^{** Big thanks to one of our favourite firms – Lanescape – for the lead image above. We hold no rights.}

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Guess what?! The landscape of laneway dwellings and garden suites is changing!

There are brand new Province Of Ontario regulations that reduce the setback requirements and remove the angular plane requirements for building these two types of structures. Moreover, the regulations apply to the entire province and supersede any municipal by-laws.

What does this mean? Close to 80% of Toronto houses can now support a laneway house or garden suite. How awesome is that?

(The information and graphics below come to us from our respected colleague Marty from LanewayHousingAdvisors)

Garden Suites

Most importantly, the new rules say the garden suite (or laneway house) now only needs to be placed a minimum 4m (13.1 feet) from the existing home, not for example the 5m or 7.5m (24.6 feet) called for in Toronto.

So ABOVE, we have a couple of examples.  The upper in each (house #1) is a larger lot, the lower (house #2) is a smaller, or at least a shallower lot, one that is not so deep.

House #1 – under the current rules, the garden suite must be set back 7.5m.  But under the new rules, although in the above #1 example the garden suite is the same size under the old rules and the new ones, there is now more room for some extra backyard, behind the garden suite.

House #2 – this is a smaller lot, and under the old rules, there was not enough backyard for a reasonable-sized garden suite.  But under the new rules, the garden suite can be much larger.

Laneway Dwellings

House #1 – this is a large/deep lot, but the laneway house at the maximum size leaves no exterior parking room, so 25% or even 50% of the laneway house is used for parking.  With the the new rules, you can park a car or two outdoors at the laneway, and that means more “living space” for the laneway house.

House #2 – with the new rules, the proponent here even with a smaller lot can have a fairly large laneway house.

Angular Planes

Until these new regulations, some builds ran into what are called 45-degree “angular planes” on the upper level of a 2-level build (usually the top 1/3 of the structure). 

See the RED ARROWS above.

These made for difficult room layouts, especially for bathrooms and kitchens. The regulation change means angular plane rules no longer apply, the build can have traditional vertical walls, right up to the roof-line.

This is great news for Torontonian looking to build ancillary dwellings.

Why Do We Love The Idea Of Garden Suites & Laneway Dwellings So Much?

In times of challenge, there can be a shift in sentiment when a municipality and region have to re-think how to best use its land when the forecast is for the population to grow by 1.5 million people in 5 years. The longer outlook? The GTA is expected to grow from 7.4 million (2023) to 10.4 million by 2051.

Accommodating more people without razing the existing urban residential fabric isn’t an easy feat, but after Vancouver successfully led the way in allowing laneway homes as-of-right in 2010, the City of Toronto incorporated as-of-right Laneway Homes into its zoning bylaw in 2018, followed by as-of-right Garden Suites in 2022. Given neither of these housing types can be severed and sold separately from the Main Dwelling, in addition to creating more supply (for use by the property owner or as rental housing), supporting the sensibility of gentle density and providing property owners more options on creating the highest and best use of their own land, these two typologies invite more creative uses as well.

For example, multigenerational living is trending in Toronto. Whether the motivation is to keep costs economical, to make elder and child care more efficient, or to collectively engage daily for familial health and well-being, multi-generational living is growing. It’s particularly appealing for the sandwich generation who are caring for their parents while raising kids because it alleviates a lot of the stress, guilt and worry, that accompanies bouncing between locations. 

A second example is the income offset. Shelter is expensive in Toronto, so it’s not unusual for dwell hunters to explore all the ways they might keep their housing costs low or reduce their debt load more quickly. One of the best avenues to achieve this is by buying a multi-unit property. After all, a property that has 2 or 3 units means you can have tenants help pay the operating expenses and mortgage interest costs of your principal residence. In this context, the smart buy is a dwelling which might require you to max out your mortgage initially but, because the property has one or more additional units, they can be rented to serve as an income offset.

I love these kinds of properties for their adaptability!

(Much thanks, again, to Marty from LanewayHousingAdvisors !)

If you enjoyed this, you may enjoy these other Urbaneer.com posts:

City Of Toronto To Permit Higher Density Housing With New ‘Major Streets Bylaw’

Design Innovations For A More Affordable Canadian Housing Future

All Residential Properties In Toronto Can Now Become Four Units As-Of-Right

On Garden Suites In Toronto, By The Architect Builders Collaborative, Sustainable, & Urbaneer

About Laneway Housing In Toronto, By Sustainable And Urbaneer

Dear Urbaneer: Does Canada Have A History Of Building Affordable Economical Housing?

Making Housing Affordable… Around The World!

Dear Urbaneer: What’s Being Done To Create Affordable Housing In Toronto? 

Dear Urbaneer: How Can Minimalism Help With Affordability & Sustainability In Housing?

How Canada’s 3 Levels Of Government Shape Housing Policy & Programs

Trending In Toronto: Single Family Houses Replaced By Boutique Condo Townhomes

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** Big thanks to one of our favourite firms – Lanescape – for the lead image in this blog. (We hold no rights.)

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