(AGENPARL) – Fri 04 July 2025 City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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News Release
July 4, 2025
City of Toronto taking steps to reduce design costs and speed up building permit approvals
As one of the fastest growing cities in North America, Toronto continues to advance housing approvals through new initiatives that simplify and speed up the building permit process. Today, Mayor Olivia Chow further demonstrated the City of Toronto’s commitment by announcing several actions to help make it easier to get a building permit and allow applicants to begin construction faster.
Three new initiatives that are being rolled out to support homebuilders and save time, including:
1. Pre-approved building plans for garden suites and laneway suites
The City is launching free, publicly accessible and standardized “made in Toronto” building plans for garden and laneway suites. These building plans, prepared by the City, comply with the Ontario Building Code and are available to the public at no cost. Applicants using these plans can save time and money at the design phase, simplifying and speeding up the delivery of new homes in existing neighbourhoods. Homeowners will still be responsible for preparing and submitting a building permit application, and site-specific Code and zoning reviews will still be undertaken. The new pre-approved building plans are available on the City’s website: toronto.ca/PreApprovedPlans.
2. Online services for building permit applications
The City is expanding its online services to enable online, self-service building permit application submissions for new houses and new residential units, including secondary suites, multiplex conversions and laneway or garden suites. The online services expansion streamlines the permit application process by automating document checks and submissions, reducing manual processing and allowing staff reviews to begin sooner. Visit the City’s Building Permit Application Guides webpage for more information: toronto.ca/applyTObuild
3. Expanding the Reliance on Professional Engineer’s Seal program
Effective Monday, July 14, the City is expanding its program that allows licensed professional engineers to stamp building drawings and assume responsibility for compliance with the Ontario Building Code. Launched as a pilot in 2024, the program will now include accessory structures such as laneway suites and garden suites, mechanical systems, as well as enhanced fire protection measures. By relying on the engineer’s seal, the pilot program identified that the City can reduce the average time from permit application to occupancy by approximately 28 days.
The City is also sharing Demonstration Plans, which illustrate where housing options such as pre-approved multiplexes, garden suites or laneway suites could be easily built. These demonstration models are intended to help the public visualize how missing middle housing can fit within existing communities. More information can be found on the City’s website: http://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/planning-studies-initiatives/expanding-housing-options/demonstration-plans-for-expanding-housing-options-in-neighbourhoods/.
Between 2020 and 2024, Toronto recorded the largest residential development pipeline in its history, with more than 850,000 homes proposed. To compliment this demand, the City is continuing to innovate and put in place solutions that will support the development industry, including the skilled trades, as well as deliver homes that meet the needs of all Torontonians.
Quote:
“We need to build more affordable homes faster that people can afford. The City of Toronto is taking action to cut red tape and accelerate housing development in our city. Today’s announcement will simplify approvals at city hall by enabling online applications, supporting faster approvals and providing pre-approved designs to accelerate building. We’re tackling the housing crisis by enabling more housing development, including missing middle homes.”
– Mayor Olivia Chow