More of Toronto’s most-travelled streets could be lined with taller buildings in the not-too-distant future. A new policy that introduces as-of-right zoning for mid-rise buildings on all Avenues (an official name for the city’s busiest streets) will be discussed at a City Council meeting. If approved, the policy would create uniform rules to allow for dense mid-rise buildings of up to 11 storeys on these designated streets.
Of course, the proposed changes come as Toronto remains in the grips of a housing crisis, where increasing supply is the name of the game for urban planners and politicians. Despite recent Canadian immigration restrictions intended to control population growth, the ballooning number of Canadian residents remains a major source of pressure on Toronto’s housing markets. More mid-rise housing (buildings typically six to 11 storeys tall) is just one piece of the supply-side puzzle.
Back in 2010, the City of Toronto first published its design guidelines for mid-rise buildings on avenues in its Avenues and Mid-Rise Buildings Study and Performance Standards. According to the City, between 2010 and 2023, over 136 mid-rise buildings were completed as a result of these new rules.
Now, the City wants to update policies and zoning permissions to expand the Avenues and Mixed-Use Areas, update-built form and public realm standards, and implement as-of-right zoning permissions to make it easier, faster, and more affordable to plan and build mid-rise buildings. Essentially, under proposed changes, the wider the avenue, the taller the building allowed. New regulations could also see the possible introduction of Avenues. In fact, recent consultation identified the potential for 120 kilometres of new Avenues in Toronto, according to a report from city planning.
This report recommends a zoning by-law amendment to permit as-of-right heights and densities for mid-rise buildings on lands identified as Avenues and designated Mixed-Use Areas in the Official Plan. It implements urban design performance standards, including updated standards for rear transition alongside the increases to height and density permissions.
Such changes will allow for mid-rise development on the Avenues without the need for a site-specific zoning approval. Property owners can seek special approval for buildings higher than 11 storeys. According to the City, the recommended changes could result in more than 61,000 more units than the 21,500 new homes yielded under current zoning standards.
