2024.PH12.3

Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods: Major Streets Study - Final Report

Decrease Emissions from Buildings City Council consideration on May 23, 2024

Background

“Increasing built form permissions to permit a full set of building types along the major streets that form the edges of the neighbourhoods will contribute to spreading opportunities for intensification across the city, in a form that will be more gradual than has been developed in Toronto for many years. 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 need in the region, helping to protect agricultural lands, water resources and natural areas. Increasing density in built up areas maximizes the use of existing infrastructure, which avoids carbon-intensive infrastructure built elsewhere.”

Source: City of Toronto

Item Description

With a variety of amendments and exceptions, this bill reduces barriers to creating townhouses and other small-scale, multi-unit dwellings on major streets. This was enabled by the amendment of the Official Plan to permit these buildings along major streets in neighborhoods across the city. Importantly, these notices expand the definition of neighborhood to include major street low-rise housing options—planning to provide more diverse densification options that fit into the Council’s vision of ‘complete community.’

Source: City of Toronto

Proposed by

Planning and Housing Committee

Result

Carried

Yes21 No3 Absent1