Toronto launches new tools to speed up housing approvals

Key Takeaways:

• Toronto is introducing pre-approved building plans for garden and laneway suites to help homeowners and builders save time and money during the design and permitting process.
• Online building permit services are being expanded, allowing digital submissions for various residential projects, including new homes, secondary suites, and multiplex conversions.
• The City is widening its reliance on professional engineers’ seals, a move expected to cut permit-to-occupancy timelines by nearly a month for some housing types.

The Whole Story:

Toronto is rolling out a slate of new measures aimed at accelerating home construction, including standardized building plans and expanded online permit services, as the city works to address housing supply and affordability challenges.

Mayor Olivia Chow announced the initiatives Thursday, saying they are designed to cut red tape and help builders and homeowners get shovels in the ground faster.

“We need to build more affordable homes faster that people can afford,” Chow said. “Today’s announcement will simplify approvals at city hall by enabling online applications, supporting faster approvals and providing pre-approved designs to accelerate building.”

The new actions include:

• Pre-approved building plans for garden and laneway suites that comply with the Ontario Building Code and are freely available to the public. The standardized designs will reduce time and costs during the early design phase, although applicants must still undergo site-specific reviews.
• Expanded online services for building permit applications, allowing digital submissions for new homes, secondary suites, multiplex conversions and accessory dwellings. Automation features are expected to reduce manual processing and allow reviews to begin sooner.
• An expanded reliance on professional engineers’ seals, allowing qualified engineers to take responsibility for compliance with building code requirements. The program, launching July 14, will now include laneway and garden suites, mechanical systems and fire protection upgrades. A pilot of the program found it shortened permitting timelines by about 28 days.

The city is also publishing demonstration models to help residents visualize how so-called “missing middle” housing can fit into existing neighbourhoods, including pre-approved designs for multiplexes and secondary units.

The moves come as Toronto continues to grapple with a historic surge in housing proposals. Between 2020 and 2024, the city recorded its largest-ever residential development pipeline, with over 850,000 homes proposed.

City officials say the new tools will support both homebuilders and skilled trades, while helping Toronto meet the growing demand for diverse housing options.