2025.PH22.5

Background

A necessary step to curbing urban emissions is the development of high-density housing. “Provincial policy, including the Provincial Planning Statement, supports intensification and building "compact and complete communities" as a strategy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and plan more adaptive communities that are resilient to the impacts of climate change. [...] Density within built up areas supports low carbon transportation choices, such as walking, cycling, and public transit. Intensification in Toronto also reduces the need for sprawl to accommodate our housing needs in the region, helping to protect agricultural lands, water resources and natural areas.”

Source: City of Toronto

Item Description

The study seeks to optimize land use through rezoning and simplifying the process of developing additional houses on existing underutilized spaces. “The study recommends zoning amendments to enable additional housing on existing apartment sites by permitting townhouses on sites zoned Residential Apartment Commercial in city-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013, and by permitting the conversion of certain underutilized common spaces into residential dwelling units. It also recommends new permissions to enable overcladding associated with deep energy retrofits of existing apartment buildings, which will contribute to Toronto’s housing supply through the preservation of existing and aging housing stock.” 

Source: City of Toronto

Proposed by

Planning and Housing Committee

Additional Details

In one statement, a representative of ProtectNatureTO said the following about this item: "to permit townhouses to be built under tenants windows on the little green space with few trees and "the conversion of certain underutilized common spaces into residential dwelling units" could be just the last straw for many residents. This proposal to "amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, substantially in accordance with the proposed Zoning By-law Amendment appended as Attachment 3 to this report" ignores blatantly the impacts of removing via infill every little green space on the residents. Their little space to walk, meet and live outside of the "towers" accommodating multi-thousands residents. Tens of trees that tenants have admired for years and grew attached to will be gone too."