Making It Easier to Build Multiplexes

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The decision

2026-05-07 · Planning and Housing Committee · adopted

As filed

The Planning and Housing Committee: 1. Requested the General Manager, Toronto Water, to review if it is feasible to establish a flat rate cost for installing residential water service for buildings with six or more units on one property, or other measures to reduce requirements for multiplex projects to commission individualized engineering drawings and tendering, and report back on options as part of the upcoming Multiplex Monitoring report.

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2. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, working with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, to prepare a consolidated zoning by-law update for public use by the third quarter of 2026. 3. Requested the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, and the Executive Director, Development Review, to pilot open houses geared towards residents who are interested in learning more about building multiplexes, laneway or garden suites on their properties. 4. Requested the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, to continue to modernize its approach to housing approvals by introducing innovative tools, such as the AI Assisted Building Plan Pre-Assessment Pilot Initiative (launching by end of the third quarter of 2026) to improve efficiency and speed of building permit application reviews.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

In recent years, the City of Toronto has dramatically expanded where and how we allow more housing to be built. We now permit multiplexes, garden and laneway suites, and six-storey apartment buildings on Major Streets in neighbourhoods, with more to come. We have also expanded financial incentives to help make it more affordable to build, including waivers of development charges and park levies for up to six units plus a garden or laneway suite on a single parcel of land.

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As uptake of Missing Middle housing grows, I recently met with a group of multiplex planners, architects, and builders, along with key City staff, to discuss further operational measures the City could take to make it easier and cheaper to build more housing options in our neighbourhoods. These recommendations are some of the items that emerged from these discussions. They speak to different facets of multiplex development, including: - Assessing opportunities to lower the cost of new residential water service connections for multiplexes - Making information available to interested residents and property owners about multiplex permissions - Introducing innovative tools such as AI assisted reviews of building plans to improve efficiency and speed in building permit application reviews

Staff recommended

Mayor Olivia Chow recommends that: 1. Planning and Housing Committee request: a. The General Manager, Toronto Water, to review if it is feasible to establish a flat rate cost for installing residential water service for buildings with six or more units on one property, or other measures to reduce requirements for multiplex projects to commission individualized engineering drawings and tendering, and report back on options as part of the upcoming Multiplex Monitoring report.

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b. The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, working with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, prepare a consolidated zoning by-law update for public use by Q3 2026. c. The Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, and Executive Director, Development Review, to pilot open houses geared towards residents who are interested in learning more about building multiplexes, laneway or garden suites on their properties. d. The Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, continue to modernize its approach to housing approvals by introducing innovative tools, such as the AI Assisted Building Plan Pre-Assessment Pilot Initiative (launching by end of Q3 2026) to improve efficiency and speed of building permit application reviews.

On the record

The item as the City filed it

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