Item - 2025.TE27.19

The Toronto and East York Community Council adjourned the public meeting for Zoning By-law Amendment for Garden Suites on Parkmount Road Facing Craven Road - Final Report, until January 13, 2026 at 10:00 a.m..

The Toronto and East York Community Council commenced a statutory public meeting on October 22, 2025 that continued on November 27, 2025 and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

On October 9 and 10, 2024, City Council directed City Planning staff through Item “TE16.75 - Council Direction on PH14.13 - Allowing Time for a Thorough Review”, to review garden suite zoning permissions for homes on Parkmount Road that back onto Craven Road between Danforth Avenue and Hanson Street, and to allow more time for the review that Council had previously requested. The Council decision directed staff to consider matters such as provincial planning changes, previous consultation, and modifications to the zoning by-law for better integration of garden suites in the area including appropriate setbacks from Craven Road for garden suites.

Garden suites have been permitted in Toronto’s Neighbourhoods since early 2022, when City Council adopted city-wide permissions. As a priority project of the Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods (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. The garden suite permissions provide opportunities through gentle intensification for a variety of living arrangements, providing flexibility for existing homeowners looking to rent a unit to tenants, creating additional units for multigenerational living, or those looking to downsize and age in place. To date, the City has received over 900 building permit applications for garden suites. In July 2025, Council adopted additional amendments to further support the effective implementation of garden suites in Toronto based on the findings from the Garden Suites Monitoring Program and to align Zoning By-law 569-2013 with recent provincial regulatory changes.

This report presents the findings from the review, feedback from public consultation, and staff’s recommended approach to reflect the distinct context of Craven Road, including recommended amendments to the zoning by-law. The recommended zoning by-law amendment would continue to permit garden suites on Parkmount Road while providing minor modifications to performance standards that reflect and address several unique characteristics on Craven Road, notably the narrowness of the street, and the through-lot character of Parkmount Road versus the facing condition of the homes fronting onto Craven Road. Staff are aware of only one other street in the City that exhibits the same characteristics.