Item - 2024.PH10.4

The Planning and Housing Committee:

1. Requested the Executive Director and Chief Building Official and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Housing Secretariat, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee in the third quarter of  2024 on measures to help scale up and expedite the approval and construction of garden suites, laneway suites, and multiplexes, including affordable housing and with consideration of standardized designs, financing options, and staff supports through the application and approvals process. 

2. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning include as part of the monitoring program consideration of incorporating the existing height permissions within the Ward 19 - Beaches-East York Pilot into the city-wide zoning bylaw for Garden Suites. 

3. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning include as part of the monitoring program consideration of the removal of all angular plane requirements for Garden Suites.

4. Requested the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in coordination with the Chief Technology Officer, Technology Services to undertake efforts to standardize and automate data collection and analysis of building permit applications to better monitor implementation of Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) initiatives, among other priorities. 

5. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to report back by the first quarter of 2025 with final recommendations on any proposed policy changes or zoning by-law amendments.

On February 2, 2022, City Council approved Official Plan Amendment 554 (OPA 554), related Site and Area Specific Policy 670 (SASP 670) and Zoning By-law Amendment 101-2022 to permit garden suites on properties in most residential zones across the City. The amendments were appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT), although the Tribunal dismissed the appeals after determining that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the appeals.

The amendments adopted by Council to permit garden suites are rooted in the principles to create complete communities and provide a full range of housing in terms of form, tenure, and affordability for residents across the City in a form that makes efficient use of land. A "garden suite" is an additional self-contained living accommodation, usually located in the rear yard, but not on a public lane, and is separate or detached from the main house on the lot. Garden suites are generally smaller than the main house on the lot and are intended to function as rental housing as well as accommodation for a variety of types of household configurations and people in different stages of life. The Garden Suites Initiative is part of City Planning's Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (EHON) work program.

Along with approving the by-law and policy changes to permit garden suites across the City, City Council directed City staff to monitor the implementation of garden suites and  report on a range of matters to Planning and Housing Committee following the earlier of two years following the date the Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendments came into full force and effect or following the issuance of the 200th building permit for the construction of new garden suites. Building permit application numbers indicate a slower uptake in garden suite applications than laneway suites, with only 97 issued at the time of this report. As such, City Planning is recommending that the monitoring period be extended to ensure enough data is available in order to recommend any necessary policy and zoning changes necessary to facilitate the construction of garden suites. This report summarizes the planned monitoring program and presents preliminary findings following the analysis of 126 minor variance applications that propose a garden suite.