Toronto should allow sixplexes to bring 'gentle density' to city, council committee says

Toronto has moved one step closer to allowing fiveplexes and sixplexes in neighbourhoods across the city.

At its meeting on Thursday, the city's planning and housing committee approved recommendations from city staff to allow multiplexes with five and six dwelling units in detached residential buildings in low-rise neighbourhoods city-wide.

A report to the committee said the move would help to bring "gentle density" to residential neighbourhoods in Toronto.

Coun. Gord Perks, who represents Parkdale High Park and is committee chair, said the city is trying to add different housing types to neighbourhoods. He said most of the housing stock in Toronto is either single-family dwellings or apartment and condo units.

"We're trying to build more of this sort of intermediate type housing," he said.

"I think it's very important that we arrange to have a whole array of different housing types in our neighbourhoods. We need places for young families. We need places for people who are getting their first apartment. We need places for seniors who maybe can't maintain a big place all by themselves and want to stay in the same neighbourhood in a smaller unit. It's very important for the health of our neighbourhoods that we have a variety of housing types."

The sixplexes would not be allowed in semi-detached houses or townhouses.

A large group of Torontonians turned up to express their views at the committee meeting. Many said they were in favour of the changes, but some said the changes would be too much too fast.

Last September, council decided to permit multiplex housing across the city. In February in Ward 23 as part of a pilot project, staff studied the potential of permitting low-rise multiplexes with up to six dwelling units and with heights of up to four storeys.

As part of the sixplex item, the committee approved a recommendation on the height permissions of multiplex buildings. The committee will recommend to council that the city amend its zoning rules to increase the maximum height of buildings containing multiplexes from 10 metres to 10.5 metres.

Such a move would allow an increase in basement ceiling heights "to improve liveability and access to daylight" for basement units that will be part of the fiveplexes and sixplexes, city staff said.

"Expanding multiplex permissions will increase new low-rise housing options for Torontonians. New residents in low-rise neighbourhoods can help stabilize declining populations, optimize the use of existing infrastructure, and support local retail establishments and services," a report by the chief planner Jason Thorne says.

Adopting the recommendations would mark a "significant milestone" in meeting Toronto's commitments under the federal Housing Accelerator Fund to allow more low-rise, multi-unit housing development through as-of-right zoning bylaws in its neighbourhoods, according to the report. As-of-right means developers do not need obtain individual zoning approvals in these areas.

'This is about housing equity and liveability'

Residents came to the committee meeting with prepared statements.

Blair Scorgie, a registered professional planner, urban designer and managing principal of Scourgie Planning, told the committee he supports the recommendations from city staff.

"These reforms are a natural and necessary evolution of the city's existing multiplex framework," he said.

The recommendations respond "to what residents, planners and housing providers across the city have all recognized — that our low-rise neighbourhoods must evolve if we are to remain equitable, liveable and resilient," he said.

"This is about housing equity and liveability. Allowing up to six units in detached buildings will unlock ground-related homes for families, seniors, newcomers and multigenerational households — people who are too often excluded from neighbourhoods built around a single housing type."

'Sixplex in a sea of bungalows sticks out like a sore thumb'

Natalie Pihura, a Toronto resident, told the committee that approving sixplexes is not a good idea because residents already have many issues with multiplexes, including parking, privacy, flooding, "neighbourhood fabric deterioration" and school enrolment problems.

Residents of Martin Grove Gardens in Etobicoke have gathered 500 signatures on a petition opposed to multiplexes and sixplexes, which Pihura said she will resubmit the petition to council.

"A sixplex in a sea of bungalows sticks out like a sore thumb," she said. 

"Using the as-of-right paintbrush rams the wants of developers who only care about making money over the actual residents who have already invested in their community," she continued.

"Right sized housing in the right areas is the right decision."

Carolyn Whitzman, a senior housing researcher at the University of Toronto's school of cities, said in an interview after the meeting that the changes being proposed to council are in step with the moves made by city councils across Ontario and Canada. 

"I think that it's becoming increasingly obvious to city councils across Canada, including Toronto, that there's no way that they are going to be able to meet their housing targets without making fairly radical changes to zoning," Whitzman said.

Council will consider the sixplex item at its meeting that begins on June 25.