Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods

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:

  • permitting new types of accessory housing such as garden suites and coach houses
  • allowing more residential units in forms compatible with existing houses, such as duplexes and triplexes, where they are currently not permitted
  • zoning to allow more low-rise housing options on major streets
  • Beaches East York Pilot Project

More information and opportunities for input will be posted as these projects and other parts of the work program move forward.

Multiplexes – Draft Official Plan Amendment

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review and comment on our draft Official Plan Amendment for Multiplexes.

What’s Next?

The Multiplex Team is preparing a Proposals Report for the July 5, 2022 meeting of Planning and Housing Committee. We will report on:

  • Ongoing analysis and research supporting the Multiplex study
  • Feedback received on the Draft Official Plan Amendment so far and direction to consult further
  • Preliminary zoning directions to bring forward for consultation, to help develop zoning by-law amendments that facilitate multiplexes
  • Recommendations for further study

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.

Neighbourhood Retail and Services Uses – Draft Official Plan Amendment and Draft Zoning By-law Amendment

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

 

The Official Plan and Zoning By-law work together to implement the City’s vision for future land use and development:

  • Official Plan land use designations establish the City’s general growth management policies, describing where housing can be built, where stores, offices and industry can locate and where a mix of uses is desired.
  • The Zoning By-law is the legal tool that implements policies of the Official Plan, establishing regulations for how land can be used, what types of buildings and structures can be built, as well as standards related to the location of buildings and structures, lot sizes and dimensions, parking requirements, building heights, and setbacks from property lines.

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.

City of Toronto Official Plan Land Use Designations - 2.3% Utility Corridors, 0.7% regeneration areas, 3.6% other open space areas, 1% institutional areas, 5.2% mixed use areas, 19.7% lands not subject to official plan land use designation, 9.6% core employment areas, 3.3% general employment areas, 4.7% parks, 11.1% natural areas, 3.5% apartment neighbourhoods, 35.4% neighbourhoods.
Image 1 – Source: City of Toronto, City Planning Division: Official Plan, February 2019

 

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%

 

 

City of toronto - zoning by law zone categories. 15.7% employment industrial, 20.1% open space, 5.1% utility and transportation, 0.4% unassigned, 2.3% institutional, 5.9% commercial, 3.3% residential apartment, 47.1% residential.
Image 2 – Source: City of Toronto, City Planning Division: Zoning and Municipal Parcel data, August 2019

 

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.

Residential Zones

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.

City of Toronto - zoning by-law residential zoning. 47.1% of toronto's total area is zoned residential. 31.3% of toronto's total area is zoned to permit detached houses. 15.8% of toronto's total area is zoned to permit other low rise residential buildings.
Image 3: Source: City of Toronto, City Planning Division: Zoning and Municipal Parcel data, August 2019

Notes:

  • Official Plan Land Use designation areas do not include rights-of-way (e.g. roadways). To account for lands not subject to a land use designation, the blank squares in Image 1 correspond to the difference in the total land area of the City of Toronto less the sum of all Official Plan designated land use areas.
  • Zone category areas are measured using parcel dimensions, including adjacent rights-of-way. Certain zoning boundaries extend into bodies of water, therefore the total zoned area (644.47 km2) is greater than the City of Toronto’s total land area (634.04 km2). Some areas of Toronto are still subject to the legacy zoning of the former pre-amalgamation municipalities. These areas were assigned to the closest matching zoning category in Zoning By-law 569-2013 for the purpose of these graphics.
  • Site or area-specific zoning may permit or restrict specific uses or modify standards.

Subscribe for E-updates

Type (don’t copy and paste) your email into the box below, check the box next to the e-update description and then click “Subscribe”. You will receive an email with instructions to confirm your request.


Subscribe for periodic updates about project milestones, as well as information on opportunities to participate in the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods study process. You can unsubscribe at any time.
The personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the City of Toronto Act, 2006. The information is used to allow the City to send you an email to confirm your wish to subscribe to a City of Toronto e-notice. Questions about this collection may be directed to the ListServ Administrator, Strategic Communications Division, City of Toronto, Toronto City Hall, 7th floor, West Tower, Toronto M5H 2N2. Telephone: 416-397-5318. By subscribing to one of the City of Toronto’s e-updates you are providing express consent, as defined by the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), to receive email updates from the City of Toronto.