Zoning By-law Amendment for Garden Suites on Parkmount Road Facing Craven Road - Final Report

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.