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In a press release today, the City of Toronto declares it is committed to addressing housing challenges and developing regulations to expand housing options within neighbourhoods to meet future housing needs. On the Planning and Housing Committee's plate at today's meeting, the committee is considering a number of City staff reports with recommendations on tackling housing challenges.
Mayor John Tory's released statement on the issue reads "I am determined to get more housing built for our growing city. Torontonians need more options to address their housing challenges including low scale or ‘missing middle’ housing. When it comes to parking requirements for new developments, I believe staff have recommended a better balance that makes sense. The proposed approach would also help cut red tape, aligns with our climate goals, and will reduce the cost of housing. I look forward to the discussion on all of these reports and I am proud we are getting more affordable housing built in our city."
With tall apartment buildings at one end of the spectrum and single detached houses at the other, the City reports consider opportunities for greater variety in housing forms, including low-rise apartments, duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses through the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) initiative. This work supports access to more housing choices, and creates a more equitable, sustainable city.
The staff reports that are being considered by the Planning and Housing Committee today are:
Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods
This report is based on the Multiplex Study, and considers ways to simplify zoning and approvals to allow additional units in neighbourhoods, while maintaining their low-rise scale. The scope of this study includes multiplexes — buildings with two, three, and four units — as well as low-rise apartment buildings. These low-rise housing forms are compatible with the Official Plan's objective that physical change to Neighbourhoods will be sensitive, gradual, and fit the existing physical character.
“Gently expanding housing supply in low-rise neighbourhoods will help people at all stages of life — whether they are students, young professionals, families or aging grandparents," reads a statement by Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão (Davenport), Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee. "As we look to meet the future needs of all of our hardworking residents in this city, the policies and tools we are bringing to the table will have a meaningful impact for generations to come."
Broadening the types and sizes of units available in low-rise neighbourhoods makes them, along with local amenities such as parks, schools, retail and services, more accessible to a diverse range of people and needs – leading to more equitable and inclusive communities.
"We can do more so that our city is a place where our kids, families, friends and colleagues can all find a home," reads a statement by Gregg Lintern, Chief Planner and Executive Director, Toronto City Planning. "I invite everyone to join the discussion to permit multiplexes in our neighbourhoods and provide housing choice and access for everyone. This is a key planning tool that will make a difference."
The results of technical review, further research, and feedback provided during the consultation will help shape policy proposals, potential zoning changes, and Official Plan policy amendments to be presented to Planning and Housing Committee in the second quarter of 2022.
Neighbourhood Change and Intensification
This study examines growth and change within neighbourhoods, with research conducted by City Planning staff on the characteristics and trends in Toronto's neighbourhoods. The Bulletin examines Building Permits, Planning applications, and Census demographic data across the city's five low-density Residential zone types, categorizes these zone types as 'more permissive' and 'less permissive', and presents a high-level overview of how zoning, along with other intervening factors, may influence community outcomes.
The research found that neighbourhoods with more permissive zoning, such as residential or residential multiple, accommodated significantly more people and households per hectare, and were more likely to have been experiencing gradual intensification. On average, areas with more permissive zoning had more stable population levels, more diverse housing types, and accommodated a greater range of incomes.
Review of Laneway Suites Final Report
A laneway suite is a self-contained residential unit located in its own building, often in the backyard of a lot adjacent to a public laneway. They provide more opportunities for people to live close to where they work, shop, and play and, can help make the city's urban lanes more green, liveable, and safe. They also contribute to increasing the supply of rental housing and provide additional housing options for a variety of household configurations, and people in different stages of life.
Since 2019, laneway suites have been permitted across the city and are being constructed with increasing frequency. Laneway suites are also being built in a variety of sizes and configurations, creating new housing for different types of household structures across Toronto.
This report discusses the outcome of the laneway suite review and monitoring work and recommends several strategic by-law amendments to facilitate their construction and respond to community and industry comments.
Parking Requirements for New Development
The Planning and Housing Committee will also consider the Recommended Parking Requirements for New Development report. This report recommends Zoning By-law amendments to modify the current standards for car and bicycle parking, to better manage car dependency, and to achieve a better balance between building too much or too little parking, as well as contribute to building more sustainable and healthy communities.
Minimum parking requirements lead to the overbuilding of parking and support the continued growth of greenhouse gas emissions. Introducing maximum parking permissions will slow that growth in automobile use and resultant emissions.
The report proposes no minimum or maximum parking standards for low-rise and missing-middle housing types, which will help facilitate the construction of this type of housing. New developments will still have to provide adequate parking onsite, and not assume residents will be able to park on street.
To accommodate the growing demand for travel that will come with the City's growing population and employment base, the City will need to promote more space efficient modes of travel and discourage automobile travel. Staff will continue to work across divisions and agencies to advance the City's policy objectives related to parking, including further revisions to the Zoning By-law and a review of the City's current approach to residential on-street parking, front yard parking and boulevard parking.
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