2025.PH25.3

Background

“Toronto is a growing city with at least 700,000 new Torontonians expected by 2051.” Ensuring sustainable environments for new and current residents “requires a city-wide policy and regulatory environment that is supportive of local businesses and services locating within communities. Despite smallscale retail, service and office uses historically playing an important role in many of Toronto's Neighbourhoods, these types of uses were strictly limited by policies and zoning provisions established in the mid-20th century, many of which remain today. As a result, many of Toronto's current residents have never had these amenities close to their homes, and others have seen them decline over the decades as existing establishments closed, and new ones did not take their place [...] Compact, well-connected Neighbourhoods reduce car dependency and enable people to live carlight or car free, which helps cut carbon pollution. The increased availability of goods nearby to where people live may also contribute to the reduction in online shopping and delivery of goods which generates carbon emissions and packaging waste.”

Source: City of Toronto

Item Description

With a number of listed exceptions, this item introduces small-scale commercial uses within Toronto neighborhoods such as retail stores or eating establishments. New permissions are distinguished significantly regarding whether commercial uses would abate a major street or not within the Residential Zone. The policy also has certain explicit measures to limit the scale and quantity of these commercial uses. This also includes more extensive permissions for home occupations. Finally, this bill provides a number of sections of road exempt from certain permissions, while also providing reports and consultation to monitor the progress and success of the item. 

Source: City of Toronto

Proposed by

Planning and Housing Committee

Additional Details

A number of contentious amendments sought to add or change sections of roads to be exempt from new policy. For example, Councillor Neethan Shan’s attempt to provide exceptions at certain streets was supported by Paul Ainslie, Brad Bradford, Shelley Carroll, Lily Cheng, Vincent Crisanti, Stephen Holyday, Parthi Kandavel, Josh Matlow, Neethan Shan. While this was unsuccessful, other exceptions proposed by Councillor Gord Perk’s carried overwhelmingly.