Inclusionary zoning is a land use planning tool that would enable the City to require new residential developments to include affordable housing units. Currently, the Province of Ontario only allows the City of Toronto to use inclusionary zoning in specific circumstances, such as buildings in “Major Transit Station Areas”. This does not meet the needs of our city, or the housing crisis.
We have lots of work to do on planning—including creating new tools to build affordable housing, encouraging "missing-middle" housing, and legalizing rooming houses across the city. All of this should be guided by improved consultation processes that are responsive to the community.
The Work Ahead
- There will be a review of the current inclusionary zoning implementation framework after one year to assess its efficacy and areas for improvement. I will collaborate across City divisions to strengthen the City’s policy so that it covers every allowable use case under provincial law.
- I will continue to advocate for the City to have more expanded ability to use inclusionary zoning, pressuring the Mayor and Council as a whole to push harder and farther than they have done in the past.
- Studying the inclusion of affordable housing in every city-led development and expanding the Parkdale Hub model
- Studying changes to the official plan and urban design guidelines that would help build "missing-middle" housing
- Making multi-tenant homes (rooming houses) legal in every part of the city
- Making sure that development is responsible through better consultation processes that allow everyone to participate
