Until now, Toronto homeowners have only been able to add a secondary residence to their property if it is next to a public laneway; this will change when the new Garden Suites provision is approved.
At EkoBuilt, we’ve very excited by the new provision and the opportunity to continue to develop Toronto’s housing market sustainably. With a project manager in Toronto and our certified PassiveHouse system, we are well positioned to help Toronto homeowners make the most of any secondary dwelling opportunity.
We’ve prepared this overview blog post in anticipation of Garden Suites becoming possible. Public consultation is set to end shortly; see the City’s call for comments before Nov 30th.
What is a Garden Suite?
Like Laneway Suites, Garden Suites are detached housing units separate from the main house on the property on which they are built.
Like Ottawa’s Coach Homes and Toronto’s Laneway Suites, Garden Suites are generally smaller than the main residence on the lot. They are typically intended to function as a rental housing unit.
Garden Suites will broaden options for Toronto homeowners as they can be situated next to adjacent yards, a flanking street, a private lane, or open spaces such as parks.
As with the other secondary dwellings mentioned here, Garden Suites are intended to be “non-severable”. There will be no option to sever the property. Under the same ownership as the main house, these units will be serviced with utilities through a connection to the main building or to the street.
The City of Toronto wants to know what you think about expanding permissions for garden suites in the city. Check out the draft permissions , draft Official Plan Amendment , and draft zoning by-law amendment . You can also watch a video walking through the draft permissions. Send your comments through a 1-question survey before November 30, 2021.
Garden Suite floorplans
Toronto homeowners eagerly anticipating the new provisions can get a jump on the process by reviewing the City of Toronto’s latest information, connection with EkoBuilt, and reviewing our existing floor plans (any of which can be modified to best suit the site and needs / lifestyle preferences of the homeowner).
Contact us
If you’d like to discuss a laneway suite or other future secondary dwelling, please reach out.
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