WoodGreen Community Services…

WoodGreen Community Services supports the Government of Ontario’s efforts to make it easier and faster to build new homes and infrastructure in Ontario through Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, 2025.

As the largest non-municipal affordable housing developer in Toronto with an ambitious mandate of growing our pipeline from 1,700 units to 5,000 by 2030, it is critical that we cut red tape to accelerate approval or provide flexibility to build affordable housing faster.

Schedule 7 of Bill 17 proposes to amend the Planning Act to provide regulation-making authority to reduce planning applications for minor variances. If passed, Bill 17 would enable the Minister, by regulation, to permit variation to a zoning by-law to be “as-of-right” if a proposal is within a prescribed percentage of the required setback (i.e. the minimum distance a building or structure must be from a property line) on specified lands.

WoodGreen Community Services’ Recommendation

The proposed changes to the setbacks are a positive step forward for development and will limit the number of variances required for minor deviations.

In terms of height and lot coverage, WoodGreen suggests including minor height variances up to 5 metres as-of-right if the applicant can prove there are no major impacts to adjacent properties. Major impacts include building shadows, overlook or privacy issues.

This proposed change can allow for an additional storey in the building or mechanical space on top of maximum height allowances without having to seek a variance. Following zoning approval and throughout the design development phase, developers collaborate with engineers to refine project details, including mechanical and electrical systems. These refinements often necessitate increased floor-to-ceiling heights to accommodate specialized equipment or design features. The proposed change would provide developers with the flexibility to incorporate these requirements (especially those with “shrink wrapped” zoning envelopes) without triggering minor variances related to building height. This approach not only helps prevent project delays and reduce costs for developers but also alleviates the administrative burden on the City’s resources.

About WoodGreen Community Services

WoodGreen is one of the largest social service agencies in Toronto, serving 37,000 people each year. We offer over 75 programs and services tackling the social determinants that affect the health and well-being of individuals in our community.