Media

Thanks to the National Post for writing this great article addressing Toronto’s growing demand for affordable housing options and the key role laneway suites are playing to fulfill this demand. Here, Lanescape’s Craig Race discusses some of the important details behind the design and build process for laneway suites.

For more photos and information, check out the article here.

Our co-founder Craig Race takes you on a tour of our Leslieville Laneway House and speaks about the current state of Laneway housing in Toronto. Check out the video here.

Thanks to the Livabl team for putting this together!

For more photos and information, check out the project here.

A bright infill future was on show at this week’s BILD laneway tour! Read about their stop at the Leslieville Laneway house and the possible streetscapes of Toronto’s future in the Toronto Star report here

Our Senior Manager Tony took some time to sit down with Brendan Charters from Eurodale Homes to discuss some common misconceptions surrounding laneway suite design and construction, check out the full article here

There are many options available to any current homeowner who has property abutting a lane inside the pilot area. One company that was a part of the laneway bylaw development is Tony Cunha and his team at Lanescape.ca. They hold regular public information sessions for designers, builders and homeowners looking to learn more about the intricate process and rules governing these initiatives. They also provide design and construction services, which range in cost due to factors including finished vs. unfinished areas, site-specific servicing, plus consulting fees. Tony emphasizes that this is not the ‘Tiny House’ movement gripping social media. “These units,” he attests, “can be up to 1,700 sq.ft. in size, with a 10mx8m footprint.” Lanescape has done a great job at creating illustrations of how to fit a laneway house onto a lot, and the zoning restrictions that govern it. Setbacks from the lane, the main dwelling, as well as height and angular plane restrictions ensures this is a true secondary suite, and not just another house behind a house. While every lot is unique, if you understand the basic rules, there is an as-of-right condition to fit something onto virtually every lane abutting lot. Stickhandling the rules, with guidance from professionals, can shorten the approval process and build the laneway home faster.