City of Toronto outlines new policies and next steps for 120 transit station areas

City of Toronto staff will present an ambitious workplan for implementing the new policies for 25 Major Transit Station Areas (MTSAs) and 95 Protected Major Transit Station Areas (PMTSAs) that were approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on Friday, August 15.

What is a Major Transit Station Area (MTSA)? 
MTSAs are defined as delineated areas within an approximate 500-800 metre radius of an existing or planned higher order transit station (representing a 10-minute walk).

MTSAs must meet Provincially prescribed minimum density targets, including:

• Subways – 200 residents and jobs per hectare
• Light Rail Transit – 160 residents and jobs per hectare for light rail transit
• GO Transit – 150 residents and jobs

What is a Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA)? 
A subset of MTSAs, PMTSAs additionally require minimum development density for buildings and structures (i.e., Floor Space Index or FSI). The Planning Act allows municipalities to apply Inclusionary Zoning only within PMTSAs.

The key map of MTSAs and PMTSAs in Toronto is available on the City's website.

The key map of Minister-approved PMTSAs subject to Inclusionary Zoning is available on the City's website.

Key policies for MTSAs and PMTSAs:
Within these transit station areas, the Minister-approved policies enable the following permissions:

Within lands designated Neighbourhoods:

• Permit apartment buildings up to six storeys in height within 200 metres of transit stations.
• Permit apartment buildings up to six storeys in height on lands fronting a Major Street (per Official Plan Map 3).
• Permit multiplexes and apartment buildings up to four storeys in height.

Within lands designated Mixed Use Areas, Apartment Neighbourhoods and Regeneration Areas:

• Permit FSI of 8.0 or more within 200 metres of transit stations.
• Permit FSI of 6.0 or more within 200-500 metres of transit stations.

Larger sites that can accommodate three or more towers will permit:

• Building heights of up to 30 storeys within 200 metres of transit stations.
• Building heights of up to 20 storeys within 200-500 metres of transit stations.
• Additional height is permitted if applicants submit a block context plan which demonstrates elements such as new public streets, new parks, publicly accessible open spaces, mid-block connections, public art, and a mix of building types and heights.

The Minister added notations where Special Policy Areas (SPAs) are located within MTSAs and PMTSAs. These areas are within the historic flood plain and the Minister’s modifications establish a zero FSI where overlap exists with PMTSAs. These areas are regulated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and are subject to site-specific policies that can only be changed with approval of the Ministers of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Natural Resources.

Implementation of the new MTSAs and PMTSAs:
The next step to implement the new MTSA and PMTSA policies is for the City to adopt implementing zoning. The City is committed to moving quickly to undertake this work. City staff will present a workplan to Planning and Housing Committee on Thursday, September 25 that includes bringing forward the implementing zoning for Toronto City Council’s consideration by late spring or early summer of 2026.

In addition to the minimum consultation required under the Planning Act, City staff will host additional consultation opportunities prior to bringing forwarded the recommended MTSA and PMTSA zoning by-law amendments. The consultation will inform the public about the final Minister approved Official Plan policies for the MTSAs and PMTSAs and how the recommended zoning will implement those approved policies.

City staff will create a study webpage that provides an overview of MTSAs and PMTSAs, information on the Minister-approved and modified OPAs, and the zoning implementation. Communications will be provided to Residents Associations and stakeholder groups. A public open house will be hosted in each Community Council district.

Note: Floor Space Index or FSI is a measure of the gross floor area of all buildings on a lot divided by the lot area. For example, a two-storey building covering 50 per cent of the lot area has an FSI of 1.0. A four-storey building covering 25 per cent of the lot area will also have an FSI of 1.0.

Pending MTSA and PMTSA approvals: 
The Minister withheld issuing a decision on 14 Council-adopted MTSAs and PMTSA. This includes:

• 12 Transit Oriented Communities: 8 PMTSAs and 4 MTSAs, including East Harbour, Exhibition, Scarborough Centre, Gerrard-Carlaw, Yonge-Steeles, Rouge Hill, Milliken, McCowan, Don Valley (Science Centre), Long Branch, Scarborough GO, and Guildwood GO.
• Two PMTSAs within the Keele Finch Secondary Plan area: Finch West and Sentinel.

MTSA and PMTSA policies will not be in effect in these areas until the Minister issues a decision.

More information on MTSAs and PMTSAs is available on the City’s Official Plan Review webpage.

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