'We must lower the cost of building homes,' says mayor as Toronto releases designs for garden, laneway suites
Zoning changes alone have not prompted enough new construction, mayor says
Toronto is rolling out several measures to cut design costs and speed up permit approval times in its latest bid to boost construction of new housing.
"Life in Toronto has become very expensive and housing is the biggest expense every month," Mayor Olivia Chow said at a news conference at city hall Friday.
Recent surveys by city staff suggest some Torontonians are spending up to 63 per cent of their incomes on housing, more than double the roughly 30 per cent recommended by financial experts, Chow added.
"It's simple: Toronto is growing and we must lower the cost of building homes and make it easier, and approve them faster," she said.
One of the newly announced initiatives includes free design plans for laneway and garden suites. The pre-approved plans are compliant with the Ontario Building Code and eliminate the need to hire an architect, Chow said.
The city first passed an as-of-right zoning bylaw for laneway suites in 2018, and for garden suites in 2022. The changes were intended to significantly increase Toronto's housing stock as rents and home prices skyrocketed.
But only 166 laneway suites and 114 garden suites have been completed since city council moved ahead with those approvals, Chow said. The takeaway, she continued, is that zoning changes alone were not enough to spur construction on the level needed to meet housing needs in the city.
Other measures announced by Chow include expanded online applications for new housing units, which she said will reduce the time it takes for them to be processed.
Similarly, as of July 14, more building plans stamped by a licensed, professional engineer will be considered pre-approved, allowing for the city to review new building proposals faster. The city first introduced its "Professional Engineer's Seal" program as a pilot last year, and it will now cover accessory structures like laneway and garden suites.
The new measures come after city council voted last month to allow sixplexes in nine wards, with an option for the remaining 16 wards to opt-in at a later date. Staff had recommended sixplexes be permitted city-wide, but some councillors vehemently objected to the proposal.