Many of the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods initiatives have now been approved by City Council and are in force. For those interested in missing middle housing, the plans on this page illustrate some options for constructing these housing types in alignment with the City’s Zoning By-law. These demonstration plans were developed by City staff, some in collaboration with external partners, and tested.
The Federal Government recently released a Housing Design Catalogue, as part of Canada’s Housing Plan. The Catalogue includes seven standardized housing designs such as floor plans and renderings, for townhouses, fourplexes, sixplexes and ancillary dwelling units that could be suitable in Ontario. While not all of the Catalogue plans may comply with the Toronto’s Zoning By-law, City staff have designed the expanded Certified Plans Program to support any applicant who will be applying for a building permit with a design from the national Housing Design Catalogue, with Certified Plans Program fees. The City’s Certified Plans Program was recently expanded to include multiplexes, garden suites and laneway suites.
The City’s demonstration plans and expanded Certified Plans Program, together with the Housing Design Catalogue designs, support implementation and uptake of missing middle housing by demonstrating what is possible, potentially provide time and cost savings, and improve predictability.
While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content on this site. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our maps, drawings, or any other content, please contact the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods team at EHON@toronto.ca.
A Laneway Suite is a self-contained residential unit located on the same lot as a detached house, semi-detached house, townhouse, or other low-rise house. Laneway Suites are typically located in the back yard next to a public laneway and are generally smaller in size, and completely detached from the main house on the lot. City-wide permissions for Laneway Suites were adopted by City Council in July 2019.
Ontario Regulation 462/24 came into force on November 20, 2024. This Regulation impacts a number of zoning regulations for laneway suites. City staff is in the process of reviewing these changes, and these changes are not reflected in the plans shown on this page.
Toronto’s laneway suites bylaw allows homeowners to build small, self-contained residential units behind their main houses on laneways. These suites help increase gentle density, provide rental housing, and offer flexible living arrangements for families. The bylaw is part of the city’s broader strategy to create more housing options within established neighborhoods.
More information is available on the Laneway Suites webpage.
A “Garden Suite” is a self-contained living accommodation located within an ancillary building, usually located in the rear yard, but not on a public lane, and is separate or detached from the primary dwelling on the lot. City-wide permissions for Garden Suites were adopted by City Council in February 2022.
Ontario Regulation 462/24 came into force on November 20, 2024. This Regulation impacts a number of zoning regulations for garden suites. City staff are in the process of reviewing these changes, and these changes are not reflected in the plans shown on this page.
The Garden Suites Monitoring Program is currently underway to review implementation, identify barriers and recommend changes to improve the uptake and construction of Garden Suites.
More information is available on the Garden Suites webpage.
Two-Storey Demonstration Plan: A two-storey garden suite example on a lot that is 10 metres wide by 36 metres deep is shown with the retention of open space and access from the street. Impacts to neighbouring properties are intended to be mitigated through side yard setbacks and appropriate second storey massing.
One-Storey Demonstration Plan: A one-storey garden suite is shown on a lot that is 10 metres wide by 36 metres deep, with landscaped open space and retention of trees.
Small Lot Demonstration Plan: A one-storey example on a lot that is 6 metres wide by 36 metres deep.
Large Lot Demonstration Plan: A two-storey garden suite example is shown on a lot that is 21 metres wide by 48 metres deep. Larger setbacks and trees can mitigate impacts to neighbouring residents.
Corner Lot Demonstration Plan: A two-storey garden suite example is shown on a corner lot with consideration for appropriate setbacks and massing fronting the street, and mitigating impacts to adjacent properties.
Fire Access Demonstration Plan: To ensure access to a garden suite in the case of an emergency, Toronto Fire Services, Emergency Services and the Building Code require firefighting access from the street. For more information on providing emergency access to a garden suite, please visit Toronto Building.
Rear Yard Demonstration Plan: A 50% soft landscaped open space is required for lots greater than 6 metres wide, and is intended to balance an increase in housing with maintaining rear yard character and stormwater retention, which is critical to mitigate climate change impacts.
Tree Retention Diagram: Garden suites should support, preserve and protect healthy by-law protected trees. Rear yards are important providers of the City’s overall tree canopy, critical to mitigating climate change impacts.
A multiplex is a residential building with two, three, or four dwelling units – also called a duplex, triplex, or fourplex. In order to qualify as a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, at least one dwelling unit must be entirely or partially above another. City-wide permissions for Multiplexes were adopted by City Council in May 2023.
Ontario Regulation 462/24 came into force on November 20, 2024. This Regulation impacts a number of zoning regulations for multiplexes. City staff is in the process of reviewing these changes, and these changes are not reflected in the plans shown on this page.
The demonstration images illustrate a typical fourplex configuration, showing basic unit layout for a 2-storey building.
Multiplexes exist across Toronto in various forms. Examples of a range of existing multiplex housing, from converted houses to contemporary new build construction, illustrates what this diverse housing form can look like.
The demonstration image above shows how an existing building on a small lot could be converted into multiple units within the existing zoning envelope.
The City of Toronto engaged ReHousing to develop architectural plans for three multiplex case studies to demonstrate optimized interior layouts, including family-sized units, within existing building types.
The Multiplex Monitoring Program is ongoing to review implementation, and to identify additional barriers and recommend changes to improve the uptake of Multiplexes. More information is available on the Multiplex webpage.
The Major Streets Initiative permits gentle intensification via townhouses and small-scale apartment buildings in areas designated Neighbourhoods by the Official Plan, along major streets. City-wide permissions for townhouses up to 4 storeys, and apartment buildings up to 60 units and 6 storeys on Major Streets were adopted by City Council in June 2024.
This demonstration plan illustrates a four-storey townhouse development on an assembled corner site with a lot depth of 36 meters or less. The design incorporates key features such as landscaping setbacks, parking garages and side-streets driveway access , to enhance livability and minimize impacts on neighbouring properties.
This demonstration plan presents a four-storey stacked townhouse development on an assembled midblock site with a lot depth of 36 meters or less. The design features landscaped setbacks and rear surface parking to enhance livability and reduce impacts on adjacent properties.
This demonstration plan presents a six-storey apartment development on an assembled midblock site with a 30 meter lot frontage and a 36 meter lot depth. The design incorporates landscaped setbacks and underground parking to maximize the onsite soft landscaping and minimize impacts on adjacent properties.
This demonstration plan showcases a five-storey apartment development on an assembled corner site at the intersection of two major streets. The design includes landscaped setbacks and a corner retail unit to enhance neighborhood convenience while maximizing onsite soft landscaping.
This demonstration plan showcases a townhouse development on an assembled through lot with a lot depth of 45 meters or more. The design features a double row of townhouses, with units facing both the major street and the inner local street to effectively address both frontages.
This demonstration plan features a six-storey apartment development on a deep through lot, with the building oriented perpendicular to the street frontage. The design includes an onsite midblock multi-use trail to connect the major street with the inner neighborhoods.
This demonstration plan features two six-storey apartment developments on deep through lots. The buildings are designed in a ‘U’ shape, forming a central courtyard that provides amenity spaces for the apartment residents.
The Major Streets permissions are currently under appeal at the Ontario land Tribunal. More information is available on the Major Streets webpage.
This was an area-specific study (focused on Ward 23) that examined the opportunity to permit multiplexes with up to six dwelling units in residential neighbourhoods. Similar to the city-wide Multiplex Study, the Ward 23 Multiplex Study applied a “think inside the box” approach, which would allow for more units while generally maintaining the same built form permissions. City Council adopted permissions for up to 6 units in multiplexes for Ward 23 in February 2025. The map below shows the boundary of this ward and location of this ward within the city.
The following assumptions were used for the design of the multiplexes containing six units:
The study was conducted to provide test fit diagrams to illustrate how six residential units would fit for each below lot range:
The following diagrams were prepared by ReHousing (University of Toronto, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture Landscape and Design and LGA Architectural Partners).
Illustration of six-unit multiplex in a lot with 7.1 meters lot frontage. Unit#6 is the largest unit with an area of approximately 100 square meters. This scheme does not provide parking.
Illustration of six-unit multiplex in a lot with 8.5 meters lot frontage. Unit#6 is the largest unit with an area of approximately 100 square meters. This scheme provides two parking spaces at the rear yard.
Illustration of six-unit multiplex in a lot with 10 meters lot frontage. Unit#6 is the largest unit with an area of approximately 100 square meters. This scheme provides two parking spaces at the rear yard.
Illustration of six-unit multiplex in a lot with 12 meters lot frontage. Unit#6 is the largest unit with an area of approximately 90 square meters. This scheme provides two parking spaces at the rear yard.
Illustration of six-unit multiplex in a lot with 12.4 meters lot frontage. Unit#6 is the largest unit with an area of approximately 85 square meters. This scheme provides two parking spaces within an integrated garage in front of the building.
Illustration of six-unit multiplex in a lot with 14.3 meters lot frontage. Unit#6 is the largest unit with an area of approximately 100 square meters. This scheme provides two parking spaces at the rear yard.
Illustration of six-unit multiplex in a lot with 14.6 meters lot frontage. Unit#6 is the largest unit with an area of approximately 125 square meters. This scheme provides two parking spaces within an integrated garage in front of the building.
More information is available on the Ward 23 Multiplex Study webpage.
The intention of the Pilot Project is to create a low-rise demonstration project on a City-owned parcel of land in Ward 19: Beaches-East York. In November 2024, City Council adopted a City-initiated Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment for the selected site, 72 Amroth Avenue, currently used as a Green P parking lot.
The view above shows a street level perspective of the recently approved application on 72 Amroth Ave.
The images above show the entrance of the building and the walkway leading to the open courtyard at the rear with outdoor amenities.
Site plan approval is the next step for this pilot project. More information is available on the Beaches-East York Pilot Project webpage.
Throughout 2021 and 2022, City Planning and Environment & Climate staff worked with CreateTO, the public agency that is responsible for managing the City of Toronto’s real estate portfolio, and a consultant team consisting of Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, RDH Building Science and Altus Group, to create and analyze preliminary architectural designs and project parameters, including energy modelling and construction costing, to help determine the financial feasibility of providing low-rise buildings, multiplexes and accessory dwelling units, on a City-owned site.
Additionally, a built form study was conducted to explore design options on a City-owned corner lot. The three options below illustrate different methods to increase density and explore issues faced when designing low-rise apartment buildings. While the Official Plan limits development within Neighbourhood designated sites to a maximum of four storeys, subject to conditions, a six-storey option was also explored in the context of a Major Street for the purposes of the built form study.
A summary of built form options including a three, four and six-storey building explored by the consultant team led by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design on a typical narrow corner lot, facing a Major Street and a Local Street.
An image showing the site context of a potential low-rise building project on a corner lot, flanked by a Major and a Local Street by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design.
A rendering of a 4-storey development on a narrow corner lot in a Neighbourhoods context, facing a Local Street and a Major Street Local Street by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design. A corner lot in the City typically has two frontages facing public streets, with setback, building address and access, and landscaping conditions that differ from midblock lots.
A 4-storey low-rise building option designed by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design that creates a compact built form, with high performance windows and building envelope, low-carbon wood cladding, and photovoltaics on roof.
A rendering of a 4-storey low-rise building development facing a Major and Local street by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design. The building has balconies facing the street, is about two storeys taller than its surroundings, and allows for tree planting along both frontages.
Ground floor plan by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design, of a four-storey development with a single stair and elevator core allows for accessible and barrier-free ground floor units.
Upper storey floor plan by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design, of a four-storey development with a single stair and balconies. Layout allows for living and dining space with a single bedroom and bathroom and laundry access within each unit.
Basement floor plan by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design, of a four-storey development with a single stair and elevator core that allows for bicycle storage, storage and utility rooms below-grade.
Roof plan by Dubbeldam Inc. Architecture + Design, of a four-storey development with a single stair and elevator core that allows for outdoor amenity terrace and room for rooftop solar panels.