Trees are critically important assets that mitigate and increase resilience to climate change and address biodiversity loss. They also contribute to the development of attractive, livable and healthy neighbourhoods.
As Toronto’s population continues to grow, our housing supply has not kept up with the demand for diverse housing types. The City of Toronto has identified residential neighbourhoods as good places for more people to live and is facilitating more low-rise “missing middle” housing there, generally as infill development. For example, the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) initiative enables gentle density in Toronto’s neighbourhoods.
A number of detached houses have been constructed in Toronto with multi-storey basements that extend substantially below ground level and beyond the surface footprint of the structure. This type of construction, known as “Iceberg homes”, has greater potential to negatively impact the surrounding environment (e.g. water management, forest canopy and landscaping) and neighbourhoods than the construction of buildings with a basement equal to or smaller than the size of the building above grade.
New infill housing development requires proactive solutions to ensure the city’s existing tree canopy is supported and that there is growing space for trees as land is developed and new housing is built. Policies through the EHON initiative have included provisions to help protect trees and growing space during development of specific infill building types. However, there are other development scenarios to be addressed.
Iceberg homes may have impacts on the tree canopy and soil permeability, thereby affecting drainage, groundwater and stormwater management and the capacity for planting new trees. They may also have construction impacts on adjacent properties, and can require large amounts of concrete (which is high in embodied carbon).
Proposed Amendments to Official Plan policies and the City-Wide Zoning By-law are as follows:
Proposed amendments to policies in Official Plan Neighbourhoods (4.1) and Apartment Neighbourhoods (4.2) address a range of scenarios impacting the tree canopy, including additional types of infill development and iceberg homes. The proposed amendments address criteria for development in general, as well as infill development in Neighbourhoods and Apartment Neighbourhoods. They highlight the importance of how the tree canopy contributes to the character of neighbourhoods and improves quality of life. They encourage flexibility in design to protect trees and growing space, and draw attention to the conditions needed to support tree growth.
To implement Official Plan policies encouraging green infrastructure and the growth of healthy trees, City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013 regulates the amount of permitted hard surfaces and soft landscaping to that support the growing of vegetation. The proposed amendments to the City-wide Zoning By-law seek to reinforce and clarify the intent of soft landscaping and address issues associated with iceberg homes.
In December 2023, City Council directed staff to report on strategies to protect and enhance the city’s tree canopy while also supporting infill housing. In October 2021 and April 2024, City Council and the Planning and Housing Committee directed staff to report on strategies to address the impacts on the tree canopy and water management associated with “iceberg homes” – houses with larger footprints below-grade than above-grade or with large multi-storey basements.
In response to this direction, staff have proposed amendments to Official Plan policies and City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013.
Continued consultation with stakeholders and the public on these amendments is planned through mid-2025. It is anticipated that recommendations will be presented to Council in late 2025.
We would like to hear from you.
Consultation will happen through in-person and virtual events.
You can also send us an e-mail to tell us your thoughts about the proposed changes to Toronto’s Official Plan policies and City-wide Zoning By-Law.