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On February 2nd, 2022, Toronto City Council voted 19-5 in favour of the new Garden Suite zoning by-law amendment, effectively permitting homeowners across the city to construct detached secondary suites to the rear of their properties through a streamlined approvals process. Following the adoption of any motion by city council, there is a mandatory period where only the minister of municipal affairs may file an appeal prior to motions formal ratification into a by-law. The appeal period for garden suites was set to expire on Monday March 7th, 2022.

Our team received unfortunate news from the city yesterday that there was an appeal filed against the garden suite draft by-law.

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Some of the most common questions we receive from inquiring homeowners are related to existing trees in their backyard and how these will affect the viability (and process) to realizing their laneway or garden suite. In recent months, trees have become a prevalent topic in Toronto’s accessory dwelling unit community as the new garden suite by-law was subject to lengthy debate over its impact on our urban forest. This post will clear the air on the subject (pun intended).

Toronto’s low-rise neighbourhoods are the lungs of our city. They represent nearly 75% of our land area. The goal is to preserve our urban forest and ensure these secondary dwellings, while important to provide new housing, do not result in significant removals and a depleted canopy.

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Today was a special day for Toronto. City Council voted 19-5 to approve the new Garden Suites by-law. This policy will allow homeowners to construct detached housing in back yards across the entire city.

Our city has been mired by NIMBYism for as long as I have been a professional architect. It was depressing. But today, city council literally said YES IN MY BACK YARD to something.[Read More…]

There is only one critical reason why garden suites are important to our city – they will continue to put control of new housing in the hands of everyday homeowners.

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After much anticipation, a draft zoning bylaw amendment for as-of-right garden suites is now available to the public. The requirements set forth have been refined from the City Planning recommendations published in June of 2021 following consultation with community groups and municipal stakeholders.

While this draft is not a final binding policy, it is a major step towards the completed bylaw. The draft still requires council approval and ratification before garden suite projects can move forward in the city, however we are optimistic that there will not be any substantial modifications made as part of that process.

Those familiar with the laneway suite zoning by-laws will recognize some of the requirements set forth. The garden suite policy is loosely based on the laneway suite framework, though there are several fundamental differences in response to a non-laneway-oriented condition.

Our team has summarized the draft bylaw requirements here:

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