Toronto Legislation

By-laws, by-law amendments, guidelines, plans, codes and other documents governing the City of Toronto have been listed here to provide direct access. These documents will also be directly linked in articles about a particular subject. The most significant legislation is the Official Plan with a number of Chapters, Schedules and Maps, as well as a number of Official Plan Amendments. The Official Plan has therefore been set up as the first section, followed by the remainder of the documents (alphabetically).

Official Plan

The Official Plan is intended to ensure that the City of Toronto evolves, improves and realizes its full potential in areas such as transit, land use development, and the environment. The most recent official plan consolidation of Chapters 1 to 5 and Schedules 1 to 4 is in effect as of February 2019. The most recent consolidation of Chapters 6 and 7 is in effect as of June 2015.

City of Toronto

Chapters 1-5

The first five chapters of the official plan set out the policies (shaded) and background/context (unshaded) of the Official Plan for Toronto. Chapters 1 to 5 outline a vision and the principles of a successful city; set out the urban structure, strategies for growth and change through the integration of land use and transportation; contain policies for decision making based on the plan’s goals; set out land use designations across the city, and set out an approach to implementing the Plan.

Chapter 6 Secondary Plans

Secondary plans are more detailed and area specific plans with detailed development policies for areas defined by the City. A map shows the areas with numbered keys which can be matched to each area’s secondary plan document.

Chapter 7 Site and Area Specific Policies

Site and area specific policies vary from one or more of the provisions of the Official Plan, requiring a layer of local policy direction for an area or site. The map shows the areas which are keyed to the policy document.

Official Plan Schedules 1-4

Schedule 1 is a list of all minor City streets with right-of-ways wider than the standard 20M. Schedule 2 is a list of planned but as-yet unbuilt roads. Schedule 3 is a list and explanation of all documents that must be submitted to the City as part of a complete Application. Schedule 4 is a list of prominent and heritage buildings, structures and landscapes to which view protection polices of the Official Plan apply.

Official Plan Maps

The interactive map organizes the Official Plan land use maps, secondary plans and area specific (SASP) maps and Special Policy Areas (SPA) by geographic area. There are links to all Official Plan maps located below the interactive map.

Updates and Amendments to the Official Plan

The City of Toronto Official Plan was approved by the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) in 2006. The first statutory Five Year Review subsequently began in 2011. Updated policies have been adopted by Council for a number of thematic policy areas since that time and are either in effect, being reviewed by the Province, or are being adjudicated at the LPAT.

Downtown

Minister’s Approval of Official Plan Amendments 405 (Yonge-Eglinton) and 406 (Downtown) with Modifications and Staff’s Preliminary Assessment of Potential Impacts of Bill 108

On June 5, 2019, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued his decision on the Yonge-Eglinton Official Plan Amendment (OPA 405). The Official Plan Amendment , as modified by the Minister, is now in force.

Environment

OPA 262 Amendments to the Official Plan Environmental Policies and Designation of Environmentally Significant Areas was approved by the Province in May 2016. The OPA is in full force and effect.

Official Plan Five Year Review: Final Recommendation Report – Amendments to the Official Plan Environmental Policies and Designation of Environmentally Significant Areas. The Official Plan Five Year Review: Final Recommendation Report – Amendments to the Official Plan Environmental Policies and Designation of Environmentally Significant Areas (PDF) contains background information.

Employment

OPA 231 is currently being adjudicated by the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). The majority of the policies and mapping are in full force and effect.

Heritage

OPA 199 which won the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals Award of Excellence, was approved with modifications by the Ontario Municipal Board in April 2015. The OPA is in full force and effect.

Housing

OPA 214 was approved by City Council in July 2013. The OPA is in full force and effect.

On April 6, 2016, Planning and Growth Management Committee considered a new Official Plan definition for Affordable Ownership Housing.

OPA 403 was adopted to permit Laneway Suites and Zoning By-law 810-2018 was passed to permit Laneway Suites within the boundaries of the former municipalities of Toronto and East York.In July 0f 2019, these permissions were expanded across the City with the adoption of OPA 460 and the passing of Zoning By-law 1210-2019.

In 2021 the City undertook the Laneway Suite Monitoring and Review initiative. Based on this initiative, a City-initiated Zoning By-law 1107-2021 was Passed on December 23, 2021 to amend Section 150.8 of By-law 569-2013 – Specific Use Regulations for Laneway Suites.

Neighbourhoods & Apartment Neighbourhoods

OPA 320 was approved with modifications by the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) in December 2017 and December 2018. The OPA is in full force and effect.

Transportation

OPA 274 was approved by the Province on December 31, 2014. The OPA is in full force and effect.

“Feeling Congested?” Recommended Official Plan Amendment for Selected Transportation Policies: Official Plan Comprehensive Review

OPA 456 was adopted by City Council on February 26, 2020. The OPA is currently being reviewed by the Province and is not in effect.

Urban Design

OPA 479 and OPA 480 were approved by the Province with one modification on September 11, 2020. The OPAs are in full force and effect.

OPA 479: Final Recommendation Report – Amendments to the Healthy Neighbourhoods, Neighbourhoods and Apartment Neighbourhoods Policies of the Official Plan

OPA 480: Recommended built form official plan amendment – Amendment 480 to the Official Plan of the City of Toronto respecting the Built Form and Built Form – Building Types Policies

City Contacts

General Official Plan Inquiries 416-392-6578

Other Legislation and By-laws

Codes of Conduct

Code of Conduct Compliant Protocol for Members of Local Boards (Restricted Definition) and Adjudicative Boards provides the procedures for making complaints about members of local boards and quasi-judicial boards within the City and also sets out the jurisdiction and authority of the Integrity Commissioner to investigate such complaints.

Code of Conduct for Members of Adjudicative Board, City of Toronto describes the written standards of conduct for citizen members who are appointed to adjudicative boards by Council.

Former Municipal Zoning Bylaws

Building permit applications are currently being reviewed for compliance with both the new Zoning By-law and bylaws of the former municipalities. Please refer to residential zoning information such as yard setbacks, gross floor area, and height requirements of the former Zoning By-laws, may still be in force in some areas of the City.

Sustaining and Expanding the Urban Forest: Toronto’s Strategic Forest Management Plan 2012

Toronto’s Strategic Forest Management Plan was approved by City Council in February 2012 and included the adoption of a city-wide target of 40% canopy cover.

Toronto Local Appeal Body (TLAB)

List of Public Documents and Governing Legislation

Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 813, Trees

Significant trees on private property or City streets are protected under Municipal Code Chapter 813.

Urban Design Guidelines

Design Guidelines are provided by Building Type, Area-Specific, Streetscape & Public Realm, Environmental, Public Art and Healthy Communities.

Zoning By-law 549-2019

Zoning By-law 549-2019  permits secondary suites in townhouses city-wide, removes the requirement for the original house to be at least five years old, removes unit size restrictions and reduces parking requirements.

Zoning By-law 569-2013

The City-wide Zoning By-law 569-2013 was enacted on May 9, 2013. Use the Zoning By-law Interactive Map to finding the zoning on a property.

The By-law is available in PDF format in three parts:

The By-law is also available in the web-based version, providing viewing of links for by-law chapters, sections and exceptions.

By-law 569-2013 was created in 2018 but 324 Appeals were submitted to what was then the Ontario Municipal Board (now the Ontario Land Tribunal). This was followed by many settlements and withdrawals, and subsequent approvals by the Tribunal of unchallenged portions. However, the 2018 Decision identified provisions that in the Tribunal’s view required further study by the City. A Decision on October 12, 2021 defines the decision from the continuation of the Phase 2 hearing on the Residential appeals. The issues dealt with are: maximum height; maximum main wall height; flat roof houses; width of dormers; height of the first floor and definitions of basement and first floor; and location of required parking spaces. By-law 569-2013 has not yet been updated for these Decisions.

Toronto City Hall photo by remundo, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons