Review of Applicability of Type G Loading to Address Specialized Housing Types - by Councillor Josh Matlow, seconded by Councillor Chris Moise

At its October 30, 2025 meeting, Planning and Housing Committee adopted Item 2025.PH25.17, directing staff to conduct a comprehensive review of Type G loading space requirements for mid-rise developments. Type G loading requires buildings to fully internalize a truck's ability to maneuver, collect waste, and swing up a waste bin without reversing onto a public road, resulting in high ground floor ceilings and significant loss of ground floor area. The adopted item asks staff to examine the 31-unit threshold that triggers these requirements, consult with industry stakeholders, conduct jurisdictional analysis of global best practices, and report back by the second quarter of 2026 on innovative solutions including smaller trucks, turntables, on-street collection, and alternative waste storage. This motion seeks to extend that review to explicitly capture specialized housing projects, specifically those that combine bed-sitting rooms/dwelling rooms with conventional dwelling units, which were not addressed in 2025.PH25.17. The current by-law's dwelling unit count threshold creates an arbitrary cap on these projects and forces the provision of loading infrastructure that typically goes unused, as mixed waste streams require private collection regardless. This motion directs staff to close that gap, removing unnecessary barriers to the delivery of much-needed specialized housing for vulnerable residents. This motion is urgent as staff work on 2025.PH25.17 is currently underway and this additional direction is necessary to ensure specialized housing types are addressed in this work.

and dwelling units, as part of the October 30, 2025 Planning and Housing Committee Item 2025.PH25.17 - Type G Loading Requirements and Waste Management for Mid‑Rise Developments motion amendment.