Garden Suites Coming To Toronto

The City of Toronto is developing regulations to permit ‘Garden Suites’ in most residential areas. These regulations should be in place by mid-2022.

What is a Garden Suite?

A garden suite is a detached accessory dwelling unit located in the back yard of a detached, semi-detached, or attached house. It is smaller than the main house and serves as a separate rental housing unit. Garden Suites are similar to Laneway Suites, which are already permitted in most areas of the city.

Several other Canadian cities already have approved planning frameworks for Garden Suites, including: Kitchener, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Whitehorse, Halifax, Victoria, Maple Ridge, Saanich, Windsor, and Peterborough.

What are the requirements for Garden Suites?

Draft regulations for Garden Suites have been prepared and are being reviewed through public consultations. These regulations specify such things as:
– Location in the back yard;
– Maximum lot coverage, height, and building footprint;
– Minimum setbacks from side and back lot lines;
– Minimum ‘soft landscaping’;
– Protection of mature trees;
– Prohibition of severances; and
– Requirements for emergency services access, especially fire services

Once the Garden Suites bylaw and regulations are in place, most homes in Toronto will be able to have two ‘accessory units’ in addition to the main building. The first would be a rental unit inside the building, such as a basement apartment. The second would be a rental unit detached from the main building, either a Laneway Suite or a Garden Suite.

Garden Suites will give homeowners another way to produce rental income and will also increase the value of their property. More importantly, they will increase the stock of low-rise rental units within the city.