Item - 2025.PH23.1

The Planning and Housing Committee recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan, as amended, substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment appended as Attachment 1 to the report (June 27, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

2. City Council amend Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, substantially in accordance with the draft Zoning By-law Amendments appended as Attachment 2, as amended by Recommendation 3 below, Attachment 8, and Attachment 9 to the report (June 27, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning.

3. City Council amend Attachment 2 to the report (June 27, 2025) from the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning by adding part (C) to provision 4.1, so that it reads:

"4. Zoning By-law 569-2013, as amended, is further amended by replacing Regulation 150.7.60.30(1) with the following:

(1) Minimum Separation between a Residential Building

Despite regulation 10.5.60.30(1), the main wall of an ancillary building containing a garden suite must be:

(A) no less than 4.0 metres from the main wall of the residential building on the same lot if the height of the ancillary building is no greater than 4.0 metres;

(B) no less than 7.5 metres from the main wall of the residential building on the same lot if the height of the ancillary building is greater than 4.0 metres; and

(C) despite regulation 150.7.60.30(1)(B), if an ancillary building containing a garden suite has a height greater than 4.0 metres and is on a lot in the area bounded by Coxwell Avenue, Coxwell Boulevard and Massey Creek to the west, the Don River and Sunrise Avenue to the north, Victoria Park Avenue and Nursewood Park to the east, and Lake Ontario to the south, the ancillary building containing a garden suite must be no less than 5.0 metres from a residential building on the same lot.”

4. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments as may be required.

The Planning and Housing Committee held a statutory public meeting on July 15, 2025 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report presents the findings of the Garden Suites Monitoring Program and recommends modifications to the Official Plan policies and Zoning By-law permissions for garden suites to further support the effective implementation of garden suites in Toronto and to align Zoning By-law 569-2013 with recent provincial regulatory changes. This report also encourages continuing City efforts to improve communications, processes, and application status tracking related to garden suites.

A “garden suite” is a detached, self-contained ancillary living accommodation permitted on properties in residential zones in Toronto. Garden suites are usually located in the rear yard of properties and are generally smaller than the main house on the lot. Unlike laneway suites, a garden suite does not abut a public laneway. With the guiding principles of both “garden” and “suite”, garden suites are intended to provide an additional form of low-rise housing and increase housing supply within Neighbourhoods, while maintaining the natural environment, urban forest tree canopy, and soft landscaped character in rear yards. Garden suites also provide additional housing options for a variety of household configurations and people in different stages of life, including multigenerational families, renters, and those wishing to age in place.

On February 2, 2022, City Council adopted the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (“EHON”) EHON – Garden Suites Final Report, which introduced garden suite permissions within Neighbourhoods city-wide. Council also directed City Planning staff to monitor the implementation of garden suite permissions and report to Planning and Housing Committee recommending any necessary revisions to policy, zoning, and other changes to improve implementation.

The Garden Suite Monitoring Program included a jurisdictional scan of garden suite permissions in other cities; a detailed review of garden suite applications including minor variances, building permits, and tree permits; and consultation with residents, resident associations and grassroots organizations, City staff and industry professionals. The key findings informed the recommended Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments attached to this report, which further support improvements to garden suite implementation in Toronto.

The proposed Official Plan Amendment has regard for the matters of provincial interest listed in Section 2 of the Planning Act, is consistent with Provincial Planning Statement 2024, and meets the intent of Toronto's Official Plan. The Zoning By-law Amendment conforms with the Official Plan, as amended by the proposed Official Plan Amendment. As a priority project of the EHON initiative, garden suites contribute to Toronto’s housing goals and targets, including the 2023 Housing Action Plan, and the Province’s housing target of 285,000 new homes in Toronto by 2031.