plan – Land Use Designation | Area (square kilometres) | Percentage of City of Toronto Land Area |
---|---|---|
Neighbourhoods | 224.5 | 35.4% |
Apartment Neighbourhoods | 22.0 | 3.5% |
Natural Areas | 70.6 | 11.1% |
Parks | 29.7 | 4.7% |
Other Open Space Areas (including Golf Courses, Cemeteries, Public Utilities) | 22.6 | 3.6% |
Utility Corridors | 14.5 | 2.3% |
Mixed Use Areas | 32.9 | 5.2% |
Core Employment Areas | 60.7 | 9.6% |
General Employment Areas | 21.2 | 3.3% |
Regeneration Areas | 4.3 | 0.7% |
Institutional Areas | 6.1 | 1.0% |
Special Study Areas | 0.1 | 0.0% |
Lands not subject to Official Plan Land Use Designation (e.g. roads) | 125.0 | 19.7% |
Total City of Toronto Land Area | 634.0 | 100.0% |
Zoning By-law – Zone Category | Area (square kilometers) | Percentage of City of Toronto Area |
---|---|---|
Residential | 303.7 | 47.1% |
Residential Apartment | 21.2 | 3.3% |
Utility and Transportation | 33.0 | 5.1% |
Open Space | 129.9 | 20.1% |
Commercial, Commercial Residential & Commercial Residential Employment | 38.2 | 5.9% |
Employment Industrial | 101.4 | 15.7% |
Institutional | 14.7 | 2.3% |
Unassigned | 2.3 | 0.4% |
Total City of Toronto Area | 644.5 | 100.0% |
Although zoning by-laws must generally conform to the Official Plan, the exact breakdown of land areas in land use designations and zone categories varies due to differences in how these areas are drawn and measured. For example, Official Plan land use designations do not include rights-of-way, whereas zones are based on property boundaries extended to the centreline of adjacent streets.
The graphic below illustrates the percentage of the City of Toronto’s total area subject to Residential zoning (47.1%). On its own, the Residential Detached (RD) zone makes up 31.3% of the city’s total area. 15.8% of the city’s total area consists of Residential zones (R, RS, RT and RM zones), most of which permit a variety of Missing Middle housing forms. Secondary suites are permitted in all Residential zones.
Notes:
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